The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-11-12
STARTLING STATEMENT
INADEQUACY OF NAVY.
interrupted by attendance OF the vessel
at local celebrations, which tend to
demoralIze the efficiency OF the person.
Dock Needed on Asiatic Coast.


demorallze the efficiency Of the person.
mel. 5 = .g.5lS rs
Dock Needed on Asiatic Coast.
One chapter deals at some length
with the history OF the Aslatic station
during the year.. and the participation
Of the navy and marine corps in the
Chinese operations are set ont In some
detail. In connection with a reference
to the grounding Of the Oregon, Ad
miral Crownlnshield mentions the
courtesy shown by the Japanese gov
ernment in generously extending Its re-
sources for repairs to the ship. The
report makes the point that the gov
ernment should construct or acquire on
the Aslatc station, dpck Of Its own
for the largest vessels.
There were 2,452 desertions from the
navy and elghty-si1 deaths during the
past fiscal year. The enllstments num-
bered S,1S2 from total number of ap-
pllcants of 4o,s54. Over eS per cent OF
the men in the navy are native born, 10
per cent are naturalized, and per cent
have declared intentlpns. Ninety-two
per cent Of the landsmen now under
training are native born.
Chesapeake Inadequate.
Admiral Crownlnshield finds that the
Chesapeake is too small for the mid
shipmen, and asks that she be trans
fcrred to the training station at New
port and that another vessel be built
for the cadets, to accommodate at least
three hundred besides her crew. Touch
ing the naval academy. It is earnestly
urged that no physical disqualifications
Of cadets shall be waived hereafter. as
there has been marked deterioration
in the past ten years In the physical
condition Of the graduating cadets, ow-
ing to their abandonment Of the vigor-
Gus "weedlng out" process. which has
now fallen into disuse. 1t Is also strong
ly urged that the two years supple-
mental course at sen shall be abandon
ed. Finally, strong commendatiou Is
given to the superintendent recon-
mendatIon that the age limit for cadets
upon admission shall be between the
ages Of fifteen and eighteen. and that
the course at the academy shall be four
years.
Necessity of Naval Barracks.
Two additional training ships for ap-
prentlces ut Newport are said to be mr.
gently needed. The report urges con-
tinued training Of the men in marks
manship. ...5s
The admiral makes strong point In
his report of the necessity Of naval bar
racks. to take the place OF the present
receiving ships which, he says, are
nothing more nor less than poorly con-
structed, ill-ventilated, badly-lightcd,
unsanitary. old-fashioned floating
houses (and in many cases they often
fail In being afloat)., Congress is urged
to authorize an expenditure OF s6o0CoO
for seamen's quarters at New York,
and at League Island. 100000 to be I'm
mediately available.
Congress Mildly Reproved.z
A mild reproof upon Congress Is con-
tained in the closing paragraph OF the
report. which calls attention to the dis
courasng condition in which distln-
suished officers Of the navy have been
left by not receiving any formal recog-
milton for their heroic services during
the war with Spain. The report says
that the navy had no part In the unfor-
tunate public controversy which follow
ed upon the Presidents recommendn-
ton that certain officers should be pro-
NOTED and adds that thus far there has
been no recognition by Congress, ex-
cept OF those who shared in the victory
at Manila and three who served else
where In the war.