The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-12
Every Bureau i'm the Department
Crippled Through Lack of
Proper Legislation.
NAVAL ACADEMY SUFFERING
BECAUSE OFFICERS CANNOT BE
SPARED AS INSTRUCTORS.
Other Nations Rapidly Increasing
Hoth ships and Men-The Adj
mfraPs recommendation.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE startling
statement is made in the report of Admiral
Crowninshield. chief of the Navigation Bu-
reau, that the present personnel OF the
navy would form barely one-fourth of the
total establishment necessary to fight
frst-class European power. 1t barely SUI
feed for the Spanish war, and no longer
can be considered, the report says, as an
effective nucleus about which larger
establishment could be formed in case of
war The admiral regards this need of the
navy for officers and men as most urgent.
He says the bureau can point to many
cases where the service is being harmed
by lack of officers. The Naval Academy is
suffering for want of instructors. and the
present high standard of training cannot
be maintained. Every bureau in the de-
partment is short of officers. and the serv-
ice. the report predicts. soon will fall be-
hind In the struggle. first, for leadership,
and then for equality, with the other serv-
ices. The disability of the sea-going corps
of officers has greatly increased since the
Spanish war. and many of the best Of
ficers are being lost as a result OF break
ing down from overwork.
The admiral severely criticises the in
effective effort of Congress at the last ses-
sion 10 meet immediate needs for officers
by authorizing the employment OF retired
officers, and he demands the immediate re-
peal of that act. He claims that the re-
tired list. intended as reward for faith
fui service, otherwise becomes a hardship
and a punishment. The personnel act thus
far has resulted in affording less officers
fb 4 Ha acffx fcf haf ftC
age. as. while authorizing an increase, 1t
failed to provide the means therefor. SO
there are now 131 vacancies in the list Of
naval officers. when vacancies can be least
afforded. Therefore 1t is recommended for
the next ten years that appointments to the
Naval Academy be doubled, the President
and representatives in Congress appointing
two instead of one wherever authorized
now, and in addition, senator's being given
the same privilege of appointment as rep
resentatives. Then, TO meet future needs,
it is recommended that whenever Congress
authorizes an increase of vessels to the
navy, 1t also provide, in the same act. for
an increase OF officers and men to man the
ships.
The report says that England. which this
year lays down fifteen war vessels, voted
an increase of 1920 officers and men TO the
naval establishment. to man the ships.
while Germany. which intends doubling her
fleet in the next sixteen years. has provided
in the same programme for increasing the
personnel by eighty-nine officers and 1.6S7
men. each year until the total increase
reaches IS, sol. 1t is declared that il is now
impossible to man the vessels of our navy
already constructed with our present force.
not to mention those building or authorized.
Congress is urged TO make any increase IN
personnel Immediately available.
The training system as now practiced In
the navy is commended and it is declared
that by no other means could the navy
secure the sailors necessary TO man the
fleet. Since the close of the Spanish war
the department has found that the re-
sources heretofore depended upon to furnish
seamen for the navy are no longer ade-
quate Only 81 seamen have enlisted for
the enlistment in the past year, so the
department has been obliged to rely upon
and develop the training squadron for
landsmen and now has about 1000 men I'M
der instruction. who on the average re-
quire about six months training.
Admiral Crowninshield regards il as most
important commercially that we keep al
ways of fair representation on the South
Atlantic station, saying that IN no part of
the world are our vessels more cordially
received and nowhere can be traced direct
benefits TO trade more clearly than on this
station. As TO the North Atlantic station.
regret is expressed that the important drills
OF the squadron are compelled to be often
interrupted by attendance of the vessels
at local celebra tions, which tend to de-
moralize the efficiency OF the personnel
One chapter deals at some length with
the history of the Asiatic station during
the year and the participation of the navy
and marine corps in the Chinese opera
lions are set out in some detail. In con-
nection with reference to the grounding
OF the Oregon Admiral Crowninshield men,
tons the courtesy shown by the Japanese
government in generously extending its re-
sources for repairs TO the ship. The report
makes the point that the government
should construct or acquire on the Asiatic
station dock OF its own for the largest
vessels.
There were 2.452 assertions from the navy
and eighty-six deaths during the past fiscal
year The enlistments number s,l23 from a
total number of applicants of 1854. Over
ss per cent OF the men in the navy are
native born. 10 per cent. are naturalized
and 9 per cent have declared intentions
Ninety-two per cent. Of the landsmen now
under training are native born.
Admiral Crowninshield finds that the
Chesapeake is too small for the midshIp-
men and asks that she be transferred to
the training station at Newport and that
another vessed be built for the cadets, TO
accommodate at least 500 besides her crew.
Touching the Naval Academy. II is earnest
" urged shat no physical disqualification