Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-09-13
THE AMERICAN navy
Work of Preparing 1t for the
War with Spain.
Credit ShouId BE Given to Those Who
Administer Its Affairs-Difiiculty of
Buying and Equipping Auxiliary
Vessels Doubling the Force of
Sailors.

Under the present administration the
navy has shown itself worthy of its best
traditions. The great victories nj Manila
Bay and Santiago were IN no sense acci-
dents. They were the results Of years
OF careful training Of officers and lucn
and the thorough preparation ui the hocts
for the crucial test NJ war. For this
preparation, Ills readiness u meet the
supreme moment for which a navy is
constructed and maintained, those who
administer the affairs OF tue navy should
have credit. The glory CUES 10 our he
roes who are in command atloal, aud 10
those officers and men who >cizr the op-
portunitics of war to render Goa splCuuus
service: but in remembering them unr
should not forget those who labor with
out ceasinG to secure the Aert IN c"n-
ditiou of high efficiency, and TO place 1T
the disposal OF the commanding Offices
an abundance of supplies. without which
the deet is powerleSs.
As early as Jan. II. 1898. more than
a month before the Maine was destroyed
in the harbor OF Havana, the Secretary
of the Navy began to mobilize the ships
of the navy and to take such measures
as would place at the disposal of the
officers in command the full measure OF
our naval force.
Immediately upon the passage OF the
bill approprmtng $4,000, 600 for the ma
tional defense, Il board was organized
for the purchase of auxiliary ships. and
after careful examination 102 ships of
various types were secured ut 4 total
cost OF $l7.956,SJ0 OF these vessels
but two, the New Orleans and the Al
bany, Were strictly vessels of war. The
others were merchant ships, pleasure
yachts. tug, etc, which were rapidly
oyerhaulcd at the different navy yards
provided with such light armOr protcc-
ton as was practical, and suitably
armed.
Between March 16 and June 80 all
these vessels were purchased and As rap
idly as Overhaulcd were placed in com
mission and put into active service. They
were used not only as auxiliary war YES
sells. but to supply the fleets with coal
aad ammunition and with fresh water
aud fresh provisions. For the care Of
the sick and wounded the Solacc was fit
ted out as a complete hospital, aud to
make repairs to vessels at sea the Vulcan
was fitted out as a modern machine shop.
In order to meet the increased demands
on the navy yards, il was necessary to
practically double the force between Feb
Is and the middle of April.
Ia addition to the ships which were
added to the navy by purchase, fifteen
revenue cutters and four lighthouse ten
ders were transferred from the Treasury
Department to the navy. and four Of the
great steamers of the International Nav
isati0n Company and one of the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company were charter
I'd. There were in all l2S ships added to
the regular naval establishment, and it
became at once necessary to provide OIL
GERS aud men to man them. For this
purpose 22J officers on the retired list
were ordered to active duty. S56 officers
were appointed for temporary service.
and the enlisted force was increased from
1880 to over $1,000 men.
1t was an enormous undertaking to
make all these additional ships ready FOR
war service, to secure the necessary guns
for them. and to keep the fleets supplied
with coal. ammunition and provisions.
But this was only a part OF the work
which the Navy Department had in
hand. For the protection Of the coasts
OF the United States an auxiliary naval
force was created, which was Differed
and manned by the naval militia of the
United States. \ coast signal service
was established. which kept practically
our entire coast line from Maine to Texas
under ohspryatinn tn rive warming nf tho