The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07
THE NAVY.
Secretary Herberts Report to the
President.

Three Battle Ships and and Twelve Tor.
pedo Boats Wanted-The Civil Service
Rules in the Navy Yards.
Washington, Deoemebr 5.-The annual
report of Secretary of the Navy Herbert
was made public today. 1t is an exhaus.
tive discussion of the affairs of the navy
department. The growth of the new
navy is traced as follows:
On June 80. 1898. there were 80 vessels
in commission. with n tonnage of ", SIC
tons; on June 80. 1894, So vessels with n
tonnage of 81, 1853 tons; on June 80, 1895,
So vessels with a tonnage of 99,6S4 tons;
on june 80, 1896, 40 vessels with ton
mage of 1872. 52S tons.
Adding the Brooklyn, 9,271 tons, and
the Puritan, 5000 tons, both to be COM
missioned Decem Der Z. the total tonnap.
in commission will be 1877, $50.
June 80, 1893, there were selyi1g in
the navy 6, 459 enlisted men Ind 1.2t
apprentices; June 3d. 1894, $3.50 men and
lila apprentices; June 70. 1896, 7,40s
men and l, 25S apprent. .ss. and June 30,
1895, s,165 men ap@ 1873 apprentices.
OF the enlists: zen in 1898, I,640 wera
serving u.der continuous service certifi-
cater; ii 1894, 1924; in 1895, aero, ana
iusiS96, 2, 400.
The naval reserve is commended and 1t
ia declared to be the purpose of the de-
partment to foster it in every way pos
-sI he al of no los odr mi nil
tration the number of naval militia law
fully certified was 1874, divided among
the states of Rhode Island, Maryland,
South Carolina. North Carolina. Massa'
chusetts, California and New York.
From the last official returns they now
number 1889 in the states of California,
New York, Massachusetts, North Caro-
lima, Rhode Island, Maryland, South
Carolina. Pennsylvania, Illinois, Con-
necitcut. Michigan, New Jersey Georgia.
and Louisiana, and the Department.
has been informed of the prospective
formation of the additional battalion in
New York Cat Brooklyn and an orga-
nization In Ohio.
The secretary speaks at some length
of the operation of the civil service rules
in the navy yards and says: "These
rules had been devised by my predeces-
sor, Secretary Tracy. They were care
fully drawn, with n manifest intention
that no personal preferences or partisan
considerations should obtain in the en-
Payment of labor. This fact remained,
however, that up to the moment of the
adoption Of these rules the old system,
under which such preferences and constd-
eratioDs always obtained, had existed at
all of the yards
Mr.. Herbert adds that he has been
ureet: to disregard the rules on the
ground that they necessarily favored the
party in power when they we're first
adopted as the mea then in tie service
were of that party. 1t was also con-
tended that Democratic laborers failed
to register, regarding tie rules as a
sham. Says Mr.. Herbert: 81 did not
fail to zee the force of these arguments;
but, on the other hand, it was to be con-
sidered that il such system was ever to
be in force, it must have a BEGINNING.
and thai if tue first secretary coming In
after the adoption of rules. against which
the only objection was present ineqna IL
ty of political representation, should at
tempt equalization from his standpoint,
every succeeding secretary would have
excuse fer taking his bite at the cheese,
and SO the prospect would be that the
whole system would be eventually
nibbled away to nothing. 1t was thera-
fore determined, with your full concur
renee, that for the good of the govern
ment the system SHOULD be adhered to,
ana this course has been pursued faith
fully"
Secretary Herbert recommends the
Of three battle ships of
a light draught so that they may enter
Gulf ports, and 10 torpedo boats.