The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-11-29
NAVAL OPERATIONS.
Work of the Year Outlined by Sec
rotary Long.

work of our sailors and marines during
the past year, and many important rec
concentrations for changes In the naval
service.
The work of the navy In Chinese wa
tiers, and the part played by our sailors
and marines in the stirring scenes at
tending the Boxer uprising I'm that coun-
try, Is given first place in the report
1t is pointed out that because of pre-
cautionary measures taken by the de-
partment before the beginning Of the
trouble in Picking this government had an
adequate naval force at the nearest sea-
port town from which assistance could
be offered when the trouble came, and
that before the closing of communication
between the Chinese coast and Picking
force of marines, consisting of So Off
GERS and men, had been sent to Picking to
serve as a legation guard. OF the part
which this guard took in the stirring
scenes which followed Secretary Long
says:
THE annals OF history present few ex-
amples of more dramatic interest than
the story of the beleaguered legations in
Picking, from June 20, 1900, the date on
which the German minister was killed
and the Siege began, until August Ia.
when the allied forces entered the Chi
nese capital Official and unofficial re-
ports, and particularly the dispatches OF
our minister show that the American
marines bore their full share in the bur-
dehs of defense during this memorable
siege. The United States legation was
situated Just inside of and near to the
wall of the Tartar city. When the lega-
tons were assaulted, the American de-
tachment Immediately occupied posi-
ton on the city wall, strategic point
of great Importance; established an I'M
provised sandbag fort there, which en-
abled them TO defend the section of wall
Immediately commanding the legations,
and, although repeatedly attacked by
overwhelming numbers and on two occa-
sions driven for few minutes from the
wall, they were never permanently dis
lodged, but held this vital position until
relief came"
Praise for American SeRmen.
He also praises highly the force of
American seamen and marines which,
under Capt. McCalla, participated in the
attempt led by Admiral Seymour, of the
English navy, to relieve the legations at
Peking. That the heroism of these men
was appreciated abroad as well as at
home is proven by the following extract
from letter of Admiral Seymour to the
American naval officer at Taku, which
is made part of the secretary's report:
Il cannot conclude my letter without
| expressing to you, sir, the high admira-
| ton | have for Capt. b. III. McCalla, who
accompanied us in command of your Off
GERS and men. Their post was usually in
| the advanced guard, where their zeal and
| go was praised by all. / regret to state
| that Capt. McCalla was wounded in three
places, but considering the gallant way
| in which he exposed himself 1 am only
equally surprised and thankful that he
| is alive
Referring to the action at Tlentsin in
which we had % officers and 326 men en-
gagged under Col. r. l.. Mead, of the ma
rine corps, Secretary Long says;
ITO record the instances of gallantry
displayed by our officers and men at the
capture of Tientsin would almost be
equivalent to a publication of the entire
roster"
The report says the navy on the Asiatic
station has cooperated with the army in
the Philippines, transporting and convoy
| ing troops, patrolling wide area of
badly charted waters, sending out land
ing parties and keeping the coast clear
of the enemy. The small gunboats have
been of great value in preventing the
landing of arms for the insurgents and
cutting off Illicit trade with and among
the islands
Important Recommendation.
OF the recommendations probably the
most important are those relating to an
increase in the personnel of the navy and
for additional ships. OF the former after
referring to the steady increase in the
demand for officers for sea duty, the sec
rotary saws:
This need will be still greater when
vessels authorized or building are com
pleted and ready for commission. The
report of the bureau of navigation rep e.
sents that it would be impossible at the
present time to man our available feet
We're an emergency to occur demanding
such action. Attention Is earnestly in
vited to the detailed suggestions of this
report and to the statement that wiki
the completion of vessels now under con-
struction an immediate increase Will be
needed in the enlisted force of not less
than 5000 men"
New ships Needed.
OF the increase in ships the general
board, of which Admiral Dewey is pres
ident could not agree, but from their
various recommendations Secretary Long
selects the following as especially need
ed:
Two battleships and two armoi cd
cruisers all of the maximum displace-
ment specified: that at, least six light
draft Eunboats and some small craft for
river service are especially desirable in
connection with our insular service, and
that the golfers, training ships, trans
port and repair ship are the necessary ac-
compartment of the general recent in
crease of the navy, both in its fighting
force and in the enlarged range of its
operations
Naval Militia Praised.
The report praises the naval militia OF
the various states, but recommends a
form of national naval reserve, to be uu-
der the control and support of the ma
tional government. OF this the report
says:
Although the seafaring class of our
people Is comparatively large one, Il
is not now brought into touch with the
naval service and the navy department
in time OF peace in such manner as to
instruct and prepare any part of IL for
assistance to the regular service in case
of sudden outbreak of war. Means
should be provided to this end, and the
matter should receive the immediate at
tention of congress and provision made,
as recommended in my last annual re-
port, for enrolling. in addition 10 the
naval militia, which is an organization
of the states and under their regulation,
naval reserve of a national character.
which shall be under the call and gem
eral direction of the navy department"
Other Suggestions.
Other recommendation are for such
legislation as win give to naval officers
serving on shore duty in our island pos
sessions the same increase in pay as Is
granted officers of the army; a decrease
In the term of enlistment in the marine
corps from i've to four years and the
consolidation of the navy departments
of construction and repair and steam en-
gineering and equipment, OF this last
recommendation the secretary says:
Such system Is, in practical admin
tstration, cumbrous and expensive. and
from Its very nature tends to develop
controversies respecting the scope of each
bureaus duties and to occasion friction.
delay and want OF harmony In doing
whatever approaches border lines of juris-
dletlon. 1t is 10 the credit Of the officers
in charge of the bureaus concerned that