The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-12-02
work or TAE NAVY.


AaMtLaAMLs HNH aN-N HN AHa.HAh NNNNk
OF The secre iary et che rays Is uuch iarger
sentence explains tlis as follows For
The first tine since its rehabilitation the
navy has been pnt 10 The supreme tesi z
war. Years OF patient. persistent urataiug
ard development had htoaght 10 20 a punt
of high efficiency. which resulted 10 the un-
paralleled victories al Mania and saH'i-
ag0-yict0ries which a given The names
Of our naval commanders Wo~ri5-~ide fame
and added an additional page 70 the Eio-
rious naval history Of our country.
The report describes o. rapid order the
steps that were taken 10 consolidate The
squadrons aBd put the navy In readiness
Ter hest.ltties sigsbee's famous telegram
asking a suspension Of public opinion 10
connection with the blowing up OF the
Maine Is quoted. and The secretary says;
This judicious telegram did much to SEE
cure IN the public mind a dispassIoaate
view or the disaster"
The story Of Dewey's victory al Man la
Is told. and oft the secretary says; ASIDE
from the mere fact Of having won wish
out the loss OF a single lie such q brilliant
and electrifylng victory az the very out-
set Of the war. with all the cophdeGce
which # infused throughout the country
and luto the personnel Of every branch oi
AA AEA VIM ~ AEAAAANNA as VIM 81 0hENM
hension for the Pacific coast, tn indirect
pecunlary advantage 70 the United States
10 the way Of saving an Increase Of instr.
anae rates and tn assuring the country OF
freedom from attack on that coast IS IN
calculable.
The secretary tells how Cervera's neet,
having sailed from Cape Verde Islands April
% for an unknown destination, Sampson
sailed east with a portion Of bis leet for TIL
purpose Of observation. At Cape Haitlen
Maya the department was advised that he
Spanish squadron was reported az ~.
Thomas. The following statement explains
officially why Jhe bombardment OF san
Juan was rot forced TO an end; 'Instruc-
lions were also received that The vessels
accompanying him were rot to be risked
or crippled in the b0mbardment Of fortiaca
lions. as ID was considered unwlse 10 r.sk
any OF the vessels Of our navy until the
Spanish fleets had been met and destroyed
= ? . The squadron aid not arrive on san
Juan untll the morning Of the 18th, A bonn
bardment Of that place followed for Two
hours and a haIf, but as there was no land
force to hold 1t tn case Of its surrender nd
az the Spanish feet was not there Il was de,
termined to return 10 Havana where II vas
possible Ceryera might nave gone"
The report shows that the flying squadron
under Schley was ordered to Cienfuegos
upon notice that Cervera's squadron had
been seen of Curacao. The report then
gives a considerable length to the lnstryc-
tions sent TO Sampson and Schiey and the
various movements Of the squadron until
the moment the Spanish feet was destroyed
ID Santiago harbor,
On June % the Merrlmac was sunk. and
of this the secretary says. This attempt,
although unsuccessful IN It's object, wac
daringly executed. II is now one OF the
well-known historic marvels OF naval ad-
venture and enterprise In which Naval Con
structor Hobson and bis men won uudyi:.a
fame"
The report deals next With the selzurt
Of The harbor Of GuaHtaEamo ard the al
liant three-days' fight OF the marines. with
the conveying OF the shafteF expedition
from Tampa to Santiago and with the cou-
f]erences that took place between Shafter
and Sampson IN the effort to secure tho CO.
operation OF the army and navy IN tho re.
ductl9n Of Santiago. The story OF the Jp-
e~ratlons al this stage involves the recital.
Of the destruction Of the Spanish fleet
which IS told, however, IN the most concise
official form.
The secretary, IN summing up the work
imposed upon the department Ia its vast
ness. says that the country as well as The
service has cause for congratulations IN
the results which nave followed and which
have been 80 generally approved, and IN lie
further fact that no personal feeling mas
arisen 10 mar the glorious victories and
magnificent work az the service. The Sec
rotary compliments the equipment bureau
for the satisfactory manner In which, not
w~ithstanding the many difficulties which
developed, In providing coal for the ie.ts.
The largest single item Of expenditure was
for the purchase Of coal-452, 55l tons betag
bought. at a cost or 32,122. 900.
The secretary includes IN his report 4
short and 5ncise statement, under sep
arats heads Of the operations OF each OF
the bureaus Of the department. ard sub,
mits estimates for the next fiscal year az,
E~regatlng S4l, 098, 25l, which As an increase OF
g985l,l73 over the appropriations for 1870 and
contains new Items aggregating T,027,634
OF these new items abe most important Is
A.72g,SS0 for yards and docks. There Is also
an Item Of Sl,HO,Og0 on account OF the naval
academy.
Ii. reference to the workings ofthe sys-
TEN Of labor employment at navy yards.
which Is said 10 have been severely tgsted
during the var the secretary Gays that m
continuation u the policy Of giving prefer
ence In appointment to veterans oflhe civu
war. he proposes 70 give the preference now
10 the persons who served during tie Span
tsh-American war. raHag as FIRST those
VINO ahiNEN III lhAEABA hHAEA9 OF AN A0IElFN
soil. and next to those who served IN The
United States or It's waters, providing they
have had honorable discharges.
The secretary indorces the reeOmmenda-
tlon Of the navigation bureau authorizing
the increase whenever necessary or the
enlisted force to 1000 men and Of the ap-
preuticegt to $500. The most important chap-
Ter of the report is that FeIating to the IN
crease Of the navy, and under this mead
the secretary transmits and lndorses the
report Of the naval board Of bureau chiefs
looking to the Increase on the navy By no
less than Is ships, some Of the most power
fui character. The secretary says: Tie
navy should De increased, The DEVELOPMENT
Of It's various branches should be homo
genous, ard the increase in ships should
BE accompanied by a gradual increase IN
officers ard men and IN laval stations, cCul- !
Ing stations, repair plants, etc. With he
territorial acquisitions Of the present year,
II the Philippines are also annexed % NE
United States, IT'S outlying territorial Jcs-
sessions VIII be 50 great and SO e1telded
that this increase Of naval force will be
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