The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-11-30
WORK OF THE NAVY.
secretary Long Presents His Report
Makes an Interesting Record
Wants . bigger Navy,

| "asulhston, NOV. H.-The annual report
81 tne secretary CT the navy Is much longer
man the usual annual report. The FIRST
| sentence explains this as follows: "For
.ne nrst time since It's rehabilitation the
| navy mas been put TO the supreme test [
N1' Years OF patient, persistent training
ara development had brought II to a poin;
VI nlgh efficiency, which resulted in the IN
paraheIed victories at Manila and San.i-
ago-victories which have given the names
Of our naval commanders world. vide fame
sud aeded an additional page to the glo-
| rious naval history Of our country"
Inc report describes In rapid order the
Seps that were taken to consolidate the
sQuadrons ard put the navy In readiness
ior hostilities. Sigsbees famous telegram
asking a suspension Of public opinion in
| connection with the blowing up OF the
maine Is quoted, and the secretary says:
Ihls judicious telegram did much TO &C.
| cure In the public mind a dispassionate
view OF the disaster"
| The story OF Deweys victory at Manila
Is told, and IT the secretary says: Aside
from the mere fact of having won with
out the loss Of single life such brilliant
ana eIectrifying victory at the very out
set of the war, with all the confidence
"hich II Infused throughout the country
| ana into the personnel CT every branch OF
| the service, Il removed at once all appre-
hension for the Pacific coast. The indirect
pecuniary advantage to the United States
| In the way of saving an increase OF insur-
ahce rates and In assuring the country OF
freedom from attack on that coast Is IN
| calculable."
Inc secretary tells how Cervera's feet,
having sailed from Cape Verde Islands April
~ for an unknown destination, Sampson
| sailed east with portion OF his fleet for thl
purpose OF observation. At Cape Haiten
| May the department was advised that he
Sst
Thomas. The following statement expla ms
ofhcialy why the bombardment OF san
Juan was not forced TO an end: 'lnStruc.
lions were also received that the vessels
accompan ying him were not TO be risked
| or crippled in the bombardment of fortified
| tions, as 1t was considered urwise to risk
any or the vessels of our navy until the
spanish fleets had been met and destroyed
The squadron did not arrive off san
Juan until the m morning of the 18th A bonn
parchment of that place followed for two
hours and half but as there was no land
| force to hold 1t In case OF its surrender nd
| as the Spanish fleet was not there ii was lie
| termined to return to Havana, where it was
possible Cervera might have gone"
The report shows that the flying squadron
under Schley was ordered TO Cien Cos
upon notice that Cervera's squadron had
been seen off Curacao. The report then
| gives a considerable length to the instruc-
! tIoAs sent ~ anu SCDIey ana the
various movements of the squadron until
| the moment the Spanish fleet was destroyed
In Santiago harbor.
| On June % the Merrimac was sunk and
OF this the secretary says: This attempt
| although unsuccessful in its object, was
| dar!ngly executed. 1t is now one OF the
| well-known historic marvels of naval ad.
| venture and enterprise in which Naval Con
structor Hobson and his men won undyi. 6
| fame"
| The report deals next with the seizure
| CT the harbor of Guantanamo ard the -al.
liant three-days' fight Of the marines: with
| the conveying of the Shafter expedition
from Tampa to Santiago and with the con.
| ferences that took place between Shaftel
and Sampson in the effort to secure the CO.
| operation OF the army and navy In the re.
| cuction Of Santiago. The story of the Jp.
| erations at this stage involves the recital
| Of the destruction Of the Spanish feet
which is told, however, in the most concise
| official form.
| The secretary, In summing I'D the work
| imposed upon the department In its vast.
| ness, says that the country as well as The
| service las cause for congratulations ir
| the results which have followed and which
| have been 50 generally approved. and in tt
| further fact that no personal feeling ma.
| arisen 10 mar the glorious victories anC
magnificent work of the service. The sec
| rotary compliments the equipment bureaL
| for the satisfactory manner in which, not
| withstand.ng the many difficulties winch
| developed, III providing coal for the fe, Is
| The largest single item Of expenditure Wa:
Tor the purchase of coal-452 sol tons beiag
| bought, at cost OF s2122,000.
| The secretary includes in his report 2
| short and cncIse statement under sep
| arate heads, of the operations of each OF
| the bureaus Of the department, ard sub
mits estimates for the next fiscal year a
| gregatiEg S4709S, 20l. which is an Increase o,
| SC9.l73 over the appropriations for 1899 ne
| contains new items aggregating s7,027, ga
| OF these new items the most important Il
| $4729,So9 for yards and docks. There is alsc
| an item of 81 $4,000 on account OF the nava
| academy.
| In reference 10 the workings OF the sya
| tenn of labor employment at navy yards
| which is said TO have been severely tested
| during the war, the secretary says tina: n
| continuation u the policy of giving prefer.
| ence in appoiE tine Mt TO veterans Of he clVi
| war, he proposes to give the preference now
| TO the persons who served during the Span
| ish-Amer!can war; rating as first those
| who. served in foreign waters or on for. igr
| soil. and Eext 20 those who served in the
| United States or its waters, providing they
| have had honorab bic discharges.
| The secretary ind0rces the recommends.
| ton OF the navigation bureau authorizing
| the increase whenever necessary of the
|
| prentices 10 $500. The most important cna D.
| ter of the report is that relating TO the in.
| crease CT the navy. and under this heat
| the secretary transmits and indorses III,
| report of the naval board of bureau chief.
| looking 10 the increase of the navy by NJ
| less than Is ships, spme OF the most power
| full character. The secretary says: TIL,
| navy should be increased; the development
| of its various branches should be homo
| genous, and the increase in ships shouls
| be accompanied by a gradual increase IL
| officers and men and in naval stations. ccal
| ing stations. repair plants, etc. With n,
| territorial acquisitions of the present year
| If the Philippines are also annexed to n,
| United States, It's outlying territorial )Cs
| sessions will be SO great and so EXTENDED
| that this increase of naval force will b,
| necessary"
| In conclusion the report pays high com
| plimem 10 the naval war board, composed
| OF Admiral Sfcard, Capt. Crowninshield nc
| Capt.. Mahan, saying it was equal to over,
| demand, enabled the department TO cont:o
| movements on the water, yet left ampI
| discretion to commanding officers. Charged
| with delicate ard important duties. th'
| department IL not aware that the board
| conn}tte single