The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-27
WORK or The NAVY.
The Annual Report of
Secretary Long.
His Account Of The Gallant Work
Done by The Forces in China.
A Dry Dock Needed in
the Philippines.
Growth of the Navy ard Recon-.
mendations for the Future.

Washington, November 26.-The an
nual report OF the Secretary Of the Navy
has been made public The report begins
with a history OF the operations OF the
year in the philippines and in CHINA. es-
pecially Interesting being Secretary
Long account of the part taken by the
American marines and blue jackets In
the relief Of lien Tsin and Pekin. On
this subject Secretary Long, says:
The fleet on the Asiatic Station has
oooperated with the army In the Philip
mines, transporting and conveying troops,
patrolling O wide area OF badly charted
waters, sending out landing parties, and
Keeping the coast clear of tho enemy.
the small gunbuats have been OF great
value in preventing the landing of arms
for the Insurgents and cutting OIL Illicit
trade with and among the islands.
The cordiality which has characterized
the relations OF the army and navy is
show by numerous reports from oincers
on duty in the Philippines, and Is alike
oredftable to both branches OF the service
In view of the disturbed conditions in
Asiatio waters and OF the demands upon
the navy the department early In tbs
year deemed 1t expedisnt to augment the
force In that quarter. The commander
in chief of the Asiatio Station, Rear.Ad-
miral Remey, was accordingly given an
as sistant, Rear-Admiral kemptf, to In
sure under command OF an officer OF rank
and experience q division OF the heet, II
necessary, in quarters distant from the
Philippines. Almost Immediately there
after circumstances made 1t necessary TO
M aintain a separate force In Chinese
waters, and the junior Iear-admirai was
ordered to proceed with squadron to
Iaku, China.
When, therefore, an appeal for help
came from tho legations at Pekin, this
government not only had an adequate
naval force at the nearest seaport town,
but also was able to send forward imme-
diately force OF marines for the proteo-
tion OF the United States legation. The
small marine guard assigned 60 this
duty under the command of Capt. John
Il. Myers consisted OF 566 officers ana
men, made up OF detachments from the
u, s. s. Oregon and Newark, They
reached the Chinese capital in the latter
part OF May, only short time before the
representatives and citizens OF foreign
countries In that city We're subjected to
siege and cut oil from communication
with the rest OF the world.
The annals OF history present few ex'
amples OF more dramatic Interest than
the story OF the beleaguered legations in
Pekip, from June 90, 1900, the date on
and the siege began, until August i,
when the allied forces entered the Chinese
capital. Official and unofficial reports,
particularly the dispatches OF our minis
ter, show that the American marines bore
their fall share in the burdens OF defense
during this memora BILE Siege. The United
States legation was situated just inside
OF and near to the wall of the Tartar
city. When the legations were assaulted.
the American detachment Immediately
occupied position on the city wall, q
strategic point of great Importance; es-
tablished and improvised a sandbag fort
there, which enabled them to defend the
section OF wall Immediately commanding
the legations, and, although repeatedly
attacked by overwhelming numbers, and
on two occasions driven for few min
utes from the wall, they We're never per-
manently dislodged, but held this vital
position until relief came.
Some days before the siege began, and
while railway communication with the
Chinese capital was still open, arrange
ments had been made for the prompt
dispatch, for the protection OF the lives
and property OF Americans In the city,
or another and larger detachment from
our feet at TaEu. This second detaoh-
ment was made up chiefly OF seamen,
under command of Capt. Bowman IL.
MoCalla, United States Navy, and was
ready In the early part OF June to join
in such expeditions as the other govern
meuts interested might determine to send
forward from their fleets at the mouth OF
the river.