River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-12-02
OUR NAVY.
Extracts from the Annual Report of
Secretary Long.

E1truEte from hep0rN OF
Secretary Long.
Washington, Nov. 27.-Following are
extracts from the annual report OF
Hon. John D. Long, secretary OF tie
navy:
The present effective fighting force OF
the navy consists OF four battle ships Of
the first class. two battle ships Of the Sec
ond class, two Hrmored cruisers I6 cruis-
ers, - gunboats. six double turreted mon
itors. one ram. one dynamite gunboat, ere
dispatch boat. one transport steamer and
five torpedo boats. There are under con-
struction five battle ships Of the first class,
i6 torpedo boats and one submarine boat
There are 81 other naval vessels including
those used as training. receiving and naval
reserve ships. tugs. disuSed single-tur-
reted monitors ard some unserviceabie
craft. There is. further, the auxiliary
fleet This consists. first OF more than ~
subsidized steamers which comply with
the requirements OF the postal act of March
3. 1891, with regard to their adaptability 10
naval service. and 10 an armament Of man
and secondary batteries: second, of a very
much greater number OF large merchant
marine steamers. which can be awaited OF
at an time Of need.
The country IS 70 be congratulated upon
the results obtained in the rebuilding OF
the navy. While its ships are not as many
and IL is not necessary they should be-
a. tAb7C OF some OADGE great powers. VheX
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 Is invited TO the recommenda-
zion OF he chief OF the bureau Of nsyira-
tion for the construction OF stern-vheel
boat OF light draft for patrol service on the
Yukon river. 1t would essentially aid IN
securing proper observance Of the law IN
Alaska The appropriation necessary for
this purpose IS estimated al $4,000. and as
much more for the establishment Of three
small posts at different points on the river
and Tor providing proper outfit for the Of
ficers and men.
''Th efforts OF The department 10 Amer
lean the enlisted force OF the navy have
been steadily pursued. and with this end
IN view tempora ~ enlistinC stations were
esta olisbed during the past summer in a
number of lake cities and a number OF ex-
celent 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 of the bureau show that OF the 2S45
petty officers in general service June 50
1897. ~ per cent were native born and So per
cent. were citizens Of the United States.
and Of the $50 other men IN general Ser,,
Ice IS per cent. were native born and 20
per cent. were citizens ofthe United States
THE department has paid much attention
70 the development of the naval militia
The appropriation OF $4,000 for this pur-
pose, after deducting sa.0O0 for books OF in
struction, was allotted among Is 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
ganized naval militia during the past
year. and was included for the first time
n the naval allotment. Illinois has mus
tered in four divisions and Will share in
the next allotment. Virginia has orga nized
one division. but 1t has not vet been formal
" mustered in. This makes a total at the
present time OF Il 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 encampments. and
In his report to the department states that
he was greatly pleased with the zeal and eff
hciency shown by the different organiza-
tons. The different battallons all had a
tour OF duty on board the vessels OF the
navy during the past summer except those
OF North Carolina ard South Carolina
Our rcmoteness from foreign powers,
the genius Of our institutions and the de-
votion of our people to education. COM
merce and industry, rather than TO any
policy that involves military entaugle-
ments, make war to be thought Of only as
last resort in defense OF our rights, and
our military aud naval establishments az
police force in the preservation of order
and never for aggression While all this
Is, therefore, an earnest of peace as tho
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 OF our coast ard the possibility OF
attack from the sea upon our great cities.
where the concentration of population and
property is en- ormous.
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
ment of our navy yards equal TO the de-
mand upon them Of the increased number
of our ships. and of an enlarged corps Of Of
ficers and men TO DO the work.
The department recommends that the
authorization OF new ships by the com
ing congress he limited to 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 VIII I've seven: and also to a few
torpedo boats and torpedo boat dest royers.
both of which are compare lively of little
cost, and more of which are desirable in
order TO bring his swift. mobile and handi-
" effective arm Of the service Up 10 its
place In the general scheme for coast de-
Tense.
According to the reports of the paymas-
ter-generaI the total cost of maintaining
the navy during the fiscal year ended June
20. 1896, exclusive Of its Increase and of per
manent Improvements at yards md sta
tons specially appropriated for. was sl5.-
49+S6203. and for the fiscal year ended
June 20, 1887. S17.5l4. 23l1 1t appears there
fore, that the expense of maintaining the
navy is a growing one, as distinguished
from It's increase and permanent improve
ments. the cost of which varies from year
to year according to the judgment OF con-
eress a to the desirability Of these latter
items Attention is called to this fact be-
cause the country should he under no mis-
apprehension as TO the increasing cost OF
maintenance. The building of a ship Is a
definite fixed expense. incurred once for all
But to maintain IL. to provide II with docks
naval stations and other necessary ia
cilties. to man and equip Il, to keep II I'm
repair-in short, to run the naval estab-
lishment-is and must continue to be q
large charge on the public treasury. and.
for time, certainly. an increasing one
Economy is necessary at arge and in de-
tail, not merely as a good theory TO pro-
claim, but as an actual practice to per-
form. With the best exercise OF this virtue.
expenses Will be large IN this. in every
other department OF a government which
represents the interests Of a country SO
vast as ours. But it is believed that the
people. whose arm the navy is. and who
evidently appreciate its potential useful
ness. desire to maintain II at the point
OF highest efficiency. and will do so the
more cordially the more frankly they are
Informed of its real and deserving needs
and demands and OF the justifable cost
they necessitate. JOHN ID. LONG,
Secretary OF the Navy
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