determined by proper authority that it was not legal. We went to Congress and got authority to make it legal; but a year later Congress passed a bill transferring activities in connection with the preservation, conservation, and production of helium from the status it then had-that is, under the War and Navy Departments-to the Bureau of Mines in the Department of Commerce. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; too many departments willing to do the same thing, so that they can keep running? Captain LAND. I am not saying as to that; but that is the fact. Since that time the supply of natural gas in the Petrolia field has so fallen that it is impossible to operate satisfactorily the Fort Worth plant with the requisite amount of natural gas, which in turn means a requisite amount of helium. The funds to lay this pipe line from Petrolia to Nocona have never been obtained by the department which now has cognizance of the production and conservation of helium. Mr. BRITTEN. Captain, if you have not answered this, what is our total actual storage capacity of helium? Captain LAND. Between twenty-five and thirty million cubic feet is the total storage capacity of the Army and Navy. Mr. BRITTEN. Where are those storage tanks; I mean the principal ones? Captain LAND. The main storage tanks of the Navy are at the naval air station at Lakehurst, N. J. Mr. BRITTEN. What is the capacity of that? Captain LAND. They gasometer about a million cubic feet. The high-pressure storage capacity is about half a million cubic feet. The small-cylinder capacity makes up the remainder of storage, per se. The helium is stowed in cylinders of 180 cubic feet each at a pressure of about 1,800 pounds. The nearest analogy is an ordinary soda-water cylinder or hydrogen-gas cylinder. In addition to that, of course, we have the capacity of every ship in commission as a possible capacity; that is, the Los Angeles, the training ship, and the balloons, observation and kite. . Mr. BRITTEN. Let us get at the total storage capacity of the Navy. Captain LAND. It is about 12,000,000 or 15,000,000 cubic feet. Mr. BRITTEN. And you have something over a million cubic feet capacity at Lakehurst? Captain LAND. Yes, sir; but the over-all capacity of everything I have enumerated-that is, the gas tank, the high-pressure tank, the small cylinder tank, and the ships-is between twelve and fifteen million cubic feet; and that includes the tank car. Mr. BRITTEN. Therefore about 50 per cent of the total storage capacity is under naval control? Captain LAND. Just about; and the Army has about the same, because we have joint cognizance of all these thousands of small cylinders. Mr. BRITTEN. And have we a million feet at Lakehurst right now, in addition to what is in the ship? Captain LAND. No, sir. Mr. BRITTEN. How much have we in addition to what is in the ship? Captain LAND. It is a very small quantity; just a few hundred thousand cubic feet at most. There is some en route from Texas. Mr. BRITTEN. In the event of accident to the ship, how long would it take to replenish the supply there? Captain LAND. At the present rate of production it would take a month or two months. It depends on various contingencies. We might get some from the Army in an emergency. Mr. BRITTEN. Would it be practical to have a ship filled with gas and also the tanks at Lakehurst filled with gas at the same time? Captain LAND. Yes, sir; that is a quite practicable proposition. Mr. BRITTEN. I was thinking of taking out and refilling. Have you special storage capacity there for that? Captain LAND. We have the repurification plant. We take it out of the ship, repurify it, and return it to the ship. But that over-all capacity is actually available for any purpose we see fit. Mr. BRITTEN. Now, with the construction of these two dirigibles more or less in doubt, at least for the time being, and the time required for their construction being probably three years, would you say that we ought to make any special endeavor now toward storing more helium, or would you allow that to remain as it is? Captain LAND. Our special endeavors, which are in the nature of emergency at the present time, are to tap into more natural-gas fields-that is, more helium-producing fields. That is the thing that faces us. We can take care of the storage for the time being; but I would say that we must get into a better field for producing this helium, and, further, that we ought to have additional storage in the way of tank-car facilities. That is the most economical method of transporting and, by the same token, storing helium. Mr. BRITTEN. Along that line, what is the Navy Department doing now toward increased storage of helium? I am talking about the helium; not the tanks themselves. Captain LAND. Only in submitting estimates for additional tank cars. Mr. BRITTEN. Do you not think that the tanks at Lakehurst should be filled? Captain LAND. Yes, sir. Mr. BRITTEN. Why are they not filled? Captain LAND. Because there is not any gas available. Mr. BRITTEN. The gas pressure has run down? Captain LAND. On account of the depletion of the Petrolia field, which we have anticipated for at least five years. Mr. BRITTEN. And yet nothing is being done toward getting the gas? Captain LAND. Yes; there is something being done. It has been taken up with the three departments, with the Secretaries, and I believe that the necessary explanation, the data and figures, will be presented by the department to the Congress at this session. But it is out of the hands of the War Department and the Navy Department. Mr. BRITTEN. I understand that; and it is out of the hands of Congress. Is not that a dangerous situation? Captain LAND. I would rather not comment on that, because I only have personal opinions. Mr. BRITTEN. Well, what is your personal opinion? Suppose something should happen to the Los Angeles? Captain LAND. I was very much opposed to the thing being taken over, anticipating such results as exist to-day. Mr. BRITTEN. Most of us were. The CHAIRMAN. What is the use of building these ships if we have not the helium? Captain LAND. You can get helium quickly enough if you get the money for the pipe line. The CHAIRMAN. It is not in our hands any more. Mr. BRITTEN. We can not get helium by offering explanations. The CHAIRMAN. That is up to the Department of Commerce. They were anxious to have the whole subject taken away from the Army and the Navy, in the interest of the conservation process. Now, are they going to conserve the supply of helium? Captain LAND. We can not conserve it except by leaving it in the ground. The CHAIRMAN. You are right. This committee, then, has no responsibility in the premises? Captain LAND. I think that is correct, sir. Mr. BRITTEN. No, Mr. Chairman; I am sure you do not mean that, This committee must at least look ahead to see that the Los Angeles and any other ships of the Navy have a proper supply of helium and a safe supply of helium, and if some other department of the Government does not provide that helium, it is up to us to make an effort to get it. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. BRITTEN. Are you willing to say to the committee, Captain Land, that it is your opinion that the fact that the Department of Commerce has not taken immediate steps toward providing this proper surplus of helium in storage is a dangerous thing at least to the Navy Department and its operation of the Los Angeles and other aircraft? Captain LAND. I would not put it that way, sir; no. Captain LAND. I would put it in this way: That the steps that have been taken have not been productive of results, and therefore the two departments primarily the Navy, as they use more are facing a situation where they will not be capable of operating lighter-thanair craft, due to a shortage of helium. I do not place the blame on any department. I only state that the results have been such as to bring about this condition. Mr. BRITTEN. What department is responsible for the production of helium? Captain LAND. The Department of Commerce. Mr. BRITTEN. Then the blame belongs to the Department of Commerce; does it not? Captain LAND. Well, there is more to the story than that. They presented certain facts to their proper committees and the appropriations were not obtained. Therefore the pipe lines were not built and the plans were not proceeded with. (Thereupon, at 12 o'clock noon, the committee adjourned until Monday, December 13, 1926, at 10.30 o'clock a. m.) [No. 47] TO AMEND SECTION 24 OF THE ACT APPROVED FEBRUARY 28, 1925, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION, ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF A NAVAL RESERVE AND A MARINE CORPS RESERVE" (H. R. 15212) QN/A18-1 (261207) L NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., December 13, 1926. The CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: There is inclosed herewith a copy of a letter, together with a copy of a proposed bill "To amend section 24 of the act approved February 28, 1925, entitled 'An act to provide for the creation, organization, administration, and maintenance of a Naval Reserve and a Marine Corps Reserve, "" this day forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representativess. Sincerely yours, CURTIS D. WILBUR, Secretary of the Navy. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 13, 1926. The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SPEAKER: I have the honor to transmit herewith a proposed draft of a bill "To amend section 24 of the act approved February 28, 1925, entitled 'An act to provide for the creation, organization, administration, and maintenance of a Naval Reserve and a Marine Corps Reserve."" Prior to the passage of the naval reserve act of February 28, 1925 (43 Stat., 1080), the Secretary of the Navy was authorized by a provision of law contained in the naval appropriation act of August 29, 1916 (39 Stat., 590), to recall transferred members of the Fleet Naval Reserve for the purpose of inspection and examination, and to withhold their pay should they fail to report for such inspection and examination. However, section 3 of the act approved February 28, 1925 (43 Stat., 1081), which act became effective July 1, 1925, repealed that part of the act approved August 29, 1916, relating to forfeiture of pay by members of the Fleet Naval Reserve who failed to report for inspection when so ordered by the Secretary of the Navy. Consequently, there now exists no authority of law empowering the Secretary of the Navy to recall members of the Fleet Naval Reserve, transferred thereto prior to July 1, 1925, for inspection and examination. Under sections 23 and 27 of the naval reserve act approved February 28, 1925, men transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve after June 30, 1925, are required to undergo a physical examination at least once every four years, and if they are found not physically qualified on such examination provision is made for their discharge or transfer to the retired list, as the case may be. However, these provisions in the act of February 28, 1925, are inapplicable to men transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve prior to July 1, 1925. The Navy Department considers it essential that members of the Fleet Naval Reserve transferred thereto prior to July 1, 1925, should be recalled at intervals for inspection and examination, and therefore desires that the Naval reserve act of February 28, 1925, cited above, be amended to accomplish this purpose. In the absence of the amendatory legislation proposed, the Navy Department is without authority to even keep informed of the physical condition and readiness for sea or shore duty of the large class of transferred reservists comprising the Fleet Naval Reserve. Thus it will be seen that the enactment of this proposed legislation is essential to the Navy's interest. Attention is invited to the fact that the proviso which it is proposed to add to section 24 of the act of February 28, 1925, is identical with the provision contained in the act of August 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 590), except that the word "member" has been substituted for the word "man" appearing in said provision. It is difficult to estimate with any degree of accuracy the cost which would be involved to the Government should this proposed legislation be enacted. However, the following data is furnished for your information: The total number of men with over 16 and 20 years' naval service transferred to the Fleet Naval Reserve between August 29, 1916, and June 30, 1925, amounts to 6,351, and of this number there now remains in the Fleet Naval Reserve 6,205. The cost involved, which includes active-duty pay while undergoing inspection and cost of transportation, is very roughly estimated at $12.40 per man, and for 6,205 men this would amount to $76,942 per annum. This amount would be reduced each year by deaths, resignations, etc., among those members of the Fleet Naval Reserve transferred thereto prior to July 1, 1925. This proposed legislation was referred to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget with the above information as to cost and a statement to the effect that the Navy Department contemplated recommending its enactment, and under date of December 7, 1926, the Navy Department was informed that the enactment of this proposed legislation would not be in conflict with the financial program of the President. In view of the reasons above stated, the Navy Department recommends that the inclosed draft of bill be enacted into law at an early date. Sincerely yours, CURTIS D. WILBUR, |