The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-07
MEN WERE VERY SCARCE.
However, One Thousand More
Will Be Enlisted in the
Service.
VETERAN CRAFT YET ON DUTY.
But With the Increased Forces Two
New Fighters Are to Be at
Once Equipped.

the necessary legislation from Congress
after hard struggle the officials of the
Navy Department have taken prompt ac-
ton to put five or more vessels into COM
mission for active service. The five are the
steel cruiser Boston and corvette Marion
at the Mare Island yard. the modern
double-turreted monitor Amphitrite at the
navy-yard at Norfolk and the Government
built battle-ship Maine and the old wooden
frigate Lancaster at the Brooklyn navy
yard.
These vessels have been ready for some
time and would have been put into COM
mission before but for lack of seamen.
The Maine and Amphitrite are new ships
and have never been to sea. The Lancas-
ter and Marion are veterans. The Marion
is in the same class as the Alert and Ran
ger, now doing service on the western
coast OF Central America, and like them
she is believed to be good for several years
more service.
The Lancaster is one of the finest ships
of the old navy and has made an excellent
record. Being constructed of wood she is
obsolete as fighting machine, according
to modern ideas, and she has sailed her
last foreign cruise. Her last active SER
vice was as flagship of the Asiatic squad
ron. She will never again occupy station
of such Importance. Since her return to
New York she has been transformed into
trainingship and, when commissioned,
will be sent to Newport and utilized in
giving practical instruction in gunnery.
Congress added 1000 men to the enlisted
strength of the navy, and the Navy Depart
ment has decided to utilize the increase at
once in manning the five ships mentioned
The Boston: Marion and Lancaster have
undergone extensive repairs and have been
ready for sea for some time. 1t is esti-
mated that it will take the entire additional
force to properly man the quintet The
statement that the provision for the in
crease OF the enlisted force has been rem
dered nugatory by failure to appropriate
for their flood and clothing" is erroneous.
As matter of fact there is ample provision
for feeding the men out of the general
provision for rations, and, so far as clothing
is concerned, no appropriation is needed,
for the simple reason that "Jackies" like
officers have to pay for their own clothing.
The new men will be provided with the
necessary clothing by the Government and
the cost thereof will be deducted gradually
from their pay, just as has been done with
men IL the navy from time immemorial.
There is general appropriation for rations
for enlisted men, and according to the
statement of naval officers no distinction
will be made between old or new men in
the use of this fund.- which is ample under
all conditions to meet every possible
requirement up to the time of the next
, regular meeting of Congress, when there
will be ample time to consider a deficiency
in this respect, if it should then exist.
Without an increase in the present en-
listed force it would have been impossible
to place single additional vessel in com
mission. For three years the navy has
suffered severely for want of men to
properly man the new ships. The navy
yards, receiving ships and recruiting
stations were so depleted by constant drafts
upon them that finally they all together
could not muster men enough for crew
for one ship. The Maine would have been
put into commission two months ago had
there been crew available. The same is
true of the Boston and the Amphitrite.
Of the vessels soon to be placed in COM
mission the Boston and Marion will be
attached to the Pacific squadron under
command of Admiral Beardslee, and the
Maine and Amphitrite will be attached to
the North Atlantic or home squadron,
under command of Admiral Meade.
The Lancaster will probably be under
command of the head of the naval training
school at Newport.