Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-27
NEED MORE OFFICERS
Secretary Long of the United States
Navy Makes Public His
Annual Report.
Need Of More Officers For Sea
Going Duty is a Serious
Problem.
Contracts For Six Protected Cruis.
ers Acknowledgements Of
the Navy.

Washington, Nov. 27.-The annual res
port OF the secretary of the navy was
made pubic yesterday. The report
starts out with u detailed statement of
the participation of the navy in Chinese
waters,events which are still fresh in the
public mind, and the operations of ves-
sels on other stations which have been
unimportant. The secretary says that
to record the Instances of gallantry of
officers and men displayed at the cap-
ture Of Tien Tsln would almost be
equivalent to a publication of the entire
roster. Regarding the navy personnel
the secretary says
The need of officers for sea duty is
steadily growing. and at times the de-
partment is seriously embarrassed by
lack OF necessary officers TO proparly
man vessels required for immediate ser-
vice. This neeel vii be still, greater
When Vessels authorized or building are
completed and ready for commission.
The report of the bureau of navigation
represents that it would be Impossible
atthe present time to man our available
iieet We're an emergency TO occur de-
snandlng such action. Attention is, earn
Eestly invited to the detailed suggestions
OF tllis report and to the statement that
With the com letion of vessels now un-
Ger construction nTimnediate increa sc
will be needed in the enlisted force of
not less than 5000 men
For many Years it has been found
difficult 10 enlist a sufficient number of
the searnens clasat to supply the demand
10 cbviate this difficulty the department
decided 10 train its own saamen from
Jaw material. and during the past year
has assigned five vessels to the special
duty of fitting landsmen between the
ages of II and rs for the higher naval
ratings.
This method differs from that of the
apprentice system in that it opens the
door to the enlistment and Immediate
training of young men who possess little
or no nautical knowledge or sea expert
Greg, and gives them an opportunity to
aequire the habit of the sea and a know
edge of the practical mechanical appli-
ances which are found on board the
nedern man-of war. This has been car
er degree than ever before, and the ex-
pertinent has been SUCCESSFUL.
An electrical school for enlisted men
has been essa blished at the New York
navy yard, and has been in successf1l
operation during the past year.
Believing that the development Of the
navy g such as TO warrant full official
organization, and that the unity, com
N n;.
promoted by including init the grades
Iof both admiral and vice admiral. / have
the honor to recommend the Office OF
vice admiral be revived. a
NEW VESSELS.
Ihe-5lis't Of vessels finally or condition
ally accepted since last report include
the hattleship Alabama, the cruiser AL
banN, the torpedo boats Craven and
pahlglen and the battlsshps Kearsarge
and Kentucky. Other vessels added to
|. the navy since last report are the gun
poat Alayat, sunk during the Spanish
War and afterward raised; gunboat
General Alva. turned over by the wal
Holland submarine torpedo
boat, purcha sed under act Of congress
and the gunboats Quiros and Villabalos
turned over by the war department.
Contracts dated Dec. IA 1899. for ths
ICON struction Of the six protected cruis.
| ers, authorized by the act of March g
I5lss9 to be completed within thirt,
months from date of contract, were
| awarded on the dates indicated to tn,
| following slip-building firms, viz:
Cruiser No. IA, Denver, 10 the Mean,
& Levy Snip and Engine Building Com
\ Pany, Philadelphia, Pa. s l. OS0. OOO; speed
! II knots,
Cruiser No Is, Des AIoines, to the For,
isives Engine Company, Braintree
+ "a a 81, At ST. 065,oo0; sused. 161s knots.
Cruiser No 16. Chattanooga. to Levi
4 Nixon, Elizabethpor,, N. r.. at 81, 039, $50
I speed. 1914 knots.
cruiser No. IL Galveston. to William
~ Trigg Company, Richmond, Va, a
/ ,O27 900; speed, i61a knots.
e,miiser Ne. is, Tacoma. to Union Iro,
j Works san Francisco, Cal, at 81 ,041.
4 800: speed, 1614 knots.
+ Cruiser No. ~, Cleveland. to Bath Iro1
Il WORKS Bath, Me, at $1041,650; speed
dtGt2 kGo,s.
About fifty other vessels are unde
iaconstruction and in various stages s
4 completion.
Five golfers have been fitted out wit
# iheFchant crews since July i, 1900 an
utilized for the transportation of coal
our possessions abroad
Attention is invited to the recon,
1 nlendation Of the engineer in-chief 10
4 an appropriation for a repair ship 70
use in correction with Il feet5on a for
eisn station. AS component part of
war fleet, a vessel of this class is de
4 sirable.
4 Work under the bureau OF ordnanc
during the past year has kept up wit
the steadily Increasing demands of til
naval service for ordnance material q
1 all descriptions. Armament of vessel
Il heretofore authorized, Of which forty
eight are now under construction, wi
i be ready for installation by the time tn
vessels themselves are sufficiently ad
\ Eaneed to receive it. An Increased sun
iiply of ammunition has been accumu
4 lated, and suitable quantities have bee
shipped to various points as the need
4 of the service required
Care is exercised to keep the batterie
and mounts Of vessels in active servjc
4 up to the highest standard by repIacin
those in use with others of the ates
i models whenever eyrertarne :.