New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-03
CONGRESS ARRAIGNED.
FAILURE TO REWARD NAVAL OFFICERS
DENOUNCED.
SHARP LANGUAGE USED By ADMIRAL CRowNlN-
SHIELD IN HIS ANNUAL REPoRr-BAR-
RACKS TO REPLACE RECEIVING
sEIPs-TRAINING OF
L.ANDSAiEN.

I.ANDsMEN
WASHINGTON. Nov 2-There are three features OF
interest above all others in the annual report OF
Rear Admiral Crowninsheld, Chief Of the Bureau
Of Navigation, Just made public. Fist Is a oe-
nuncaton OF Congress OF the failure TO re-
ward the Officers recommended for advancement as
q result of the battles around Cuba; second the
recommendations for a change in the present sys'
tenn OF receiving ships. and. third. SUGGESTIONS re-
Rarding the new system Of training landsmen-
Under the first head the Admiral writes:
Another condition Of affairs discouraging to proud
and ambitious officers who have risked ana accom-
pished much the ragged and Irregular y eort
10 give permanent substantial offcial recogmoUh
TO bravery saantry or deyo,0n 1ons" addressed
10 the officers OF the North Atlantic Meet through
the Admiral. letter from which the FOLLOWING Is
Each man engaged in the work Of the inshoe shore
so make n"ssibe Cushing and if the wins
the recognition given him shall be as grea. az ',
given to-, to ca uSnh, so FAR as the
Every effort OF the Department to redeem , sh,s
solemn pledge has been baked. OF the oincers wiz
served in the North Atlantic waters three nav I've
been IN h Sedase their
scented at propitious moments the oher mone
them every gallant captain at Santiago on July B.
and all the brave captains Of the ever READY suia
heats y m aHs
ting. as spies seeking nf9rma.ionb among
them ali those who hesitated not and incuding AT
the head of all the able and de,er H ne hnle cam
planned worked and executed me whore '. ,n
paign and who finally consummated 'ne od 9 au me
resi have Absolutely nothing The greatest among
these has not as I mS'f hu a Who shared
victory won in more propitlous houi'
The number OF sailors in the Navy including
ne,tv officers at the end OF the fiscal year was
145ol. and $500 o. these were serving under con-
tinuous service certificates. over DO per cent VI
the petty officers were native born; over 81 per cent
nj the foreign born were naturalized ana 8 per
cent Of the whole number were citizens OF Inc
United States while s. per cent OF the whole num-
her had declared their intention TO become ci'i-
zens over 81 per cent Of the apprentices were
native born. and "a per cent OF the "hoe en-
listed force native born.
on the subject of receiving ships Admirai
Croyinshled points out the great expense Of main
tanning such ships in condition. with the result
that after all they are nothing more than noat-
ing houses. They should give way ne says 10
permanent barracks on shore For the h"ai'h OF
the men, for sanitary and hygienic reasons. for
drills and discipline. for economy Of administra-
lion for the proper recreation Of the men. and
for reduced cost of maintenance and repair ana
care taking. permanent buildings for the men
should be constructed at the large naval stations
1t is estimated that should the change be irade
the Government would sis.5oO year. The
report shows as the result OF Admiral Crownin-
shields visit of inspection to Europe that not only
England. but France. Germany, Italy. Austria
racks. Therefore it is proposed to construct bar.
racks the Ncw-York Navy Yard, at League
island Gor the accommodation Of the reserve
crews IL is proposed hold for the care OF the
ships be laid in reserve there). at Mare ISL
ana and at Boston.
On the subject of training landsmen. the report
SAYS that the Department was led to undertake
this on account OF shortage of men to meet
the demands OF the Navy. 1t is hoped that In
future the inflow of apprentices will he sufficient
10 meet such needs. but in the mean time the De-
parlment has been Obliged TO enlist several hun.
dred young men whom IL Is proposed 10 train for
eight or ten months on board cruising ships. with
this object the Hartford has been commissioned at
San Francisco and with three hundred and nfty
Young men will come around Cape Horn to the
Atlantic The Lancaster will make a similar cruise
from New-York 10 the West Indies. and the steam
er Dixie will take four hundred men from the
League Island yard for the same purpose. II is
expected in this way To provide for the needs OF
the service :or the next two or three years
The report calls attention to the failure o. the
Personnel bill. amended. 10 provide off1cere
enough to do the work of the Nay 1t is said
that there nearly enough officers aNaila bic
10 train the men in gunnery. Had the course at
ANNAPOLIS been reduced from SIX 10 four years.
as proposed in the original bill this fault. the Ad-
miral SAYS. would have been overcome. II IS also
submitted in conclusion that the naval pay should
he edualized with that OF the Army. and that the
State Naval Militia be federated into a National
Naval Reserve