New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-12
TOO FEW NAVAL OFFICERS.
DOUBLING OF APPOINTMENTS TO
NAVAL ACADEMY URGED BY AID
MIRAL CROWNINSHIELD

washington. Nov. 1.-THE startling statement is
made in the report of Rear-Admiral Crowninshield
Chief of the Navigation Bureau. that the present
personnel of the Navy would form barely one
fourth of the total establishment necessary to fight
A first class European Power. 1t barely sufficed
for the Spanish-American War. and longer can
be considered the report says. effective nu-
cleus about which larger establishment could be
formed IN of
TIE Admiral regards this need the Navy for
officers and urgent. He says that
the point many cases where the
service is being harmed by lack of officers. The
Naval Academy is suffering for of instructors
and the present high standard OF training cannot
be maintained. Every bureau In the Department
short Of officers. and the service. the pre-
diets Will fall behind in the struggle first
for leadership and then for equality with the other
services The disability of the seagong corps
GERS has greatly increased since the Spanish war;
and many Of the best officers are being lost as a
result Of breaking oorn from overwork
The Admiral severely criticises the ineffective
effort of Congress at the last session meet i'm
mediate needs for officers by authorizing the en-
ployrnent of retired officers, and he urges the i'm
mediate repeal of that act He claims that the
retired list intended reward for faithful ger
vice otherwise becomes hardship and punish
rnent. The personnel act thus far has resulted in
anordng less officers than were the active list
before its passage, while authorizing in
crease. II failed provide the means therefor
there are now 1S1 vacancies in the list Of naval
officers, when vacancies be least afforded.
Therefore it is recommended that for the next
ten years appointments to the Naval Academy be
doubled the President and Representatives in Con-
gress appointing two instead OF wherever
thorized now, and IN addition Senators having the
same privilege of appointment Representatives
Then to meet future needs. IT is recommended that
whenever Congress authorizes an increase of YES
sells 10 the Navy, It also provide in the act,
for increase of officers and men to the
chips.
IT..
lays down fifteen war vessels. voted increase Of
424o officers and men to the naval establishment
10 the ships while Germany, which intends
doubling her feet In the next sixteen years, has
provided In the same programme for increasing the
personnel by So officers and 1857 men each year
until the total increase reaches 1861. It is de-
clared that It is impossible to the vessels
of Navy already constructed. with the present
force, not to mention those building authorized
Congress Is urged to make any increase in person
mel Immediately available The training system as
practised IN the Navy Is commended. and it is
declared that by other means could the Navy
the sailors necessary to man the feet Since
the close of the Spanish war. the Department has
found that the resources heretofore depended upon
20 furnish seamen for the Navy are no longer ade-
quate. Only 237 seamen have enlisted for tho first
enlistment in the last year. 80 the Department has
been obliged rely upon and develop the training
squadron for andsmen and now has about one
thousand uader instruction. who. on the aver
age. require about six months training.
Admiral Crowninshield regards It as most impor-
tant commercially that keep always fair rep
r5sentation the South Atlantic Station. saying
that in part of the world are our vessels more
cordially received and nowhere traced direct
benefits to trade more Clearly this station.
As TO the North Atlantic Station regret is ex-
are compelled 10 be often Interrupted by attend
tend demoralize the efficiency of the personnel.
One chapter deals at some length with the his
Chinese oneratons are Set out in some defai In
with a reference
the Oregon. Admiral Crownnshield mentions the
generously extending its resources Tor repairs to
me sp me Ig90r t o Pon th a the the
sAsiatic stqtfon doak Of its own for the largest
There were 2,452 assertions from the Navy and
Tunber Si23, from total number Of applicants Of
4a Over s. per cent of the men n the Navy are
cent have declared intentions; 80 per of the
that @
Is too small for the midshipmen and asks that she
De transferred to the training station at Newport
and that another vessel be built for the cadets to
crew Touching the Naval Academy. it is earnestly
urged that no physical disqualiacatiOns Of cadets
marked deterioration in the last ten years in the
10 the abandonment Of the Vigorous wedding diiis
out" process, which has now fallen into disuse. It
elemental course at sea shall be abandoned
sPe is ha the to sss
limit for cadets upon admission shall be between
academy shall be four years Two additional train
ing ships for apprentices at Newport are said to
be urgently needed. The report urges continued
training of the in craftsmanship.
The Admiral makes strong point in his report
of the necessity Of naval barracks to take the place
OF the present receiving ships, which he says
nothing less than poorly constructed
Ill ventilated badly lighted. unsanitary, old fash
toned floating houses tand In many they
often fail in being ahoa0. Congress is urged to
authorize expenditure of 100000 for seamen's
quarters New-York and League Island, 100000
to be made Immediately available.
4 mild reproof upon Congress is contained in the
closing paragraph of the report which calls at
rention to the discourasng condition in which dis
tinguished officers of the Navy have been left by
not receiving any formal recognition for their
heroic services in the with Spain. The report
says that the Navy had no part in the unfortunate
public controversy which followed upon the Pres
dents recommendation that certain officers should
be promoted and adds that thus far there has been
no recognition by Congress except OF those VINO
shared in the victory at Manila, and three who
served elsewhere in the