Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02
NEEDS OF THE NAVY
Recommendations Made to Congress
by Secretary Herbert.
Two Big BATTLESHIPS ASKED FOR
Some Topics Of Local Interest
Discussed in the Report.
HE GUN F. CTO r Y

THE GUN CTOR Y
Secretary Herbert's annual report is
particularly interesting summary Of the
naval progress of the past Year, and per-
hapS the most important feature Is his
recommendation that Congress authorize
the construction CT two more big Dattleshps
and at least twelve torpedo boats He con-
tends that the lessons of Yalu and Wei
Hal Wei and the experience Of naval pow
ers,as shown in their programs for new con-
structioE. amply demonstrate the efficiency
Of these classes Of vessels, and he is encour-
aged by the progress in shipbuilding in this
country TO hope that the ships can now be
built at considerable reduction from the
prices to be paid for those last contracted
for.
Progress in shipbuildng at navy yards
has been slow, but the Secretary has taken
steps to hasten 1t hereafter by stopping the
practice Of divertilg the force Of employees
from construction work to make repairs on
other ships, in order to avoid fluctuations in
the force. The Secretary says that the
same obstacle to rapid WORK exists at pri-
Vate yards, and for that reason the depart
ment has endeavorcd to prevent delays in
construction therein By holding the con-
tractors to the payment of penalties for
failure to deliver ships on contrac. time
In this effort the department has been
somewhat thwarted by the action Of Con-
gress in passing special acts relieving the
contractors from these penalties.
The Gun Shop.
Our system Of naval gun construction at
the Washington navy yard is said to be
mr. fO N he world
and improved devices are being constantly
applied. The six-inch guns are being grad
ually converted into rapid-fire guns, the
efficiency of which type was strkingly
shown in the Japanese naval engagements.
The Secretary makes a strong argument in
favor of the allowance of the estimate he
submitted to Congress at the last session
of $500,000 for the procurement of a supply
of guns for the auxiliary navy. He calls
attention to the fact that the Paris and
New York. taken from the British flag after
the British government had provided guns
ard mounts for them, are at present with
out any guns, and that the st. Paul and St.
Louis are in a similar condition. He sees
nc use in paying subsidies to ships and
having no guns to make them available in
time of war. Also he calls attention TO the
fact that under treaty the United States is
now prohibited from keeping more than one
naval vessel on the great lakes, and that
Great Britain has now on hand an ample
supply of guns to equip all of her mer-
chant marine in these waters for war and
thus master the lakes and do incalcuiable
damage to our cities. If we had a proper
reserve supply of guns and ordnance stores
We could easily dominate the lakes.
Secretary Herbert speaks with gratifica-
ton of what he has accomplished during
the year in the way of simplifying the
business methods OF the Navy Depart
ment. and then taking I'D the subject If
dry docks, he discourages the plan of lib
eral expenditure for new and larger docks
a hot NV luna
! neNt We shall have two rev large docks
on the Atlantic coast and the Puget Sound
dock will suffice for the time for the Pa
| cific coast where the Oregon is the only
| ship that cannot now enter the Mare Is
| land docks Therefore, one more dock
| located at Norfolk. and a dock and repair
] ing station on the Gulf Of Mexico, If Con-
greSs feels tina. the state of the treasury
would Justify the latter expenditure are
all that are recommended by the Secretary
who commendS what WAS done by his pre-
decessors. Secretaries Chandler and Whit
ney, in the direction of closing up navy
wards and concentrating work at few lar
ger yards as sound business practice which
should not lie departed From row, and
urges that any money i" be expended upon
the navy should be applied to new ships
instead Of docks.
Personnel of the Navy.
The Secretary has very little to saw about
the reorganization of the personnel Of the
navy. but confines himself to reiteration
of his argument advanced to the last Con-
sress and statement that while the le-
partment is not welded to the plan then
proposed, the conditions existing seriously
impair the efficiency OF the navy and
should be changed
He also argues strongly in favor of the
allowance of further increase in the
number of enlisted men by 1000 at once
and says thas Congress should then make
provision for calling into service a suifi-
cfcnt number of ssiIcrs to man all of tins,
governments ships. This prefaces a long
chapter on naval reserves, in the course Of
which the Secretary compares the British.
German, French and Italian systems and
holds that the time has now come to Gre
ate such Il reserve in this country. He i'll
dictates that he prupos to set aside tn
monitors and coast defense ships as the
first reserve. eslab iskiIg stations, in New
England. New York harbor. the central At
lsntic coast. the Gulf OF Mexico and the
Pacific coast. where the ships might he
uSe1 to drill the reserves and also furnisr
training to the naval militia in place OF
the ,lilapdated craft now assigned to that
Service. The Secretary says he has fully
considered the arguments made by some
naval officers IN favor OF the removal of
marines from naval ships and he is de-
Cidedly adverse 20 the proposition, say
ing that the modern ship Is really a foa:-
ing fortress III ni,cii the marines caa lie
used to great advantage iE manning the
guns handling the small arms and reprsss-
ing INSTRUMENTATION. For tnis reason he
has determined to place marines on al;
of the battleships.
Touching upon the Naval Academy. the
Secretary favors an enlargement of the
course in English, and also a change IA
the age of admission @; the cadets, so that
they may be admitted between the years
of fourteen aud Sixteen. or fifteen and
seventeen. instead Of sixteen and twenty
as at present. He also speaks in terms of
high praise of the naval militia, saying
that while their status yet remains to be
defined they VIII probably be of value in
aiding as gunners, etc, to fight our ships
and manning reserve vessels. and that ex-
perience has shown that the American
holiday soldier, he is sometimes called,
is generally fighting man in time of war
The Recommendation that the coast sur
vey be transferred to the navy is renewed.
The estimates for the next fiscal year ag-
gregate S29,311 166. against expenditures
aggregating 92o during the current
year.
Observatory Circle.
There are several matters of local in
terest in the report. In regard to the es-
adjustment of Observatory Circle. Secre-
tary Herbert says: