The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-09-29
GATHERING NAVY NEWS.
WORK DONE BY ONE GOVERNMENT
OFFICE IN WASHINGTON.

cution of war at home or abroad This
Office was organized in 1882, and has since
steadily grown in importance, until today
it is not only indispensable to the navy
department, BUTT is the source from which
all progress in naval matters is announced
1t issues annually publication under
the title Of Naval Intelligence General In
formation Series" the contents Of which
consist of original and compiled articles.
In the naval world this publication ranks
as the highest authority, and its value az
such is evident by the constant demands
for current and back numbers
The object of the naval intelligence of
fee is to collect, record. arrange, sift and
compile information in accordance with q
scheme of classification, and to diffuse
such information as may not be of a conf
Dental nature throughout the navy, for
the purpose of enabling the government to
take such measures in time of peace as
| will insure readiness for and vigorous
prosecution Of war.
In order to do this with the best results
a staff of naval officers specially qualified
for intelligence staff work and familiar
with foreign languages is employed. The
staff is composed of two classes namely,
the Office staff and the staff of collectors
of information. The former record, ar.
range, sift, compile and prepare original
articles for the annual publication; the
latter gather information from all the
sources at their command, consisting of
two classes, namely, of naval attaches to
American legations in Europe and of
| ships intelligence officers.
SUBJECTS TREATED.
To each officer of the Office staff is as
signed the study of one or more subjects in
such a manner as to secure the best results,
at the same time equalizing the work. All
subjects are divided into branches, and
each has further subdivision accordingly
the nation to which the branch refers In
addition to the information sent in by the
naval attaches and ships intelligence off,
GERS, the Office staff collects information
from government reports, home and for
eign service, and scientific publications,
books, pamphlets, magazines, journals and
papers, which are thoroughly sifted by
every officer for information relating to
the subjects assigned to him for study.
The SUBJECTS with which the naval intel
ligence officer deals are:
The naval administration of all foreign
powers; their organization, efficiency a
arrangements.
The war policies and preparations of TO-
eign nations, as indicated by the vessels of
war they build or purchase, and by the
number of vessels in commission and in
reserve, and their distribution on the high
seas. s-r -~t-
The naval resources Of maritime nations
as regards character, distribution and capa-
bilities; this includes all information re-
lating to the history, dimensions, machiu-
cry, turning powers. armor, coal capacity,
speed, type, armament, efficiency, defcien-
cies, vital parts and the peculiarities of
every vessel afoat and building; also dock
yards, depots, gun factories, gunpowder
and explosives and torpedo works. All
such information gives data for establish
ing a nations status, naval and military,
for war, and is absolutely essential in order
to carry on war intelligently and vigor-
ously.
Naval operations and tactics. The con-
slant changes being made in the types of
vessels, machinery, guns and mounts and
armor produced a corresponding change in
the methods of handling ships in battle.
Even at the present day there are no estab-
lishad naval tactics; such as have been
used in naval nnaneuvers are experimental, |
and the naval man dvers Of 1890 have fully |
demonstrated the efficiency of these and |
the necessity of remodeling them. Tmpor-
tant developments in naval tactics are an
ticipated from the maneuvers of the North |
Atlantic squadron and squadron of evolu- |
ton.
VARIOUS INFORMATION.
The personnel of all navies as regards |
I1arr ii,
discipline, education, training, drills and |
manner of performing duties as a means
of comparing the efficfencies of the navies
of the world.
Naval reserve and coast guards, as re-
CARDS their organization and REINFORCE
ment by the personnel and vessels of the
revenue marine, lighthouse service, fish
commission, coast survey, and by the per-
sonnet of the merchant marine and mer-
chant vessels adapted for cruisers and
transport and troop ships.
The topography of the coast and rivers,
of lines of communication, railways, ca
mails, telegraph and submarine cables; this
is particularly important with reference to
our own country as furnishing the means
of transporting torpedo flotillas, coal and
supplies, and collecting and diffusing in
COuCcIulnS OIlS U1ONcHcUbo duQ |
operations of an enemy's war vessels.
The trade routes of the world; the laws
which govern the distribution of COM
merce as regards time and place; the inf1u-
ence which particular wars are likely to
produce on the direction and value of COM
merce; observations on the development
and resources of grain producing lands;
the periods of harvest and the supplies
available for export as ~ffecting the policy
of nation depending upon another for its
food supplies.
Armies, as regards numbers, organiza-
ton and equipment. with the view to CO.
operating in time of war.
The strategic position of ports, with ref
erence to the permanent and temporary
defenses, the location of firing stations Of
torpedoes and the facilities for defense by
torpedo boats, the probable garrison Of
every important port, its communications,
facilities for supplies and its
commercial value, the best positions for
an attacking force, facilities for landing,
points to be bonn barded or spared. These
features are all studied and worked out,
leaving plans to be modified according to
and are accompanied by
war maps, showing the location Of forts,
rauye and circle of Are OF guns.
Such information in time OF war would
be supplied 70 commanders of war vessels
and would be invaluable to them as guides
In planning attacks upon forts which they
had perhaps never seen.
The compilation and publication Of his
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