The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-12
CRYING NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
STARTLING LACK OF OFFICERS
AND MEN TO MAN SHIPS.
Overwork Impairing the Emciency
OF Omcers ON the Active List, and
Bureaus of the Department suf-
fering - Crowinshteld's Report.

statement is made in the report of Ad-
miral Crowninshield. chief OF the naviga-
ton bureau, that the present personnel
of the navy would form barely one
fourth of the total establishment neces-
sary to fight a frst-class European
power. 1t barely sufficed for the Spanish
war, and can no longer 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 ur-
gent. He says that 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 main
tanned. Every bureau in the department
IL short of officers, and the service, the
report predicts soon Will fall behind in
the struggle. first for leadership and then
for quality. with the other services. The
disability of the sea-gofng corps of Off
GERS has greatly increased since the
Spanish war. and many of the best off,
GERS are being lost as a result of break
ing down from overwork.
The admiral severely criticisss the in
effective effort Of congress the last ses-
sion to meet immediate needs for officers
by authorizing the employment Of retired
officers, and he demands the immediate
repeal Of that act He claims that the
retired list, intended as the reward for
faithful service. other wise becomes a
hardship and punishment. The person.
mel act, thus far, has resulted In afford
ing less officers than were on the active
list before its passage as, while author
fzfng an increase, II failed 20 provide the
means therefor, so there ere now 1871 va
cancies in the list of naval officers. when
vacancies can be least afforded
Remedies Suggested.
Therefore 1t is recommended for the
next ten years that appointments to the
naval academy be doubled. the president
and representatives in congress appoint
ing two instead Of one wherever author
ICED now, and In addition senators being
given the same privilege of appointment
as representatives. Then, to meet future
needs, 1t is recommended that whenever
congress authorizes an Increase of YES
sells TO the navy IL 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
4,2i0 officers and men to the naval estab-
lishment TO man the ships. while Ger
many. which intends doubling her feet
In the next sixteen years. has provided
for increasing the personnel by 50 officers
and LOST men each year. until the total
increase reaches 35, 551.
II Is declared that 1t is now impossible
TO man the vessels OF our navy already
constructed with the present force, not
to mention those building or authorized.
Congress is urged to make any Increase
in personnel Immediately available.
Training system Com mended.
Tive training system as now practiced
In the navy Is. commended. and 1t Is de-
clared 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
resources heretofore depended on to fur
nish seamen for the navy are no longer
adequate. Only 237 seamen have enlisted
for the first 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 under instruction, who.
on the average, require about six months
training.
Admiral Crowninshield regards II an
most important, commercially, that We
keep always fair representation on the
South Atlantic station, saying that I'm no
part of the world are our vessels more
cordially received, and nowhere can be
traced direct benefits to trade more clear
ly than on this station. AS to North At
iantic stations. regret Is expressed that
the important drills Of the squadron are
compelled TO be often interrupted by at
tendance OF the vessels at local celebra-
lions. which tend to demoralize the effi-
cheney 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
operations Is set out In some detail
The report makes the point that the gov
eminent should construct or acquire on
the Asiatlc station a dock OF its own.
There We're 2a52 desertlons from the
navy and 70 deaths during the past fiscal
year The enlistments number gi2s. from
a total number Of applicants of 40s54.
over s. per cent. OF tho men In the navy
are native-born. ~ per cent are natural.
lied and per cent. have declared inten-
tons Ninety-two per cent. OF the lands
men now under training are natlve-b born.
admiral Crowninshield finds that the
Chesapeake Is too small for the midshlp-
men, and asks that she be transferred 10
the training station at Newport and that
another vessel he built for the cadets. 10
accommodate at least 800 besides her
crew. Touching the naval academy, 1. Is
urged that no physical Disqualification
Of cadets shall be waived hereafter. as
there has been a marked deterioration in
the past ten years In the physical con-
dillon of the graduating cadets. owing 10
their abandonment Of the vigorous weed
ing-out" process. which has now fallen
into disuse- II Is also strongly urged
that the two years supplemental course
at sea shall be abandoned Finally
strong commcndation is given to the sup
orlntendeni's recommendation that the
age limit Of cadets, upon admission, shan
be between tho ages af Afteen and
eighteen, and that che course at the
academy shall &c four years.
Two additional training ships for APP