Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-25
OF SHIPS.
REPORT THEREON by THE ASsIs-
TANT SECRETARY OF NAVY.
IT should He Succeeded by a Naval
Reserve Force Directly Uuder Fed
eraI COntrol-Needs of Norfolk
Nayy-Yard.

WASHINGTON, November PA clear,
concise, and brsiness-like statement of
80 much of the operations OF the Navy
Department during the war as related to
the care Of ships, the procurement of
ships, and generally to the procuring of
war material. is provided in the annual
report OF Assistant Secretary Allen, just
made public.
Among other duties the Assistant Sec
rotary was charged with the procure
ment OF vessels for the auxiliary navy.
He says that this work was managed
with the utmost care, not only as to the
quality of the ships, but also as to the
prices paid, and he commends the intel
ligence and fidelity of the board, headed
by Captain Rodgers, which inspected the
vessels purchased. In numerous instances
the department paid very much less than
the price asked for ships, and in some
cases less than the price recommended
by the Inspection Board.
CORRESPONDENCE OPEN.
Mr.. Allen has declared open to public
inspection all the correspondence relating
10 the purchase of these vessels and their
prices He refers TO the patriotism OF
friends of the government in its time or
need, naming Mr.. August Belmont, Mr..
Schermerhorn, and Mr.. Hearst, who offer
ed TO the government their private yachts.
Mr.. Allen refers briefly to the character of
the four fine vessels Of the American Line,
which, he says, performed valuable ser
vice for both the army and the navy,
and he said that in the settlement with
the company he believes the government
saved a considerable amount of money
Dy paying the company lump sum as
an equivalent for the expense OF placing
the ships in condition.
AUXILIARY FORCE.
The origin of the auxiliary naval force,
as well as the purchase Of the ships, was
conducted by the Assistant Secretary. $
office. and the report shows that on this
account but s72O,6S9 was expended, out
of the appropriation Of 100000.
The Assistant Secretary speaks In
terms of highest praise of the Naval War
College. which, he says, has rendered
valuable service in stimulating our OIL
GERS of high rank to professional adj
vancement. and i'm the collection and ar
rangement of professional information,
so as to render it Of the highest value 10
our officers. He believes that the insu-
tute should be encouraged, and steps
taken to render ii still more efficient and
useful.
To this end he says the most important
stem Is the transfer Of the college IRON
its present location at Newport TO An
napolis. where IT would form a post
graduate course for the Naval Academy
NAVAL RESERVE.
Mr.. Allen says that the naval militia
system revealed the inherent weakness
| OF its system under the severe stress o.
the demonstrated fact that the country
Is absolutely i'm need of a proper nava
reserve. which can be promptly mobilize'
| under the call Of the President. Llk'
| Captain Crowninsheld, he thinks tina
| this reserve should be composed of sea
faring men, and that its Status shoul'
| be that Of a body directly under the con
| troll of the Federal Government.
About four thousand men, i'm addition
| TO those I'm service, would be required L
completely man our navy when the snip
! under construction are completed, an
even at present, provision should be mad
| for one-half Of that number. These 400
| reserve men could be enrolled from IN
| navy militiamen who saw service IN IN
Spanish war. supplemented by enrolmen
! from the seafaring men. The cost TO IN
government would be SlA,W0. and MI
Allen submits the drafts Of bill I
carry out his views on this point.
Between October % ana october lot
the Assistant Secretary made n visit 0
inspection TO all the navy-yards on IN
eastern coast, from Norfolk, va
Portsmouth, n. H.. and his observation
ON This occasion were made the sLbjec
Of a special report 10 tho Secretary Q
the Navy.
Speaklng generally Of his conclusion'
Mr. Alien suggests that a uniform sys
TEN of auditing be adopted for the yard
I'm the interest Of both the d9partmer
and the employees. He also suggests
consolidation Of certain shops doing sim
lar work I'm different departments.
NORFOLK MAYNARD.
The result of Mr.. Aliens inspection {
the Norfolk yard was as follows:
"There Is no modern automatic app;
ratus for extinguishing fire i'm the buil'
ings Of this yard. The commander
| strongly recommends the alteration
| the timber basin into a deep asin *
shipping. If this chage were made thel
would be an addition Of 1850 feet 10 n
waterfront of the yard. Changes gre n
commended in the ship-yard's steam q
cheering and construction depar ,ment
10 enable the plants TO be enlarged
meet existing needs and 10 allow Of be
ter arrangements. Much of the Woo
work OF the wooden dry-dock Is thu
roughly rotten and needs extensive repai
ing This dock is only nine years oil
and Is an illustration Of the ;nadvs;
bl,itv OF building wooden docks. The stoI
drv-dock near by is over sixty years oil
and is in perfect condition"