The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-05
NO MEN TO MAN THE SHIPS.
The Navy Will Require 1000 More BIue.
Jackets for tho Vessels Already Authorised

Tho Navy Will Require 1000 More BIue-
Jackets for tho Vessels Already Authorized.
WASHINGTON, Tee. 4.-When the great ar
mored cruiser Brooklyn was placed in commits
zion at the League Island Navy Yard tho iioat-
ing strength of the personnel Of the navy be-
came creator than at any period since the war,
when an enormous number of sailors wero re-
ouired to man the 600 or more ships in the
navy. or the II 200 men allowed by Congress.
all but 500 have been enlisted, and these will
soon be secured. In the past three years an
Increase of 5000 men has been authorized.
and In the next two years about 1000 more
Will be required to equip the ships designed to
be ready for service in that time. or the total
enlisted force. probably 5000 men are on
ships In commission, while the remainder are
on receiving vessels and training slips, and
n few employed at the navy yards and other
naval stations. With the Puritan in service
In a few days the hundred or more men now
available will be ORA wn upon and until Congress.
makes further provision for increasing the
force 1t will not be possible to put another YES
sci In commission, unless some of those now in
service are temporarily retired and the crews
transferred elsewhere.
Eighty per cent. Of the present enlisted force
OF the navy are of America birth. whereas ten
years ago the majority OF the sailors were for
eigners. Reports from ships show that two
III VI tne petty 0UcrS are American also
and that most OF these have como from tho
training ships at Newport. While The enlist
ed force is now sufficient to man all ships in
commission. the prospects of the Iowa and
three or FOUR gunboats being ready for service
in the spring has impressed the authorities
with the necessity of securing more men IL the
service is TO keen on the.spresent war footing
ana retain In commission all ships as fast as
herbert by Congress to enlist as many men AS
night be required In an emergency, but as an
ehereency Is Interpreted to mean war, or DOS
~sibiiities of war, the authorities hold that they
nave no power TO exceed the limit except when
hostiities are actually pending. The forth
coming annual report Of the Secretary will.
IL Is thought. present - Congress the neces-
sity OF another 1000 men. Each battle shin
now requires between four and five hundred
sailors in a crew. SO that l 900 more men would
pc lust about enough for the Iowa and two gum
boats.
The five battle ships of the Kentucky and
Alabama type will call for 500 men each. and
SIX gunbnats building in the North will require
about 1000. AID estimate made at the depart
ment shows that with the ships now In service
and repairing. with those building. will require.
when all are in commission, Is. 900 men, at
an additional cost to the Government OF over
$1,000 900 a year. II battle ships are built at
the same rate in the next five years AS in the
listed strength of the navy. marines included,
Will equal that of the standing army. Col.
Heywood, commandment of the marine corps,
has asked for more men. and saws that at pres
ent his force is inadequate to present full ma
rine guards 20 ships in commission. Battle
ships of the Indina type have on board sixty
marines and two officers. The old wooden
vessels seldom have over twenty men in their
marine guard. All f~lagships should have equally
as many. marines on board as battle ships. so
that in increasing, the number of bluejackets
also be increased and the corps enlarged By
fully 500 men.