Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-12-02
Strong OI I'll. WATER.
The United States Navy Is Ready
for Any Ordinary Emergency
That May Arise.
ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY LONG.
lie says the Nation lsCommitte,I 10 the
Policy of STRENGTHENING the service
and Congress- IL rsed To Make. Ia
ernI Appropriations importance
OF the Naval Militia

Washington. Nov. Following are
extracts from the annual report Of Hon
John ID. Long. secretary of the navy:
The present effective tightins force of
the navy consists Of four battle ships Of
the hrsl class, TWO battle ships Of the sec
ond class, two armored cruisers. Is
cruisers, 10 gnnboats. six douhe-tur-
reted monitors, one ram. one dynamite
EunnoaI one dispatch boat one trans
port steamer and five torpedo boats There
are under construction five battle ships
OF the first class. 10 torpedo boats and one
submarine boat. There are o. other naval
vessels including those used as training
receiving and naval reserve ships, tugs
disused sinsle-turreted monitors and some
unserviceable craft. There is further the
auxiliary fleet. This consists first. Of
more than 20 subsidized steamers which
comply with the requirements Of the postal
act of March 3. 1891. with regard TO their
a0aptability 10 naval service and to an
armament of main and secondary batteries:
second, of a very much greater number of
large merchant marine steamers. which
can be availed of al any time of need.
Con&ratuIates the Country.
THE country is to be congratulated upon
the results obtained in the rebuilding Of
the navy. While its ships are not as many
and II is not necessary they should be-
as those of some other great powers, they
are. class for class, in power. speed. work
marship and offensive and defensive quail
tiles the equal of vessels built anywhere
else IN the world.
For service in Alaska.
attention IS invited to the recommends
ton Of the chief Of the bureau Of naviea-
ton for the construction of a stern-wheel
boat OF light draft for patrol service on the
Yukon river. 1t would essentially aid in
securing q proper observance of the law in
Alaska The appropriation necessary for
this purpose is estimated AT $50 00o, and as
much more for the establishment Of three
small posts at different points on the river
and for providing a proper outfit for he Of
ticers and men.
The efforts of thu department to Amer
icanize the enlisted force of the navy have
been steadily pursued. and with this end
in view temporary enlsting stations were
established during the past summer in a
number OF lake cities and a number of ex-
eelient men enlisted. The department in
tends to repeat this action in the southern
states believing that similar enlistmcnts
can be secured on the gulf coast. The rec
ords Of the bureau show that of the 2,S45
petty officers in general service June 80.
1897, As per cent. were native born and So per
cent were citizens of the United States:
and of the $50 other men in general serv-
ice 81 per cent. were native born and ~
per cent were citizens of the United
States II should he said that of htse petty
officers and men great number are Of
long seafaring experience and have excel
lent and deserving records
Naval MiIitia.
THE department has paid much attention
r. the development Of the naval militia
'fhe appropriation Of $4,000 for this pilr-
pose. after deductius S2.0fA for books Of in-
struction. was allotted among Is states
ssachusetts. Rhode Island Connecticut
New York, New Jersey PENNSYLVANIA
Maryland North Carolina. South Carclfra.
Georgia. Louisiana. California Illinois.
Michigan and Ohio The state 4 ohio or
Fanized naval militia during tho past
year and was included for the first time
IN = he no pol IL FFe1G
tered in four divisions ard WIZ harp r
the next allotment Virginia has ercarized
one division but ii has not yei heen formal
~ mustered in This makes total al lie
present time of Il states having laval
militia organizations
Increase of the Navy
"Our remoteness from foreign powers
the genius of our Institutions and The de-
yotion of our people 10 education. com
merce and industry rather than 10 any
policy that involves military entarcle-
MS make war 10 be thought OF only az
last resort III defense OF our rights, ard
our military and naval establishments as
q police force in the preservation OF order
and never for aggression While all this
Is therefore. an earnest of peace as the
normal condition of our national life there
IS no question Of the necessity. he wis
dom and the economy, to the same end If
an effective navy. in view Of the vast ex-
tent of our coast and the possibility Of
attack from the sea upon our great cities
where the concentration Of population and
property is enormous The country is COM
mitted TO the increase Of the navy by the
decla tons of our people and the action
of their representatives The very fact
that we are capable of manufacturing
armor and guns, powder and pf0iectiIes
and TO construct ships which are the equals
of those built anywhere else. Is In itself
a source of great naval power, and our
present resources in this respect should not
be impaired We should preserve and main
a 7of