The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-26
Secretary Long Advises COnstruc-
tion of Fifteen WarshipS.
MORE MEN AND OFFICERS
TERRITORIAL ACQUISITIONS
CALL FOR NAVAL INCREASE.
Three Powerful Battleships and
Twelve Cruisers Are Recommend
ed-Secretary, In His Annual Re
port, Reviews the War-Total
Casualties We're Only "a.

Washington, Nov. 25.-The annual re-
port of the secretary of the navy, made
public today, opens as follows:
Since my last annual report the
navy has. for the first time since its
rehabilitation, been put to the supreme
test of war. Years of patient, persist
ent training and development had
brought it to point OF high efficiency,
which resulted in the unparalleled vic
tories at Manila and Santiago-vic-
tories which nave given the names of
our naval commanders worldwide
fame, and added an additional page to
the glorious naval history of our
country"
The secretary then reviews the
events of the war and the depart
ment's preparations for the conflict,
which have been fully covered by the
published reports of naval officers and
bureau chiefs. Concerning the deStruc-
ton OF the battleship Maine, he says:
After an exhaustive examination Of
the wreck, and after taking the testi-
mony of witnesses and of experts, the
board reported on the 21St of March
that the Maine had been destroyed by
the explosion of a submarine mine,
but that it was unable to fix the res
possibility upon any person or persons.
1t was evident that the cause Of the
disaster must have been from the out
side"
In his account of the surrender Of
Santiago to General .Shafter, the sec
rotary says:
Admiral SIMPSONS chief of staff
went to the front, but General Shafter
declined to permit representative of
the navy, whose joint operations with
fn hod Ia n n7.
to be g party to the agreement of
capitulation."
The work OF the marine corps is
highly praised. In view of the pros
pective increase of the navy and the
necessity Of guarding the naval sta
tons which viii be needed in the new
ly acquired territory of the United
States, and especially in view of the
general efficiency displayed by this
corps, it should be increased to at least
5000 men and necessary officers, and
attention is called to the report on this
subject of its colonel commandant.
The maximum fighting force Of the
navy during the war consisted of 1876
vessels of all classes and there were
"a, Log enlisted men in the service.
SMOKELESS POWDER.
Smokeless powder, says the secre-
tary, is a necessity, not only on ac-
count of the absence Of smoke, but
because of the greater velocities OBJ
tanned by its use and the freedom
from residue which facilitates rapid
firing. While a satisfactory smokeless
powder has been adopted and is manu-
featured in considerable quantities, it
was, owing to lack of time and lack
OF facility for manufacturing on a
large scale, impossible to introduce it
generally into the navy during the
recent war. Nevertheless several YES
sells were given a complete outfit, and
large quantities were distributed. Steps
have been taken to give all vessels
hereafter fitted out a complete supply,
and it is proposed to accumulate a
large amount Congress at its last
session appropriated sum of money
for the erection of a government fac
tory Tor the manufacture of smoke
less powder, and plans therefor have
been prepared, land has been cleared
at Indian Head, Md, and the work OF
construction is now in progress.
Fifty-siX new war vessels are under
construction, nearly all Of which will
be completed by the end Of the year
1900.
The total casualties in the navy dur
ing the war were eighty-four. Seven
teen men were killed. and sixty-seven
wounded.
The amount appropriated for naval
purposes during the war was S57,973,
pa of which sum $25, 056, 131 remains
into the treasury. The total estimates
for the fiscal year 1899 are $45, 53S, 1922
and for the year 1900 S47, 09S, 251
In view Of the difficulties which have
been encountered in the transportation
of troops in the recent war, l have to
recommend that the transport service
be put under the control of the navy
department. The recent experiences
in the conveying of troops from Tampa
to Santiago de Cuba, and from San
Francisco to the Philippine islands
and the landing of troops and supplies
make il evident that we should follow
the universal practice in foreign coun-
tries Of placing this work in the hands
of naval officers.
To make the transport service effic-
lent il must necessarily be carried on
in vessels large enough to carry a COM
plete infantry regiment, with all &C
coutrements, arms, ammunition, sup
plies, etc. landing at their destination
in as good or better condition than
when received on board. 1t is believed
that this can best be accomplished by
placing the responsibility in the hands
of people who are accustomed to hand
ling and caring for large bodies of
men on board ship.
NAVAL OFFICERS.
The secretary recommends an in
crease in the number of officers of the
navy, and says:
The naval officer of today must rot
alone have a knowledge of seamanship
and navigation, but must be trained in
the technicalitieS of electrical engineer
ing, ordnance, the use of the torpedo
be grounded in higher mathematics
and familiar with the customs and
practices of the service in its associa-
lions with foreign naval and diplomatic
representatives. He must be a many
sided man, ready at the orders of the
department to take UP any branch OF
duty and perform it intelligently.
1t is the recommendation Of the de-
partment that the grades of admiral
and yice-admiral be again temporarily
revived. to be filed by such officers as
it may be the pleasure of the president
vice and consent of the senate. to ap-
point.
The secretary Of the navy also rec
onamendS that authority be given To
increase the enlisted force to 90 0OC
men, and to enlist apprentices to the
number of 1000
MORE VESSELS NEEDED.
A further increase in the naval
strength is urged, and the naval board
on construction recommends the fol-
lowing:
Three sea-going sheathed and con-
pered battleshiDs of about 1850 tons
trial displacement, carrying the heav.
lest arulor and most powerful ordnance
for vessels of their class, and to have
the highest. practicable speed and great
radius Of action. Estimated cost ex.
elusive of arnor and armament, So.
6ll0 0l0 each