The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-06-05

been attained, and we are no longer as
naval powers, being unable indeed at
this moment, l regret to say, to be rep
resented at the great naval review to
a single battleship. This condition will,
IMPORTANT DRILLS.
AS to the practical turn which your
studies shall take here, / desire to re-
iterate my strongest convictions N favor
Of fleet and squadron drill in the United
States Navy. 1t is one of the lessons TO
be gathered from the most recent naval
conflicts in the East, and a short cruise
Central America !" with tfs the eG North thu Atian nic
squadron leaves me so profoundly inn
pressed with the necessity of continuous
drills of this character, that l would be
recreant in my duties as a citizen and
as an officer of the department If / did
not e%ndeavor to strongly impress that
as yet been able, short of the ~evolutions
OF this winter, to drill in squadron or
in feet, modern warsh.ps such as we
these ships, experience Is a prime neces-
sity, for which indeed there can be no
s snsed sna tb Their o,, greater tsrnor Ien1gth 80 ana %
or less obsolete the rules governing the
type. Moreover the highest degree of
professional proficiency IN a naval off,
cer. can only be attained by thevst.mu-
lation begotten by the friendly rivalry
of vessels moving. in company. Novel
ideas and progressive movements affect
ing one ship and her personnel become
squadron. and thus is begotten anIinter-
change ability of professional opinion,
the exciting of audabla PERSONAL am
bit.on, and the pride in the shipsand her
discipline which no amount of single
ship cruising could beget on infusa. An
officer would be dull to ell sense Of
personal pride who would permit his
ship, under the keen and watchful eye
of an admiral, to be o-ut-manoeuvred
an1 haftzr na1y;oofnl wy annfhnr nGSnnr
on the bridge of a ship Immediately
CONTINUOUS DRILLS NECESSARY.
The Navy Department having very
wisely concluded to divide the ships in
to squadrons. ! sincerely trust and hope
no sh IL In ine the ena NAVY az a Unless geaa 'd from w ezra oe
ordinary circumstances, which has not
been drilled under the eye and CRITICISM
should be given the greatest discretion
and power consistent with. the soyer-
eighty of the department. These drills
but should be continuous and persis-
tent, as l cannot well exaggerate how
important they, seem to me in raising
and promoting the highest efficiency of
the men and the best possible condition
of the ships. 1t is painful to cont,emss
plate how many officers in of
ships have finished the cruising time al
lotted to them under the present rules
and customs Of the Navy without e
oeuvred for one day with the other ships
of our Navy. OF course in the future,
as in the past, owing to the vast amount
of work made necessary FOR the protec-
ton of American interests and property,
single ships of our Navy will find them-
of the world, and the efficiency and con-
dition of the ship and her value as a
lighting machine will depend largely up
duty of her commander and officers,
but 1 respectfully urge that SO far as
practicable it is best that movement n
be a part of the life of every ship. In
the winter months the Gulf of Mexico
and the Caribbean Sea continue to offer
generally peaceful condition of the wa
ters, with plenty of sea ROOM Wltnont
toe much Tnnaamsn mm anS With iG in mere Or M yess
good harbors, offer the greatest 1acll-
GOOD DRILL GROUNDS.
Without desiring to suggest pro-
With fahit details. it seems to me that Tampa,
Fla, in our own w sava nia ma not l9 oni9
for fleet movements but for boat and
and drills. As a general r~endezyous IN
possesses great advantages which q
course are known to all of you. In the
summer these Northern waters, aside
fogs and a large and increasing COM
merce, are well suited for the purposes
we have in view.
There is one advantage in their use
which should not be overlooked-a great
deal Of the hardest work of the Navy IS
lone and will continue to be done IN
of lis, and that the officers and men
should always be in strong and vigorous
health, is a consideration which must
not be overlooked A few months in
these waters cannot be otherwise than
useful in giving us a robust and strong
personnel, fit for any emergency and
oopahIa Of Oraaf endurance 1Indar long
continued strain. and with adverse CHI
matte influences. As | said in the begin
n nd51gg,ar ! hone p his to see sje at fsaS ind dhe it w cone
venient to work in harmony will the
great problems which you here under.
TAX to s sfir t aed p 5nat SIC afho amb 5laea5
and high zeal of the officers CT the
Navy, that the demand fol-, squadron
If single ship cruising is to be entirely
the rule of the Navy l fear that some
day we shall be much Inundated at the
inability of those upon whom we depend
in making those manoeuvres upon which
the whole art of war rests.
LESSONS FROM THE LATE WAR.
as this of intelligent and professional
men, that I should enter into any minute
discussion Of the Lessons OF the resent fsnt
the developments of this war, will be
carefully ,conned and r~ecogniaed by the
will address themselves to your enlight-s
eminent.
In this connection 1 take great pleas
ure in acknowledging the excellent work
lone by our present Naval Attache to
Japan and China-Lieutenant Comman-
der Barber, and to the officers of our
squadron in those waters in furnishing
US with a great amount of the most in
tere sting and accurate information re-
garding naval warfare, and indeed, with
the movements both on sea and land of
the c~ontending forces in China and Ja-
pan. It cannot but prove a most valuable
addition RI fha information of 0llr NAVY
more especially some of the latter re.
the Japanese torpedo boats.
PEOPLE WILL SUPPORT THE NAVY.
While there Is very much yet to be
done to perfect the personnel and adj
vance administrative reform, ] forcsee a
bright future for this chool and the
establishment to which 1t belongs. So
long as the individual officers of the
navy blend professionally zeal with high
honor and Underwriting patriotism you
ca,a rest assured of the respect grid SUD-
port of the people, who are willing to
believe that you allow no opportunity to
pass by to make yourselves high mas
ters, of the art you profess. To achieve
that high standing / want to re.terate
again and again that the sharp, rivalry
Of squadron movements under the keen
eye of a competent and discerning chief,
wherein individual responsibility is as
sumed and practiced under the critical
gaze of fellow professionals, and where
tho ah1n and worthy ere 9S sire to he