The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-26
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Makes His Apnual Report to the
President.
MORE WARSHIPS NEEDED
He Rscommsn0 the Building of Fifteen
Vessels. Thrss Of Them Battleships.
Grade Of Admirai-The Re-
wards OF omcers.

Washington. Nov. 2s.-The report Of
Secretary Of the Navy Long has been
made public. He gives an exhaustive
review OF the naval operations during
the war and snakes the following rec
ommendations for the Improvement Of
the service:
Rewards of Omcers.
The injustice OF the present system of
rewarding officers for conspicuous con-
duct In battle and extraordinary hero
ism is so apparent that the department
| desires to set before congress the facts
' In full and to recommend a change in
the present law on this subject.
| AS a result OF the recent war certain
officers Of the navy who deserved re-
ward. and who under existing law
could have IL In no other way, were
promoted over the heads OF their brother
officers who. by reason of the neces-
| sity for their services on other duty
not less important. had no chance to
participate in the battles of Manila and
Santiago. This worked a hardship in
many cases and in some instances pre-
vented officers who are of great desert
from the chance of reaching the highest
grade of the navy.
The. promotion of certain captains
who participated I'm the battle Of San
tiago renders II practically certain that
others win be retired as commodores.
who. i'm the ordinary course of promo
tion, would otherwise have reached the
grade of rear admiral and been retired
as such. This will make a difference in
the retired pay of these officers OF $3.50 a
year in each case, and is indeed direct
punishment TO them. Whereas. having
performed arduous duties during the
period of the war in a highly efficient
rat lox- lAA n ba
rewarded.
This method of promotion has the
effect in some cases of setting back
officers who have been previously ad-
vanced. Captains advanced for good
conduct at the battle of Manila have
lost their numbers by the promotion of
other captains who participated in the
later battle of Santiago. In the event
of prolonged hostilties 1t is quite pos
sibie that an officer. rewarded In this
manner. might not only lose all the
benefits of his promotion. but even
finally ind himself lower ON the list
than at the Beginning of the war. :,
This method of reward Is not salts
factory, IL Is believed. TO anyone. No
duty. for instance. I'm time of war. is
more important than that performed by
the bureau chiefs at the department or
by the officers at the navy yards and
stations II our fleets are to be main
tdlntu an tiifCltIt tOnuftiph. <thu
yet these officers. who have borne
great responsibilities and worked day
and night. find themselves noe reward
ed but punished to the extent of rela-
tive reduction in numbers. and Of de-
lay in promotion and the resulting
loss of pay. To correct this. the
department recommends legislation to
the end that some other system of re-
ward for merit be adopted, so that In
rewarding one officer injustice shall not
be done to another; and also. that In
those cases in which officers have dur
ing the present war been jumped. II
shall be provided that this shall not
operate to their disadvantage, and that
they shall still have their regular pro
motion as before. Bills have been
drawn for both these objects. and will
be submitted to congress.
Revival OF the Grade Of Admiral.
Section 1862 of the Revised Statutes
provides that
The active list OF the line officers OF
the navy of the United States shall be
divided into III grades, as follows.
namely: First. admiral; second. vice
admiral; third. rear admiral; fourth.
commodore etc. ."
This section of the Revised Statutes
further provides:
"That vacancies occurring in the
grade of admiral and vice admiral shall
not be filled by promotion. or in any
other manner; and that when the off,
ces of said grades shall become vacant
the grade itself shall cease to exist"
These grades Were created for the
purpose OF rewarding certain officers
who rendered distinguished service dur |
ing the civil war. The grade of admiral
ceased to exist upon the death o. -
miral David ID. Porter. and the grade |
of vice admiral ceased to exist on the |
death of Vice Admiral Stephen c. Row |
an. |
II Is the recommendation Of the de- |
partment that the grades of admiral |
and vice admiral be again temporarily |
revived. to be filled by such officers as |
IL may be the pleasure of the president |
to nominate and. by and with the ad- |
vice of the senate. to appoint.
Increase Of the Navy.
The navy should be increased: the |
development of it's various branches |
should be homogeneous. and the in |
crease in ships should be accompanied |
men. and in naval stations. coaling sta |
tions. repair plants. etc.
The naval board on construction rec
ommends the following:
i. Three seagoing sheathed and cop |
pered battleships OF about 1850 tons |
trial displacement. carrying the heav-
lest armor and most powerful ordnance /
for vessels of their class. and TO have
the highest practicable speed and great |
radiue of action Estimated cost, ex-
elusive of armor and armament, /
81. .s0e 600 each.
2. Three sheathed and coppered ar
mored cruisers OF about 1900 tons trial
carrying the heaviest
armor and most powerful ordnance for
vessels of their clas. and to have the
highest practicable speed and great
radius Of action Estimated cost. ex-
elusive Of srmor and armament, $4,000
900 each.
tected cruisers OF about 5000 tons trial
displacement; TO have the highest prac-
ticable speed and great radius OF ac-
tion. and to carry the most powerful
ordnance suitable for vessels of their
class. Estimated cost. exclusive of ar
40. apd . ooo -