The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-04
SECRETARY LONGS
ANNUAL REPORT
Makes important Recommended
lions For the Future.
THE ATLANTIC SQUADRON
He Suggests That All the Commanders
in Chief and the Officers andss
Men Should be Given
Much Credit.

Washington, December 3.-The annual re-
port of the secretary of the navy, just made
public. is a document of unusual interest,
dealing not only with the work of the navy
during the past year and important recon-
mendations for the future, but also discus
sing the more important questions relating
to the navy, including the authorization of
eighteen new war ships, the imperative
need of special legislation in the early
days of congress for armor of the best
quality that can be obtained, and the prop
osition that the thanks of the congress be
given to the ommander-in-chief of the
{ North Atlantic squadron and to officers
and men under his command for the part
they took in the naval operations at San
tiago.
As to the increase of the navy he says:
1.-The number of large swift and powerful
armored cruisers of great coal endurance
in our navy is largely disproportlonate to
the rest of the naval establishment. The
experience of the last year has also shown
the need of several smaller vessels usually
classed as gunboats. 1t is therefore recon-
mended that congress be requested to
recommend the construction of the follow
ing vessels: Cruisers of about $1,000 tons
load not to exceed 26 feet, carrying the
heaviest armor and most powerful ord
nance for vessels of their class, to be
sheathed and to have the highest practical
bile speed and great radius of action
Second. Twelve gunboats or ABOUT @V
tons trial displacement to be sheathed and
coppered. And, Third, as recommended
year ago, three protected cruisers of about
5000 tons trial displacement, carrying the
most powerful ordnance for vessels of
this class to be sheathed and coppered
and to have the highest practicable speed
and great radius of action. The secretary
adds in this connection that the S,O90-ton
protected cruisers are considered better
adapted to the present needs OF the navy
than the 6000-ton ships recommended last
year. He also asks that if satisfactory
bids cannot be obtained for the new ships
authority be given to build them at the
United States navy yards.
Praise for sailors at Santiago
The secretarys reference and recon-
mendation as to those who took part in
the operations at Santiago are as follows:
"While those engaged in the battle of
Manila have been deservedly rewarded
and no men ever deserved reward more rlcn
riealy-those who took part in operations
at Santiago, displaying the same conspicu-
Gus conduct and extraordinary heroism,
. have received no recognition whatever for
their great services, except the recon-
mendation for promotion by the president,
which have lapsed, not having been acted
upon by the senate.
THE department believes 1t due to these
gallant men to suggest to you that their
services be recognized and an equal justice
done them and that in accordance with
the statute in such a case as made, and
provided, you recommend that thanks Of
congress be given to the COMMUNICATIVE
chief of the North Atlantic squadron and
to the officers and men under his command
as they We're given in the case of the COM
mander-in-cIhief, officers and men of the
Asiatic squadron