St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-24
OUR STRENGTH. AFLOAT.
Country's Splendid Resources
Of Able.Bodied SeaDen.

uc dOllty Va TIC Ohtteu 0toACS ~
supply capable sailors was never ex-
hibited more strongly than few
months ago, when the enlisted force
was quickly and without great fhbor
suddenly increased to double its peace
strength within q comparatively brief
period. All these men were picked,
equipped for the various duties for
which they were enlisted on shipboard.
and presented as fine body of seamen
as the naval servi, e would desire even
in peace time. when opportunity for
close selection is necessarily greater
and more care can be given to the ex-
aminations for admission. Had there
been pressing emergency the men
actually enlisted in two months could
easily have been obtained in three
weeks, but the navy was SO well
equipped before the war that the Off
Gals were justified in using the same
scrutiny in enlisting men as in times OF
peace. The result was that the navy
had on all it's fighting craft the finest
and most competent body Of men prob
ably that were ever afloat in its his
tory. The records of the enlistment.
show that last April the strength of
The service, including all classes. sail
ors. machinists, coal beavers, and
every other rating on shipboard, num-
bered about 12,5OO men, and on August
Is. when the strength reached its high
est point, the floating force had been
doubled, numbering 24.122 men. This
war strength is just the size of the
standing army when fully enlisted one
year ago. The additionakmen came
from all sections of the country. but at
least 5000 were the naval militia or
CARNATIONS, which did such efficient
work on the auxiliary vessels. The re-
mainder came from the great lake re-
pion, the far southwest, the south and
along both coasts and were enrolled
at receiving ships by special boards
and otherwise.
A tabulated statement which has
been prepared shows that on April 1.
although war then seemed imminent.
there were. only $4,000 men in service.
and on June 10000. high-water mark
being reached August Is. From then
It began to decrease gradually as dis
charges were made and further en-
listments stopped. At least 10000 men
could have been secured by October /
II enlistments had been kept up at the
same rate. On October the strength
of the navy was 2o,275. and it is pro-
posed to keep it at that point SO long
as the peace commission sits. A strong
effort will be made to have the per-
nauent strength of the enlisted force
aot less than that hereafter. Capt.
Crowninshield and Secretary Long
have concluded that the navy as at
present constituted, and considering
the ships building, cannot be main
tanned with force of less than e, 600
men, and the completion of the pro-
gramme of construction, now under
way. will require the addition of 5000
nen. The two receiving stations are
expected to supply large proportion
If the enlistments, the purpose of the
department in establishing n second
station on the Pacific coast being to as
sist that ut Newport in instructing ap-
prentices. this class being better
adapted to handle modern guns and
equipment Of the new ships than the
pest of sailors accustomed to vessels
of the old type. At NO time during the
war were there more than /, 500 sailors
in reserve on receiving ships. and II
IN. serious calamity had befallen us,
making new crews necessary. the navy
would have been barely able to meet
the call instantly. OF the 10000 men
now in the navy all are afioat with the
exception of $50 on receiving ships.-
Army and Navy Journal.