The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-01
LONGS STATEMENT
The Secretary of the Navy Files His
Annual Report.

The annual report to the president of
the secretary of the navy, John D..
Long, was made public Saturday. The
report contains compact narrative
of the operations of the navy during
the war with Spain, abstracts Of the
reports of bureau chiefs and the sec
retary's recommendations for the in
crease and the Improvement of the
navy Mr.. Long begins:
Since my last annual report the navy
has, for the first time since its rehabilita-
ton, been put to the supreme test of war.
Years of patient, persistent training and
development had brought it to point OF
high efficiency, which resulted in the un-
parallcled victories at Manila, and Santi-
ago--victories which have given the names
Of our naval commanders worldwide fame
and added an additional page to the glo-
rious naval history Of our country
After referring at length to the prep
arations for the war with Spain, the
victory of Admiral Dewey at Manila,
the blockading of Cuban ports, the voy-
age of the Oregon and other now his
toric naval incidents. Secretary Long
gives in detail the naval movements
which resulted in the destruction of
admiral Cervera's fleet. The language
is that of the candid historian, giving
without establishment or comment the
facts regarding the great naval cam
paign and dispels the nists in which
some of the movements of the ships
were shrouded at the time OF the loca-
ton of Cervera's fleet in Santiago har-
bor No discrimination is made be-
tween the commanders of our ships,
but all are given full mead of praise.
In conclusion he says:
The department feels, in contemplating
the vast amount of work necessary to the
successful operations of the navy during
the last year, that the country, as well
as the service, has cause for congratula-
tion in the results which have followed
and which have been so generally APP
proved and in the further fact that no
personal feeling has arisen to mar the
glorious victories and magnificent work
of the service.
The report contains the following in
teresting figures:
Battleships now being constructed ...-.. s
Additional battleships recommended 8
Cruisers now being constructed .......... l
Additional cruisers recommended. IL
*Cost of new battleships recon-
mended ......-..--..........-.... -$lV oOu, oVo
sCost of new cruisers recon-
mended ...-.........,-.......-... l5,5O0,ov0
Estimates for the fiscal year 1899. 45, 5SS, 1872
Appropriations for the fiscal year
1899 -ll5 9z9 Soy
Estimates for the fiscal year 1900. 47,Oss PSI
excluding cost of armor and armament.
The report makes the following rec
concentrations:
The amalgamation of the officers of the
line and engineer corps
An increase of SO officers in the new line.
Naval academy course to be four in
stead of six years.
Revival of the grades of admiral and
vice admiral and resurrection of the mid
shipman' in place of the naval cadet
Increase of pay of naval officers to equal
that in the army and marine corps
Enlistment up TO 10000 men and 2,5oo ap-
prentices.
Transfer of the transport fleet from the
army to the navy department
A national naval reserve, an increase in
the marine corps to 5000 men and new
system of rewarding officers for bravery