The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-24
GREAT FORESIGHT EXHIBITED
CRoWNINSHIELD GIVES OUT IN
TERESTING INFORMATION.
The Chief Of the Bureau Of Naviga-
ton of the Navy Department
Tells Of the Splendid Work
Of American Gunners.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

of the bureau officers is that of Captain
Crowninshield, chief of the Bureau Of
Navigation, Navy Department, just
made public. Not only was he a mem
Der of the war or strategy board but he
was responsible for the execution of the
plans formed by that board and for the
movement of every ship and the as
signment of every crew. Consequently
no bureau officer had equal opportunity
to know the history of the war. The
report is absolutely free from personal
tiles, being confined to the statement OF
hard facts, with a few important rec
concentrations for the betterment Of
the naval service.
The war history begins with the sim
pie statement of certain precautionary
orders that were issued, but even in
the absence Of comment attention can
not fail to be attracted to the remark
able foresight exhibited. To begin
with, an order dated January IL last
directed the commander of the Euro
pean station to retain in service men
whose enlistments were about to ex-
pire and those following providing for
the successful operation OF the Euro
pean squadron from the dangers
which surrounded 1t; shows how the
South Atlantic squadron was brought
I'D to reinforce Sampson; how the ore
gon started on her famous race around
South America; how stores and ammu-
milton were forwarded to the squad
rons. and finally they wind up with the
famous laconic order to Dewey or
April "a:
WAR has commenced between the
limited States and Spain. Proceed at
once to the Philippine Islands. Com
mence operations at one, particularly
against Spanish fleet. You must cap
ture vessels or destroy Use utmost
endeavors. a..
Four months before Cervera's feet
reached this side our whole Moth At
lanttc fleet was ready for any emer-
gency within striking distance OF one
Of the two points from which attack
might come. Trained gunners to the
number Of forty five, VINO had just
graduated from the PURSE on the Am.
phitrite, were placed on the vessels or
the fleet and rendered a good account
Of themselves. AS exhibiting the quail
ity of these men, Captain Crownln-
shield cites the destruction OF three
gunboats by the little Scorpion in Man
Zanillo harbor July is, of which the
commanding officer reports: The Or
ders were given to obtain the range
with two of the six-pounders, after
which the first shell from the five-inch
guns blew her up. apparently having
struck her boilers"
Captain CroWninshield says:
The completeness of our naval victory
during the war and the almost absolute
immunity from injury which our shlps
and crews enjoyed naturally Ied 70 gen
eral conclusion that our gunnery hao
much to do with the matter. AS mat
ter of fact all reports bear out TINS con
cIusion The percentage of hits-smaller,
hoy hos
get practice-was modified by three con-
ditions. In the first place the demoHtlon
of the enemy's ships was SO complete Ina Iaae
it is certain that the marks or shells
were obliterated by subsequent eXplo-
sion; in the second place the ranges at
which the combatS have taken place nave
been so much greater than those used In
target practice that this difference VIII
account for a reduction of from 81 to 6O
per cent in the percentage OF hits; ana,
finally, the rate of fire was much higher
in the battles than at target pracuce.
The bureau had been endeavoring before
the war to increase the rate of target ire
and when all this is considered it will be
found that the hits per gun per minute
have been remarkably high In fact 1t
appears that the experience of each COM
bat was that our craftsmanship, was SO
far superior that at a range at which the
Spanish guns and gunners were 1neHect-
i've our guns and runners were found so
directive that before the range was or
could be reduced the Spanish ships were
either seriously crippled or their crews
demoraliZed.
Captain Crowninshield declares that
the experience Of the war has been one
of the greatest Importance TO the ma
tion. The one defect of the war was
found in the carrying OF troops and the
handling of supplies of campaign.
The Navigation Bureau recommends
that Congress must increase the naval
force to 10000 men for general service
and 1000 apprentices, ana more arna-
ment is necessary.
T1ha renort recommends the passage
ne House Bill No 10 431, which also car
ries with it an increase of ninety-nine
in the number of line and engineer of
ficers and 100 machtnists, all very much
needed.
The report does not enlarge upon the
necessities of the service in regard to
Tho nersonnel. Captain Crowninshield
believing that the department and
Congress are both so well acquainted
with the requirements OF this detail OF
naval organization, that the statement
of the bureaus will be all that 1T needed
TO secure the action of Congress.
A tribute is paid to the general work
of the naval militia, in manning the
coast defense ships and the vessels Of
the auxiliary naval force and furnish
ino material for crews for the auxiliary
vessels serving with the regular fleet.
PIT for crews aboard ship in actual
service. these furnished nothing more
than material and in the ordinary
course most Of them would have been
enlisted as landsmen and nothing
higher All had to be thoroughly
drilled and even the officers, with ex-
ceptions, were found to be unqualified
to act as instructors The bureau rec
ommends the passage Of the Cummings
bill, which provides in substance for
appropriations for the naval militia on
an entirely different basis. This would
provide for the creation of a national
naval reserve entirely under the control
Of the department, recruiting seafar-
ing classes, who would be compelled to
serve in war times under penalty of de-
sertion. The men would be required
to report once a year and drill. for
which they would receive one months
pay.
Another recommendation is that the
system Of rewards by promotion be
abolished and that medals of honor be
substituted so that officers may be re-
warded without detriment to others.
Finally the suggestion of the superin-
tendent of the coast signal service. that
this should be made permanent insti-
f1,ti ir