The San Francisco call., 1895-12-02


asked for, and this number will be suffi-
cient if the policy hererein outlined be
approved by Congress, to answer all the
necessities of the Government while we
are so fortunate as to be on a peace foot
ing. It will certainly suffice for years to
come"
But Congress should not stop here, says
Mr.. Herbert, and he therefore suggests
that, in order to be able to iuan our reserve
feet and such naval vessels as may not
have full crews, the President be author
lied to enlist in the naval service, upon
exigencies to be Judged of by him. such OF
the naval, militia and other men. not to
exceed altogether the number necessary
to man all the ships of the navy and such
ships as under the laws now existing, or
hereafter to be enacted, the Government
has the right to call into its service for
period of say two years, the Government
reserving the privilege of discharging when
the exigency may have passed.
The Secretary follows these arguments
with a statement as to the necessity OF
keeping always a portion OF our fleet In
reserve. He shows by tables that OF the
total mum Der of vessels belonging to Great
Britain, France, Germany and Italy, 55.5
per cent are IN reserve and 44.5 i'll commis-
sion, and says that as rule our battle
ships, coast defense vessels and torpedo
boats; after they have been "broken in,
should be kept largely in reserve. Policing
the seas could be done better and more
economically by cruisers of lighter draft
carrying smaller crews and by gunboats.
hprt
suggests is summed up in this manner:
1.-THE department proposes, unless other
wise directed by you or by Congress, to
keep, as soon as circumstances may per-
nit, number of ships, chiefly monitors
and coast defense battle-ships, as ships OF
the first reserve After vessel In this
category has been thoroughly overhauled
and put in first-class condition in all re-
spects, she will be taken to the station
where she is to lie, and her officers and
crew reduced to skeleton organization,
co imposed of skilled artificers and other
lie aiding men, to care for her battery, hull
and motive power. Such OF her
stores as may not be necessary
for her maintenance in this condition
and such others as would deteriorate by
out of her and put in special storehouse
for such ship and in immediate proximity
to her, there to be separately kept as
part of her outfit and so tailed and desig-
mated in a state of readiness to be placed
on board. Such ship is not
to be considered as in ordinary, but is to
be treated in all respects as ship in COM
mission, and subject not to the dock-yard
authorities of the yard where stationed.
but to the orders OF the commander-in-
chief OF the squadron to which she is at
tached, or under the direct control of the
Navy Department. In other words. the
ship would be in commission with
largely reduced crew and treated accord
ingly. The saving thus effected in men,
coal stores and other charges is obvious,
and at the same time the efficiency of the
ship as fighting machine will always be
maintained. AT least once in each year
these vessels are to be given full crews and
to be sent on short cruises to test their
conditions, and that the men and officers
may gain experience in handling them.
Vessels undergoing general overhauling
at navy-yard will be considered the sec
ond reserve. Vessels of the merchant ma
rine liable to naval service under acts OF
Congress will be considered the auxiliary
navy"
The natural distribution geographically
of these ships, it is stated, would be
station each to New England, New York
harbor, the Central Atlantic coast, the
Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Coast, sew
eral vessels being kept IN each station.
An appropriation of 100000 is requested
for giving new compound engines for Far
ragut's old ship Hartford. Rapid-tire guns
will also be placed on the vessel.
On the subject of drydocks the Secretary
has much to say. When the new dock at
the Brooklyn Navyyard is completed we
shall have on the Atlantic coast two
docks-the other at Port Royal, S. C.-of
sufficient size to accommodate our largest
vessels. The Secretary says there should
be dock yard and repairing station on or
near the Gulf of Mexico, but the condition
of the treasury prevents him from asking
for an appropriation for it's construction.
He thinks that it would be extravaganza
to construct and main tain-as has been
urged-new docks at Norfolk, Portsmouth,
n. H., Boston, League Island, Pa, and
Mare Island, Cal.