ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS TO CERTAIN NAVAL VESSELS

JANUARY 23, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. BRITTEN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 4750]

The Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4750) to authorize alterations and repairs to certain naval vessels, having had the same under consideration, report favorably thereon without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill do pass.

The purpose of the bill is to authorize major alterations and repairs to the battleships New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho, at the total cost not to exceed $30,000,000 in all; said alterations to be subject to the limitations prescribed by the Washington Treaty for the Limitation of Naval Armament.

Major alterations to the Florida, Utah, Arkansas, Wyoming, New York, and Texas were authorized by the act approved December 18, 1924, and some additional work was authorized by the act approved May 27, 1926. The first appropriation for work on these vessels was included in the deficiency appropriation act approved March 4, 1925. The balance of funds made available for work on these vessels was included in the appropriation acts approved May 21, 1926, and March 2, 1927. The Florida, Arkansas, and Texas were sent to the Boston, Philadelphia, and Norfolk Navy Yards, respectively, in the fall of 1925 for the accomplishment of the work authorized. These three vessels were returned to active service after completion of their overhauls in November, 1926. The Utah, Wyoming, and New York were sent to the Boston, Philadelphia, and Norfolk Navy Yards, respectively, and placed in reduced commission preliminary to undertaking the modernization work in September, 1926. They were returned to active service after completion of this work in November, 1927.

The act approved March 2, 1927, supplemented by the act approved January 19, 1929, authorized the modernization of the Oklahoma and Nevada. Funds were appropriated for starting work on these vessels in the deficiency appropriation act approved December 22, 1927. The Oklahoma and Nevada were sent to the Philadelphia and Norfolk Navy Yards, respectively, and placed in reduced commission in September, 1927, but work was not actively undertaken on them until the latter part of December, after the appropriation of the necessary funds. The balance of the funds appropriated for work on these two vessels was included in the appropriation acts approved May 21, 1928, and March 2, 1929. The Oklahoma and Nevada were returned to active service after completion of their modernization overhauls in August, 1929.

The modernization of the Pennsylvania and Arizona was authorized by the act approved February 5, 1929. Funds were appropriated for starting work on these vessels in the appropriation act of March 2, 1929. The Pennsylvania and Arizona were sent to the Philadelphia and Norfolk Navy Yards, respectively, and placed in reduced commission in May, 1929. Work on the vessels started in July, 1929. The balance of funds appropriated for work on these two vessels was included in the appropriation act approved June 11, 1930. It is estimated that the modernization of these vessels will be completed March 1, 1931.

The Navy Department is now asking for authority for the modernization of the New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho, with a view to taking up the work on two of these vessels, Mississippi and Idaho, shortly before the completion of the Pennsylvania and Arizona.

The major alterations to the Florida, Utah, Arkansas, Wyoming, Texas, and New York included the installation of additional protection against submarine attack, the installation of air attack deck protection, the conversion of the vessels to oil burning, and the installation of improved airplane handling appliances. In addition, the installation of new fire-control systems was undertaken on the Texas and New York. At the time the vessels were laid up for the major alterations, miscellaneous repairs and minor alterations were undertaken, chargeable to the current appropriations for such work, amounting to approximately $300,000 for each vessel, the statutory limit for vessels of this class.

The work authorized on the Oklahoma, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Arizona includes the installation of additional protection against submarine attack; the installation of air attack deck protection; the reboilering of the vessels, but not conversion from coal to oil burning, as these vessels are already oil burning; the installation of new fire-control systems, of improved airplane handling arrangements, and of a 5-inch antiaircraft battery; the raising of certain secondary battery guns from the second to the main deck; and an increase in the elevation of the turret guns. The authorization also includes an allowance for miscellaneous repairs and minor alterations, as experience with the preceding vessels had shown that all miscellaneous repairs and minor alterations that should be accomplished at the time the vessels are laid up for the major alterations could not be provided for under the statutory limit. In addition, there is being installed on the Pennsylvania a protected flag battle station similar to the one installed on the California.

The work proposed by the Navy Department on the New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho is substantially the same as the work undertaken on the Oklahoma and Nevada and the work being undertaken on the Pennsylvania and Arizona, subject to such variations as are necessitated by the differences in design of the several vessels. The estimates for the several items of work proposed on the New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho are as follows:

Summary of revised estimates for modernization, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho

The total authorization for major alterations on the Florida, Utah, Wyoming, Arkansas, New York, and Texas was $19,710,000, to which should be added approximately $300,000 per vessel for work accomplished from the current appropriations during the period of the major overhaul. The authorization for modernization of the Oklahoma and Nevada was $13,600,000, total for both vessels. The authorization for work on the Pennsylvania and Arizona is $14,800,000, total for both vessels.

The following initiatory letter from the Secretary of the Navy and one containing the recommendation of the Bureau of the Budget, addressed to the chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House of Representatives, on House bills identical to S. 4750 are hereby made a part of this report.

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 17, 1930.

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Replying further to the committee's letter of June 16, 1930, transmitting the bills (H. R. 12964 and H. R. 12965) to authorize alterations and repairs to certain naval vessels, and requesting the views and recommendations of the Navy Department thereon, I have the honor to inform the committee as follows:

The purpose of the proposed legislation is to modernize the U. S. S. New Mexico, U. S. S. Mississippi, U. S. S. Idaho, at a total cost not to exceed $30,000,000, such modernization consisting of repairs and alterations to be subject to the limitations prescribed in the treaty limiting naval armaments ratified August 17, 1923.

The Navy Department desires to perform the following alterations and repairs to the above capital ships, the cost of which would exceed the statutory limit of repairs to naval vessels ($300,000) (39 Stat. 605, U. S. C., title 5, sec. 648):

(a) Provide additional defense against submarines and air attack. This will include the installation of blisters and incidentals thereto, the removal of underwater torpedo tubes, and the installation of above-water tubes.

(b) Reboiler, install new turbines, improve oil-burning equipment and main propulsive machinery.

(c) Increase elevation of turret guns.

(d) Install new tripod fire-control mast.

(e) Modernize fire-control systems.

(f) Provide new airplane launching and handling facilities.

(g) Install 5-inch antiaircraft battery.

(h) Other miscellaneous alterations and repairs.

The following is the estimate of cost under the cognizance of the various bureaus of the Navy Department:

In view of the foregoing, the Navy Department recommends that either the bill H. R. 12964 or H. R. 12965 be enacted.

Sincerely yours,

C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy.

The CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS,

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, June 27, 1930.

House of Representatives, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: At a hearing held before the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, on the bills, H. R. 12964 and H. R. 12965, "To authorize alterations and repairs to certain naval vessels," the Secretary of the Navy was requested to inform the committee that formal approval of this proposed legislation had been made by the Bureau of the Budget.

On June 14, 1930, the Navy Department submitted to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget a proposed draft of a bill to authorize the modernization of the U. S. S. New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho, at a total cost not to exceed the sum of $30,000,000 in all. This proposed draft was in the exact wording of the bills, H. R. 12964 and H. R. 12965. On June 27, 1930, the Secretary of the Navy received a letter from the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, dated June 27, 1930, stating that in so far as the financial program of the President is concerned, there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation to Congress for its consideration.

Sincerely yours,

о

C. F. ADAMS, Secretary of the Navy.

REGULATION OF LOANS OF $300 OR LESS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

JANUARY 23, 1931.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. BOWMAN, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 15982]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 15982) to provide for the regulation of the business of making loans of $300 or less in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report back to the House with certain amendments, with the recommendation that the amendments be agreed to and that the legislation do pass.

The amendments are as follows:

Page 4, line 22, strike out the words "liquid assets" and insert in lieu thereof the words "cash capital".

Page 5, line 5, strike out the figures "$2,500" and insert in lieu. thereof the figures "$5,000".

Page 6, line 6, strike out the figures "$2,500" and insert in lieu thereof the figures "$5,000".

Page 6, section 6 (a), line 24, strike out the word "liquid" after the word "application" and insert in lieu thereof the word "cash", and in line 25, strike out the word "assets" and insert in lieu thereof the word "capital".

Page 7, line 1, strike out the figures "$100" and insert in lieu thereof the figures "$250".

Page 7, line 6, strike out the figures "$50" and insert in lieu thereof the figures "$125".

Page 9, line 2, strike out the figures "$100" and insert in lieu thereof the figures “$250”.

Page 9, after line 18, insert paragraphs "(c)", "(d)", "(e)" and "(f)" as follows:

(c) The superintendent may, without notice or hearing, suspend any license issued under this act for a period of not exceeding 30 days, pending investigation.