Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-27
ever will be completed far in advance OF

ever. will be completed far in advance OF
the battle ships
reople regard the frigate Constitution, the
department believes that 1t should be pre-
served and handed down to future gener-
atoms 1t is therefore suggested that
sufficient appropriation be made to mt IL
for use as a training ship. Secretary Long
says this would prevent it from passing
off the list of the navy. and would Keep
alive the patriotic sentiment OF when the
old frigate has always been an inspiration.
The department recommends that the
statute authorizing the appointment OF
professors of mathematics be SO amended
that, without disturbing those who now
hold the office, which would be unjust to
them, no further appointments shall be
made. The reason fer the creation OF the
Office has passed away The professors
were at first teachers of midshipmen on
board ship, md We're thus exposed to the
dangers of service in war and at sea.
They were therefore properly pensioned
by place upon the retired list Today
their name is largely a miSnomer.
The attention of Congress is invited to
the consolidation of the libraries of the
War and Navy departments. These libra
ries are composed of works largely of
technical character bearing on the subject
of war They are located in the same
| building. and it is believed by Secretary
Long that their consolidation would be in
the interest of economy, saving unnec-
essary duplica tion of books and periodicals
and some expense of clerical force. and re-
leasing HO0r space Tor Other demands.
There are seventeen vacancies in the
medical corps, and for these there are
practically no candidates who are within
the age limit, which is from Il to 26. With
the increase CT naval vessels. Secretary
Long says. action should be taken at once
to insure the filling of these vacancies. 1t
is strongly recommended that the limit of
age for entrance into the medical corps of
the navy be raised to thirty years. AT
twenty-six, the present limit, the gradu-
ates of our medical schools. in which the
standards of training are steadily rising.
are often not yet ready to begin practice.
This demand is urgent.
Americana the Enlisted Force.
The efforts of the department to Ameri-
canize the enlisted force Of the navy have
been steadily pursued, and with this end
in view temporary enlisting stations were
established during the past summer in
number Of the lake cities and a number
of excellent men enlisted. The department
| intends to repeat this action in the south
ern states, believing that similar enlist
ments can be secured on the gulf coast.
The records of the department show that
! of the 2,S45 petty officers in general service
June so, 1897, 4S per cent We're native born
and SO per cent were citizens of the United
States: and of the $50 other men in gem
| eral service So per cent were native born
and 20 per cent were citizens of the United
States. 1t should be said that of these pet
ty officers and men a great number are of
| long seafaring experience and have excel
| lent and deserving records.
The most striking feature of naval prog
ress abroad is that of the Japanese govern
ment. She already ranks next to England
and France in the extent of her naval
building She has added during the past
| year to her fleet two first-class battle ships,
| built in England, and her program for the
future will render her by the year 1902 the
vol in, fIn Do oil flo
Secretary Long concludes his report with
| the following plea for economy:
1T appears that the expense Of main
| tanning the navy is a growing one, dis
nent improvements, the cost of which
varies from year to year, according to the
| Judgment of Congress as to the desirability
| of these latter items. Attention is called
| to this fact because the country should be
under no Misrepresentation as to the in
creasing cost of maintenance
THE building of a ship Is a definite
| fixed expense, incurred once for all. But
| to maintain it, to provide 1t with docks,
naval stations and other necessary facili-
| ties, to man and equip it. to keep 1t in re-
| pair-in short, to run the naval establish
ment-is and must continue to be, large
charge on the public treasury, and, for
| time, certainly, an increasing one Economy
is necessary at large and in detail. not
| merely as a good theory to proclaim, but
as an actual practice to perform.
with the best exercise of this virtue,
expenses will be large In this, as In every
other department of a government which
represents the interests of a country SO
vast ours. But 1t Is believed that the
people whose arm the navy Is. and who
evidently appreciate its potential useful
ness desire to maintain it at the point of
highest efficiency. and will do so the more
cordially the more frankly they are in
formed of its real and deserving needs and
demands, and Of the justifable cost they
necessitate."
Medical men are to he envted. II they