Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-12-03
OUR NAVY'S NEEDS.
One More Ship EnOugh---Dry
Docks First Requisite.
Secretary Longs First Annual Mes
sage Rich in Suggestion.

WASHINGTON. u. G.. Nov. 30-John ID.
Long. secretary Of the navy. has Just issued
his first annual report. Secretary Long. be-
for, hr has completed 10 months service in
the cabinet, has come 10 be- regarded IT. 10y
far the able-t member Of il. and hi- counsel
on any subject j. highly valued by the presi-
dent aud his colleagues. senators and repre-
sentatiyrs. A. secretary OF the navy GOV. Long
is "a successful in the administration Of the
technical and varied affairs of his depart
ment Is lac Is IN the larger duties Of Il
cabinet officer. He has already gotten Il
good grasp OF the work Of the different
bureaus. squadrOu- and stations, and carried
on the business ot his Office with ea.e. in
spite Of IL iahur> and difficulties. The old
est officers DO not recall a secretary of the
navy who performed hi- duties So easily and
effectively. They all recognize that he
l. secretary in every sense. and that no
one else j. running the department.
and yet they all unite in praisiug his
characteristic courtesy and modesty.
Secretary Longs relations with As
sistant Secretary Roosevelt are mutually
satisfactory in an eminent degree. and the
assistant secretary is the secretary right
hand man, helping and not hinderins him,
IN inter roniutation OF the malicious Prrdic-
Fons which were. made at the time Mr..
Roosevelt was appointed.
Secretary Long report. which is the most
comprehensive in scope and the most i'm
portant in it. recommendations ever issued
from the navy department. and which Is.
of course, addressed 10 the president, con-
tain- the following. among many other
statements and recommendations. The
present effective fighting force Of
the navy consists Of four battleships of
tho llrst class. two battleships OF the
second class, two armored cruisers. IL
cruisers. II guuboat~. six dOuble-turreted
monitors one ram. one dynamite gunboat.
one dispatch boat, one transport steamer
and five torpedo boats. There are under
construction five hattlrships Of the first
class. Ii torpedo boats and one submarine
boat. There are % other naval vessels. in
cludinG those used in training. receiving and
avaI-reserye ships, tugs. dsused single
turTcted monitors and some 8uScrvireahle
craft There Is, further. the auxiliary fleet
This consists, first. of more than twenty
subsidized steamers. While our ships are
not lis maryland it is not necessary they
should be-aS those of some other great
powers they are. class for class. in power,
speed, workmanship aud offensive and de-
teusiye qualities the equal OF vessels built
anywhere else in the world.
Commenting on the strength and cost OF
the uavies Of other nations Secretary Long
SAYS: lit appears from the report of the
bureau OF yards and docks that today the
most urgent need the naval service is an iu-
crease Of docking facilities. There are seven
strategic divisions Of our coasts. First, from
the bay of Fumdy to Cape Cod: second, from
Cape Cod 10 Sandy Hook: third. from Sandy
Hook 10 Cape Henry: fourth from Cape
Henry to Cape Sable: fifth. the coast limo
bordering on the gulf OF Mexico: sixth. the
southern portion Of the Pacific coast, and
seventh, 'he northern portion. There should