The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-02

showing twsnry-oue), the United State
has only two. The average numb build
ing for these other countries is fourteen
are building seven.
The secretary urges legislation touch
ing the personnel Of the navy, saying:
ITO rcorganizs tie line Of the navy SO
as to bring about the promotion OF officers
to command rank at an age when still
enough to be self-assertive would seem to
bo all important. The majority of ouI
officers now approaching com mand rank
| are over so years of age. These officers
| come now irst into com mand at period
of life when the habit of relying on 9TH
| ers has become q second nature"
The secretary recon ends hat the age
| Of admission to the naval academy be re
| duoed to either IA to IL or 10 to II instead
| OF Is to 20, as now, for two reasons:
| First. there should not be as much as
four years difference between officers
com n IssiOned on che same day and ell OF
whom are to retire at a given age; sec.
ondly, statistics gathered at the academy
in previous years, show that boys who
| enter at an early age more frequently
succeed in graduating than those of moro
advanced years.
cor tIy established naval war college,
which the secretary regards as very
important institution, rs putting before
the officers OF the navy practical ques-
tions OF actual war t. be solved, thus
vsrsing them in the principle OF strategy
and tactics.
The report says: 1.-THE increasing in
terest in the naval military movement
IN the lake and sea5oard states gives
such promise that the department. rec
ommends that steps now be taken t es-
tablish this arm Of the national defense
Of definite footing.
The states making returns of the num-
Der of petty officers and seamen and
sharing in the annual allotment ef the
SIS, 900 appropriations for 1S94.5 were as
follows:
: Massachusetts, 4o9 Rhode Island 100,
Connecticut II, New York 3S7, New Jer-
sey ZIG. Pennsylvania 167. North Caro-
lima 255, South Carolina los, Georgia so.
california 1913, Illinois 1893, Michigan 1S7.
Maryland l74. total 1896.
Tho Two new states to make returns
are New JerseJ and Georgia. In short
time the whole coast and the northern
and great interior waterways will DE in
cluded. A very energetic organization
now exists In the interior on one of our
great rivers.
active steps are being taken by the
department toward securing uniformity
in the methods OF organization and in
the character OF the duty performed, in
order that the military and the regular
navy may cooperate effectively and help
fully in any scheme of national defense.
"Thsse organizations are made up
more from the body Of young men OF
acquatic states than from the seafaring
class. Many of the militia are yacht and
sailing boat owners. sotuated by the most
co a m endable patriotism and many
more would be drawn in the work il
boats Of the navy cutter pattern were fur-
nishsd so as to make it still more APP
parent that the country expected and in
tended them TO be of service to 1t in case
of need.
"Undsr authority conferred by law
the department has been able to loan
few servicsalbe boats, but a boat OF this
is hardly more valuable to the
militia than to the regular navy.
Every battalion, with proper help and
direction from the department, can ac-
quire information rs to its contiguo
coast that would be invaluable IN case
OF invasion.
Cylinder the act empowering and au.
thoPiz!ng the department to loan un.
serviceap Die ships to the naval militia for
the purpose Of instruction and drill,
during thespast year, the Dale has been
loaned to Maryland, the Portsmouth to
New York, the wyandotte 10 Connsticut
and the Minnesota to Massachusetts.
Owing to the unseaworthy condition OF
the Swatara it was impossible for the
state of California to utilize this vessel.
An expenditure of about $500 would have
been required to mako her safe and habit
able, and the department. did not think
this advisable, although in the Larger
cities an old vessel is great factor in the
success of the naval militia organization.
aoffrding, as it does. nucleus OF and an
incentive to enlistment. On the Pacicfi
coast no vessels are available. ana on the
Atlantic the supply is at present practi-
cally exhausted, SO that 1t is impos1llre
to meet the wants in this respect OF the
ORGANIZATIONS.
"The new militia is surely but slowly,
through natural evolutionary process.
finding its best field as factor in ma
tionsl defense as an auxiliary to the reg
ular navy. is main element of strength
lies primarily in fine personal, marked
BY great patriotism zeal. enthusiasm
and n ns5 ds Ss sa1d n oeunry to
find finer budy Of physically::and mental.
ly we'll developed young men than those
organizations. 1t ~ no exaRgeration to
say that they are among the very best OF
our citizens"
The secretary recommends regardinR:in--
yentions patented by naval officers, that
inasmuch as the officers owe their educa-
ton and facilities for research to the
government, devices patentsd by them
Should become the property OF the gov.
eminent II desired. upon the payment OF
such com pensation as tho secretary OF the
navy deems just.
The .recom m endation of last year is
renewed that the work OF the coast and
geodstic survy be transferred a part 10
the photographic Office OF the navy de-
partment and the rest to the geological
survey of the interior department, the
reasons 1given beinh rsstated.
The estimated expense for the year 1896
is given as follows:
For running expenses, $17. 500, l04.96 /;
increase of navy, 1928, 392. This is
about 81, 60O. 600 more than the appropria'
ton. For 1897 the estimates are:
o For running expenses, $l9, 6I2, ~ ;
increase of navy, SO, 6Ss, 3S3.
the statement for the fiscal year end
ing June /, 1895. is given as follows:
appropriations exclusive OF public
works, Si4 2l2 sol CT. Drawn to June 80,
Sl2.lIs, 376. %; drawn 10 October 81,
81, 1913. 1927. IL.
Balances IN the hands OF disbursing
oticesr, 81, $3.50. Available balance No
ven Der /. $942, osG. AZ.
In conclusion he says: IAN inspection
OF the tables herein given showing the
relative strength of navies will furnish,
it is believed, all the argument now
needed for the continuation OF the build
ing program heretofore indicated by the
action Of congress. We are not in wan
of ordinary unarmored cruisers or o'
gunboats, but wa are lamentably def
cient in torpedo boats and NO certain ~
need more batltesnips. An inspecti Oh
of the building programs OF other nations
will demonstrate that the lessons laugh
at Yalu and Wei HaiWei have tended tt