The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-12-04

Extracts from the Annual Report of
Secretary Long.


the first class. two battle ships or the sec
ond class. two armored cruisers, 16 cruis-
ers Is gunboats. six double-turreted mon
itors one ram, one dynamite gunboat, one
dispatch boat. one transport steamer and
FIVE torpedo boats. There are under con-
structlon five battle ships OF the first-class.
10 torpedo boats and one submarine boat.
There are c. other naval vessels. including
those used as training, receiving and naval
reserve ships. tugs, dlsused sinele-tur-
reted monitors and some unserviceable
craft There ia. further, the auxiliary
fleet. This consists. FIRST OF more than 20
subsidized steamers which comply with
tho requirements OF the postal act Of March
3. 1891 with regard TO their adaptablity 10
naval service, and 70 an armament 81 main
and secondary batteries; second. OF very
much greater number OF large merchant
marine steamers. which can be avaied OF
al any time OF need.
THE country IS 10 be congratulated upon
the results obtained in tho rebuilding OF
the navy While itg ships are not as many
and II a. not necessary they should be-
as those OF some other great powers. they
are. class for class, IN power speed. work
manship and offensive and defensive quail
itles the equal OF vessels built anywhere
else IN the world
Attention f. invited 20 the recommenda-
ton Of the chief OF the bureau OF navira-
tion for tho construction OF n stern-wheel
boat OF light draft for patrol service on the
Yukon river IL would essentially aid IN
securing n proper observance OF tho law IN
Alaska. The appropriation necessary for
this purpose Us estimated a go 600. ard as
much more for the establishment OF three
small posts AZ different points on the river
and for providing proper outfit Cor the Of
icers and men.
THE efforts OF the department 20 Amer
icanize the enlisted force OF the navy have
been steadily pursued. and with this end
In View temporary enlistlng stations were
established during the past summer I'm
number OF lake cities and number Of cx-
cellent men enlisted The department In
tends TO repeat this action In the southern
states. believing that similar enlistments
can be secured on the gulf coast The rec
ords or the bureau show that OF the 2Si5
petty officers In general service June 30,
1897, IS per cent. were native horn and 50 per
cent were citizens OF the United States:
and or the $50 other men iu general serv-
Ice 5S per cent were native born and 70
per cent were citizens ofth United States.
"Thc department has paid much attention
10 tho development OF the naval militia,
The appropriation OF $4,000 for this pur-
pose. after dcductlng 5000 for books OF IN
structlon, was allotted among 10 states
Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Connecticut.
New York New Jersey. Pennsylvania.
Maryland. North Carolina South Carolina.
/ Georgia. Louisiana, California Illinois
Michigan and Ohio The state OF Ohio or
ganlzed a naval militia during the past
year. and was included for the first tlme
In the naval allotment. Illinois has mus
tered IN four divisions and VIII share I'm
the next allotment. Virginia has Organized
one division. but 20 has not yet bccn formal
~ mustered In. This makes n total az the
present time OF II states having naval
militia organizations. During the past
summer the assistant secretary Of the navy
personally visited and inspected the naval
militia Of Ohio. Michigan, Illinois and New
York IN their annual cncampmt hts, and
IN his report 20 the department states that
he was greatly pleased with the zeal and cf-
nciency shown by the different orrauiza-
tons The different hattalions all had a
tour OF duty on board the vessels OF the
navy during tho past summer except those
OF North Carolina and South Carolina.
"Our remotoness from foreign powers.
the genius OF our institutions and the de-
votion Of our people 20 education, COM
mprcc ana Industry. rather than TO any
policy that involves military entangle-
inouts, make war 20 be thought Of only az
a last resort In defense OF our rights. and
our military and naval establishments as
n police force I'm the preservation OF order
and never for aggression While all this
H., therefore. an earnest OF peace as the
normal condition OF our national life. there
IS no question OF the necessity, the wis
dom and the economy. to the same end. OF
an effective navy. In view Of the vast ex-
tent Or our coast and the possibility or
attack from the sea upon our great cities.
whore the concentration OF population and
property rs enormous
THE principal need OF to-day IS that OF
sufficient docks. OF which there IS a de-
plorable lack, OF adequate supplies Of the
munitions OF war. which should never be
at the hand-to-mouth stage; OF an equip
mcnt OF our navy yards equal TO the de-
mand upon them OF the increased number
OF our ships, and or an enlarged corps Of Of
hcers and men 20 do the work.
"IIR 0Cuarfmput recommends that Tho
authorization or new ships by the com
ing congress be limited 20 one battle ship
for the Pacific coast. where. after the five
now under construction are completed
there VIII be only two. while on the At
lantic there Will be seven; and also 10 a few
torpedo boats and torpedo boat dcstroycrs
both OF which are comparatively OF little
cost, and more OF which are desirable IN
order to bring this swift mobile and hnndl-
~ effective arm OF the service up 20 its
place In the general scheme for coast de-
tense.
According 10 the reports OF the paymas-
tcr-gcneral the total cost OF maintaining
the navy during the fiscal year ended June
80. 1886. exclusive Of It's Increase and OF per-
mancEt improvements at yards and sta
lions specially appropriated for. was 49,
f9i.h02o3. and for the fiscal year ended
June 90 1857 Sl15f.23L13. II appears, there
fore, that the expense Of maintaining tho
navy Is a growing one, as distinguished
mcnts, the cost Of which varies from year
TO year according 20 tho Judgment OF con
gross as 90 the dcsirability Of these latter
Items Attention Is called 10 this fact be-
cause the country should be under no mis-
apprehension as 20 the increasing cost OF
maintenance. The building OF n ship 81 "A
definite fixed expense. incurred once for all.
But TO maintain 10. TO provide IL with docks.
naval stations and other necessary ia
clllt!es. 10 man and equip II. TO keep ~ In
repa'r-ln short, 10 run the naval cs,ab-
lishmont-i5 and must continue 10 be a
large charge on the public treasury, and.
Tor time, certainly, an Increasing one
Economy IN necessary az large and IN de-
tail, not merely as good theory to pro-
claim. but as an actual practice 10 per-
form. With the best exercise or this virtue
expenses VIII be large IN this, as In every
other department OF a government which
represents tho interests OF n country 50
vast as ours. But IL IA believed that tho
people, whose arm the navy is. and who
evidently appreciate It's potential useful
ness. desire 10 maintain 10 az tho point
~ HHI 81