The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-11-30
WORK OF THE NAVY.
:
Secretary Long Presents His Report
Makes an Interesting Record
Wants q Bigger Navy.

the first time since it's rehabilitation the
| navy has been put to the supreme test
war. Years of patient, persistent training
and development had brought 1t to point
| of high efficiency, which resulted in the un-
paralleled victories at Manila and Santl-
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"
The report describes in rapid order the
steps that were taken to consolidate the
squadrons and put the navy in readiness
for hostilities. Sigsbee's famous telegram
asking a suspension of public opinion in
connection with the blowing up of the
Maine is quoted, and the secretary says:
This judicious telegram did much to Sc
cure in the public mind dispassonate
| view of the disaster"
| The story of Dewey's victory at Manila
is told, and of it the secretary says: aside
from the mere fact of. having won with
| out the loss of a single life such brilliant
and electrifyng victory at the very out
set of the war, with all the confidence
which 1t infused throughout the country
and into the personnel of every branch Of
the service. 1t removed at once all appre-
hension for the Pacific coast. The indirect
pecuniary advantage to the United States
in the way of saving an increase of instr
anee rates and in assuring the country of
freedom from attack on that coast is 'n-
calculable."
The secretary tells how Cervera's fleet,
having sailed from Cape Verde islands April
20 for an unknown destination, Sampson
sailed east with portion of his fleet for the
purpose Of observation. At Cape Haitlen
May the department was advised that he
Spa niSh squadron was reported at st.
Thomas. The following statement explains
officially why the bombardment of san
Juan was not forced to an end: "Instruc-
tons were also received that the vessels
accompanying him were not to be risked
or crippled in the bombardment of fortified
tons, as 1t was considered unwise to risk
any of the vessels of our navy until the
| Spanish fleets had been met and destroyed.
The squadron did not arrive off sal
Juan until the morning of the 18th. A bonn
bardment of that place followed for two
hours and half but as there was no land
force to hold 1t in case of its surrender nd
as the Spanish fleet was not there it was de-
termined to return to Havana, where it was
possible Cervera might have gone"
The report shows that the flying squadron
under Schley was ordered to Cienfuegos
upon notice that Cervera's squadron had
been seen off Curacao. The report then
gives a conSidera BILE length to the instrGc-
tons sent to Sampson and Schley and the
various movements Of the squadron until
the moment the Spanish fleet was destroyed
in Santiago harbor.
On June % the Merrimac was sunk, and
of this the secretary says: This attempt,
although unsuccessful in its object was
daringly executed. It is now one of the
well-known historic marvels of naval ad-
venture and enterprise in which Naval Con
structor Hobson and his men won undyi: &
fame"
The report deals next with the seizure
Of the harbor of Guantanamo and the raj
liant three-days' fight of the marines; with
the conveying of the Shafter expedition
from Tampa to Santiago and with the con-
ferences that took place between Shafter
and Sampson in the effort to secure the CO.
operation of the army and navy In the re-
duction of Santiago. The story of the op-
erations at 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 in it's vast
ness, says that the country well as the
service has cause for congratulations in
the results which have followed and which
have been so generally approved, and in III
further fact that no personal feeling mas
arisen to mar the glorious victories and
magnificent work of the service. The Sec
rotary compliments the equipment bureau
| for the satisfactory manner in which, not
withstanding the many difficulties which
developed, in providing coal for the fec s
The largest single item of expenditure was
for the purchase of coal-452, ISL tons beiag
bought, at a cost of 81, 122, 900.
Tbs secretary includes in his report a
short and oncise statement, under sep
arate heads, of the operations of each of
the bureaus of the department, and SUBJ
| mits estimates for the next fiscal year as
| gregating $685. 251, which is IN increase of
| 173 over the appropriations for 1899 nd
| contains new items aggregating $7,O27, 634.
| Of these new items the most important is
| $4.729,S 500 for yards and docks. There is also
| an item Of $1,62O,0O0 on account OF the naval
| academy.
In reference to the workings of the sys-
| tenn of labor employment at navy yards,
| which is said to have been severely tested
| during the war, the secretary says that in
| continuation )f the policy of giving prefer
| ence in appointment to veterans Of The civil
| war, he proposes to give the preference now
| to the persons who served during the Span
| ish-American war, rating as first those
| who served in foreign waters or on foreign
| soil, and next to those who served in the
United States or its waters, providing ,ney
| have had honorable discharges
The secretary indorces the recommends
| ton of the navigation bureau authorizn g
| the increase whenever necessary of the
| enlisted force to 10000 men and of the ap-
| prentices to $500 The most important c ne D.
ter of the report is that relating to the in
| crease OF the navy, and under this head
| the secretary transmits and indorses the
| report of the naval board of bureau chiefs
| looking to the increase of the navy by no
| less than 10 ships, some Of the most power
full character. The secretary says: The
| navy should be increased; the DEVELOPMENT
| Of its various branches should be homo
| genous, and the increase in ships should
| be accompanied by gradual increase in
! officers and men and in naval stations, ccal-
ing stations. repair plants, etc. With he
| territorial acquisitions of the present year.
| II the Philippines are also annexed TO he
| United States, its outlying territorial ocs-
| sessions will be so great and SO extended
| that this increase of naval force will be
| necessary.
In conclusion the report pays high COIN
| pliment to the naval war board compos I'd
! of Admiral Sicard Capt. Crownins HELD nd
| Capt. Mahan, saying 1t was equal to every
| demand, enabled the department to cont oil
| movements on the water, yet left ample
| discretion to commanding officers. CHARGED
with delicate and important duties. the
| department Is not aware that the board
| committed q single error.
| Nine Were Drowned.
London, Nov. 26.-The local steamer