The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-26
THE NAVY IN THE WAR.
SECRETART LONGS REPORT GfTEs
a HISTORY or ITS DEEDS.

Preparations for War Began as Soon ne II
Became Evident That War Might Come
and when War Was Declared the Nav
Was Ready for Action -Dewey's victory
mt Manila tho First Result Operation
of the North Atlantic Squadron - The
Search for Cervera's ships-sohley's In.
tenron to Abandon the Blockade of
Santiago Stopped by Positive Orders
How the Army Co-opernted with the
Navy mt Santiago The Destruction
of Cervera's Squadron - Praise for the
Naval Militia and Marine Corps-Large
Increase of tho Navy Recommended.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 25.-Thc report of the SEQ
rotary Of the Navy. which was made public to-
day. opens with this paragraphs:
"Slnce my last annual report the navy hns.
for the first time since its rehabilitation been
put TO the supreme test Of war. Years OF pa
tient. persistent training and development had
brought it to a point Of high efficiency, which
resulted in the unparalleled victories ut Manila
and Sa~ntiago-victories which have given the
names OF our naval commanders worldwide
fame and added an additional page to the glorl-
Gus naval history Of our country"
OF the destruction of the Maine in Havana
harbor. the report says:
roro Che This n,as tho nsat lid a. ,oosaia,
tha Irnitod statao No,,, 70 INV ro,t In CT o..
several years. although the necessity ofprotect-
ing American interests made the presence OF our
nag In Cuban ports desirable. On Feb. Is, alto: 40
r. NJ, this noble battleship was blown up in
Havana harbor, and 200 lives were lost. The
new of this appalling catastrophe was commu-
nicated In the following despatch from the COM
manding officer;
49,. hANANA c 0 1910
",,.tn. e., w I"n"D"
,,obt and dsrtrovsd Nav wounded and dorht,ss.
moro killed or drowned. wounded and others on
board spaniab man-of.war and ward line steamer.
Send lighthouse tenders from Key West for crew and
the few pieces Of equipment above. No one has cloth
ing other than that upon him. Public opinion should
be suspended until further report. All officials be-
heved to be saved. Jenkins and Merritt not yet &C.
counted for. Many Spanish officers. including repre-
pentaave' OF Gen. blanoo' now with mo to express
sympathy siasnEE
This judicious telegram did much to secure
In the public mind a dispassionate view OF the
disaster. A board Of inquiry. appointed to re-
port to the department the cause OF the explo-
sion. proceeded to Havana and began its inves-
tigation Feb. 81. After an exhaustive exami-
nation OF the wreck. and after taking the
testimony OF witnesses and OF experts. the
board reported on the 21st of March that the
Maine had been destroyed by the explosion OF
q submarine mine. but that it was unable to
TX the responsibility upon any person or per-
sons. 1t was evident that the cause of the dis
aster must have been from the outside"
PREPARING FOR WAR.
nh.rono.. .ho, ro, o.uos .
.,a n,aD.ua.ano sne a a. nLs.oiyo vi
ma whIoh woro baarn as co., ~ ~ $500
ar,sont 49, -. - 49, $3.50
C.sS.s." N SHNS 80
oot;on ~ thta - .onar "u' VI
.Th. Ioao-waSt saaN-Hs 40
~,or 1919 $50 ~ - ~ Is. 49," UaO
Commandon ~ ch;a,os ~. = -~oS mo
sotain .hosa 80 49, 49, nsy ~
- A M. Ino VI n"
~ oe n vi hes
IT, anS 49, s1n m
Connmnndani ~ ShSos A. oona. en Ine
49, IssoM.Sl :. =, Eno 49, AtiHn.o s'a.
-. We - 80 " gay l.roa oonuitiono.
- !, ,oe"r 90 We uN'u P,oooeu
.;sna.N D. HH - 10y ~ 'on'o
.ThS Csn'.on ~ CO.. ~ -
W sno u.opean
W 80 ~ .'"o IA Aioany
o,tho p,s.n,an ~ Iisana
- euuuN
.u ~ Ic ~ ', ea y mei Delns unnnsneu'
MI, ~ na s.".o IL oomnanuef,in-
$50
assemble mis- squadron at Kong Kong.
THE Olympia. under orders at that time to |
san Francisco. was retained ON tbe k,iatio !
San ""' 'aine y mo Aeia'io
station.
The Oregon was ordered to proceed from
Dsra tor . ions Snr, w oan Hian't''0 anu pre-
"Commanders-in-Ch Chief Of stations we're Or
dered to husband ammunition and to keen
their vessels filled with the best coal obtain
able. Enlistments. even In excess OF the estab-
lished quota, were ordered to All the compile
ments OF men for the Columbia. Minneapolis.
Miantonomoh. and other vessels. The North
A1lan.Io heee was sreaSiy strengthened and
vessels were concentrated in the neighborhood
ized undar command ~ comoodora w q |
S = unuos NINA Oh commouoro m.s.
Schley, and stationed at Fortress Monroe for
the protection OF any point on the coast which
might he menaced bv a snanisb seet "'
On March y congress passed the Emergency
bill appropriating $50, OOO. 900 for national d. |
fence, and the department nj onca tool stsns "
'o"o'' II Sne oep"i'ien'a ~ once oook sOeps 70
secure auxiliary vessels. On March II a board
was appointed and directed to make thorough !,