The Portland daily press., 1897-12-24
A NAVAL COLLEGE.
Secretary Roosevelt Favorable to Its Main
tenance in This Country,

The value of the Naval War College as
an institution for the instruction of Off
GERS in war problems and advanced naval
strategy has again become the subject of
dispute between some mon in the service,
and highly interesting correspondence has
taken place, which is now before Mr..
Roosevelt. The tenor of this is decidedly
favorable to the maintenance of the
school, and NJ. Roosevelt is authority
for the statement that it will not be
abandoned.
Commander F. ". Dickins, formerly
in charge Of the Naval Training Station,
believes that the college should be shut
up, and the work of practising war
games carried on practically aboard ships,
rather than theoretically, as conducted at
the college.
Commander Goodrich, the present pres.
ident Of the college, combats everything
said by Commander Dickins, and in a
strong letter points out many inaccura,
cies made in the reasons assigned by sew
eral officers why the course should be
given up.
Others officers beside these two have
taken part in the discussion, and the old
fight, which began early in the last ad-
ministration, seems to be on again, the
adherents of the school. however, out
numbering its opponents.
Commander Dickins sets forth his OBJ
jeotions this way: "The college now
maintained at Coasters Harbor Island
has staff attached to it which directs
the course of instruction there and sub
mits strategic situations and tactical
problems for the class to work out. This
is done by means of charts and other
mechanical contrivances to make graph
ical showing on paper of the work. 1t
will be seen that this work is largely the
DRY, and not actual practice, as would
obtain afloat.
Following this reason, it would seem
that if these strategic situations and tao
teal problems, as proposed, were submit
ted to the COMMUNICATIVE Of our
fleets to actually work out at sea, all of
the officers of those fleets, from the high
est to the lowest, would conduct their
operations with enthusiasm, wiping out
all theories with the most valuable pract-
ical experience and knowledge.
ave have now in the department the
office OF naval intelligence, where all in
formation relating to our own and for
eign navies, Notifications, coaling sta
tions, exposed ports and strategic ports
in all countries, as well Is our own; war
charts, the organization of the stats of
all armies and navies, and much other
valuable information is on file in com
pact form and easily accessible. This
office may be augmented by officers of ex-
perience and all work now done at the
War College by its staff removed to Wash
tngton and made part of the functions
of the office. Problems to be solved could
be sent out by the department to our
fleets, and the country have in time a
real war college, where the art of war can
only be practically learned at at sea-"
{ Commodore Goodrich answers as fol-
lows, in long communication to the de-
partment: 1.-The duties that Commander
Dickins would assign TO the office of ma
val Intelligence are entirely out of its
puryiew. The office is but q step toward
a general staff; the second step was &C.
DOM plished when the naval War College
was inaugurated. 1t is known that Con
erai Tracy sent for Captain Mahan, then
president Of the War College, to outline
q plan for & naval campa gn against
Chill. In another and more recent in
stance Captain Taylor, then president Of
the college, was entrusted with the duty
of preparing a scheme Of defence, in
event Of hostilities following upon the
publication of the Venezuelan message
In view Of facts like these, he who con
demns the war college is guilty of an an
aohronism which can only be explained
By the assumption Of uDfamiliarity with
its true scope and methods. "-Newport
News.