Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-08
GATHERING NAVY NEWS.
WORK DONE BY ONE GOVERNMENT
OFFICE IN WASHINGTON

Has STAR Of Workers and Corresponds
ents Greater Than That OF Many a Met.
ropoIItan Publication.
The United States naval intelligence
Office is the repository for all information
on matters relating to the navies of this
world and to all matters which in any way
have bearing or influence upon the prose
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, but is the source from which
all progress in naval matters is announced.
1t issues annuallya 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 it's value as
such is evident by the constant demands
for current and back numbers
The object of the naval intelligence of
flee ID to collect, record arrange, stft and
compile information in accordance with a
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
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 manner as to secure the best results,
vt the same time equalizng the work. All
subjects are divided into branches, and
each has further subdivision according to
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 aud
arrangements.
The war policies and preparations of for
eign nations, as indicated by the vessels Of
war they build or purchase, and by the
number of vessels in commission and in
reserve, ana their distribution on the high
seas.
The naval resources of maritime nations
as regards character, distribution and capa-
billties; this includes all information re-
lating to the history, dimensions, machin
cry, turning powers, armor, coal capacity,
speed, type, armament, efficiency, defcien-
cies, vital parts and the pecularties Of
every vessel afloat and building; also dock
yards, depots, gun factories, gunpowder
and explosives and torpedo works All
such information gives data for establish.
ihB q NAHUM SudONSt LttNdl anu LllIlJdIyi
for war, and is absolutely essential in order
to carry on a war intclliEently 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 corresponding change in
the methods of handling ships in battle.
Even at the present day there are no estab-
lished naval tactics; such as have been
used in naval maneuvers are experimental,
and the naval maneuvers of 1890 have fully
demonstrated the deficiency of these and
the necessity of remodeling them. lmpor-
tant developments in naval tactics are an
from the maneuvers of the North
Atlantic squadron and squadron of evolu-
ton.