The herald., 1898-12-14
IDEAS ABOUT The NAVY
LIEUT. RANDOLPH MINERS SUG-
GEsT1oNs TO DEPARTMENT
An Expansion Of Personnel Necessary.
Control Of Army Transports.
Naval Reserves and Ships

Lieutenant Randolph Miner, who was the
executive officer of the converted transport
which escorted and aided the Monterey to
make the trip to Manila, has, as stated in
The Herald recently, made a report to the
department on the trip, and giving some Of
his ideas on naval matters. In an interview
Yesterday Mr.. Miner gave some of the main
points of his report and his suggestions, as
| follows:
Although the American nation has had
such great success in the late war with Spain,
it has many things in a naval and military
way to accomplish, and while it is no less
to its credit that it had to meet with an
enemy so unprepared in every sense as is
shown by the two recent publications of the
United States naval intelligence Office, yet
when we engage again in war, it may not be
with an enemy of the same kind. There
fore, preparation should now be begun to
put both our fleet and army in tirst-class
trim by having the first or fighting line of
offense and defense, that of the regular army
and navy, in the best condition, and the sec
cnd line, that of the reserves, ready to rein
force the first.
Every citizen has the means of furtherinp
this end by showing his interest and making
intelligent criticism.
1T is absolutely necessary that the per
: sonnel of the navy be Immediately expanded
an dthe personnel bill, now before congress,
has this end in view. 1t has received the
endorsement of many officers of all grades,
and while it may properly be criticised as
eliminating certain corps of specialists now
so necessary it is certainly an improvement
upon present conditions. The navy, SO
successful in the recent war, should receive
the encouragement it deserves. Certain
clauses will doubtless be inserted in this
bill, giving recognition to the volunteers,
who so amply supplemented the efforts of the
regulars, on the broad principle that man
who is employed to be shot at in time of war,
is good enough to be employed in the same
navy in time of peace.
There is a difference between the army
and navy volunteers in this respect that
the latter were comparatively small in mum.
Der, and some of them in the best training
to render efficient service when called upon;
amongst them being officers whose records
were without flaw and who had only re-
Gently left the service.
"The navy should be encouraged by being
placed Immediately in charge of the army
transports, which l have just advocated in
a report to the department from observa-
tions of transports made at Manila and else.
where.
'"The man with nautical experience is OBJ
viously the man to command a ship, and
though an army quartermaster be placed in
charge. he can never fill the place of an in
teligent official with nautical experience.
Other nations which have transport troops
have placed them under naval control. Our
ships on their way to Manila looked more
like emigrant ships than government trans
ports and were in strict contrast to the well
governed English and French troops ships,
which can be met in he Suez canal and else
, where on the way to India, Cochin China and
! Hong Kong.
''To meet a sudden expansion like that
for the transport service in time of war
would require we'll trained national naval
reserve to be used as well for auxiliary
ships, colliers, ETC., and entirely independ-
ent of state control.
THE naval reserve should be brought as
closely in touch with the regular force in
time OF peace as possible and should serve
with the regulars on men-of-war in COM
mission, not as units in themselves, but both
officers and men to be distributed among
the regular officers and crew.
"Officers should be required to take longer
instruction than the crew, that they may
be able to instruct as well, when the proper
time comes The regular navy certainly has
no reason for keeping all its knowledge to
itself.
eve should have reserve ships at all prin-
cipal seaports, which should train not only
| the residents of the particular state, but
those of other states. constituting mari
time district Independent of state lines. In
short. the instruction should be systematic
and regular, and proper rewards should be
given for industry and for those who would
be so fortunate as to be able to remain under
instruction for heightened periods.
''The expense would be slight, when com
pared with the results.
Gas we have just experienced, when the
war clouds lower over the nation and the
call to arms is sounded, what blessing It
will he to feel that we have well trained
men for the front, well trained men for the
reserve, and orderly and efficient service
everywhere"