The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-12-09
FACTS ABOUT THE NAVY.
Secretary Long Gives to the Public
His Annual Report.

Secretary Long Gives to the Public
His Annual Report.
Secretary of the Navy Long, in his re-
port to the President, declares that the
prime need of the naval service is not new
ships, but new docks, v1harves, munitions,
men and facilities. He says in part:
Our remoteness 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 entangle-
ments make war to be thought of only as
a last resort in defense of our rights, and
our military and naval establishments as
police force for the preservation of or
der and never for aggression. While all
this is, therefore, au earnest of peace as
the normal condition of our national life
there is no question of the necessity, the
wisdom and the economy, to the same end,
| of an effective nav, in view of the vast
| extent of our coast and the possibility of
attack from the sea upon our great cities,
| where the concentra ton OF population and
property is enormous.
Hitherto for more than decade the
increase of the navy has very properly
been in the line of new ships, and wisely
so, as this has hitherto been the vital
need. In the opinion of the department
the time has now come when that increase
should be on adjunctory lines in order to
bring our naval facilities up to the same
line of advance. The principal need of
to-day is that of sufficient docks, of which
there is deplorable lack; of adequate
supplies of the munitions of war, which
should never be at the hand -to-mouth
stage; of an equipment Of our navy yards
equal te the demand upon them of the in
creased number of our ships, and Of an
enlarged corps of officers and men to do
the work.
Additions to our feet may be hereafter
necessary to bring it in case of an emer-
sency to an extent commensurate with
the growing necessities of the country, es-
pecially in view of the development of
Alaska, which is a continent in itself, and
of the possible annexation of islands in
the Pacific. On the other hand, it is a
mistake not to recognize that cur naval
power has more than doubled within the
last few years: that the case OF any emer
gency beyond our present resources is the
very rare case; that until it comes ships
will be gradually taken out of commission
and put into reserve in order to reduce
running expenses, and that due regard
is necessary to the rela ton of the national
expenditures to the national revenues.
'The department therefore recommends
that the authorization OF new ships by the
coming Congress be limited to ore battle
ship for the Pacific coast, where, q ftcr the
five now under construction are complet-
ed, there will be only two, while on the
Atlantic coast there Will be seven; and
also to Il few torpedo beats and torpedo
boat destroyers. both Of which are COM
paratively Of little cust, and more of which |
are desirable in order TO bring this swift, |
mobile and handily effective arm Of the |
service up to its place in the general
scheme for coast defense.
"The present effective fighting force OF |
the navy consists Ut four battleships OF |
the first class, two battleships of the Sec |
ond class, two arno-ed cruisers, sixteen |
cruisers, fifteen snaboats, six double tur |
reted monitors. cue ram, one dynamite |
gunboat, one dispatch boat, one transport
steamer and five torpedo boats. There
are under construction five battleshps OF |
the first class, sixteen torpedo boats and |
one submarine boat. There axe sixty-fouI |
other naval vessels. incirding those used
us training, receiving aEG nayal-reservs
ships, tugs, disused single iurreted moni |
tors and some rnserriccable craft
There is, further. the auxiliary fleet.
This consists. first, of more than twenty
subsidized steamers which comply with
the requirements OF Tie postal act OF
March 3, 1891. with regard TO their adap-
liability to naval service, ard to al arma-
ment of main and secondary batteries;
second, Of u very much greater number OF
large merchant marine steamers, which
can be availed Of at ally time OF need.
These uuxiliaries, ranging from 1000 to
1900 tons, will, IL occasion require, form
powerful fleet of ocean cruisers, capable
of swift and formidable attack upon an
enemy's commerce. Their great coal ca.
pacity will also enable them 20 reIlaiu q
long tin,a nj sea iii search OF the where
abouts Of hostile vessels.
The couEtry Is to be congratulated up
on the results obtained IN the rebuilding
of the navy. While rs ships are not as
Il ia not necessary they should
be-.as these of some ether gsrat powers,
they are, class fer ciass. iu POWER, speed,
Workmanship and offensive and defensive
qualities the squni of Scsseis built any
where else In the world"
The Secretary recommends tha. nava
officers who were di-r.is .ged under the
act Of 1882 be restored tc. the service after
ard that the complement
of enlisted men he largely increased to
man the Iew ships.
The depa1 1ental appropriation war
$40, ,9S4 ,251, CT which 1927 ,40I remains
as a balance.