The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-11
THE NAVAL WAR RECORDS.
Superintendent Rawson submits His
Report to Secretary Gage.


Report to Secretary Gage.
The report Of F. K. Rawson. superin-
tendent OF Naval War Records. for the
fiscal year ending June 30. 1900. was yes
terday submitted to Secretary Lonx. Til,
report deals with the work of indexing
and preparing a complete set of the
Naval War Records and is as follows:
Since my last report. the tenth, elay-
enth, and a part OF the twelfth volumes
Of the Naval War Records have been
made ready for the press; the ninth has
been distributed, and the tenth and elev-
enth. which are already printed, will bs
distributed in 4 short time. 1t is expect
ed to complete the twelfth, thirteenth.
and part Of the fourteenth volumes by
the end of the present fiscal year. About
half OF the entire work Of publication,
which was begun six years ago. will then
be accomplished.
The volumes OF the Naval War Fec
ords already published comprise the
operations Of the cruisers and the North
Atlantic Squadron. The coming volumes,
beginning with the twelfth will include
events which took place in the South At
iantic Squadron It is difficult to tell the
precise number of volumes which may be
needed to cover the transactions of that
squadron, probably not more than four
and half to five. The same number Of
volumes being computed for the Gulf and
Mississippi squadrons would make the
entire number pertaining to operations
in the neighborhood Of twenty-seven
volumes.
Especial care is taken in the index
ing of these volumes. The indexes are Of
great fullness and accuracy. Each volume
requires from 1000 to 1900 entries.
making 26.0G0 or more entries as the to-
tai for each year. Any event referred to,
or the name Of any individual in the text,
may be readily found by means of these
indexes. They render the volumes CT
value to the Department seeking informa-
ton, and to the individual or historian
who is searching for the records OF off,
GERS or men or for the history of vessels.
1T will soon be possible. as never be-
fore. for the student of naval warfare to
draw valuable lessons from a largo
amount of official contemporaneous data
pertaining to the operations of both
navies.
The demand for sets Of the Naval
War Records is constant The illustra-
tons and maps make the volumes attrac-
tive and readable. 1t is, however, i'm
possible to meet the demand, inasmuch as
the distribution was mainly in the hands
of the members of the Fifty-third Con-
gress. and the lists Of names of recipients,
which members Of Congress have the privi-
lege to designate. are about complete. It
is suggested that for an amount not largs
additional sets might be printed to supply
the present members CT Congress who are
not entitled to receive sets and also many
Confederate officers and volunteer officers
OF the Union navy who served during the
CIVIL war. This would require an addi-
tional appropriation for the publication OF
at least $1,000 annually.
THE effort to collect official papers OF
the Union and Confederate nayies has
been continued, but the field has been very
carefully CLEANED and the returns arc
scant. Nevertheless. the exertions OF this
Office in the search are In no wise relaxed.
Il desire to renew my recomme ia ii \
of last year that single addition SHOULD
be made to the force of this Office, as H.
lows:
"One expert indexer and proof reader
as clerk of class 2, at 81 400. The work is
Of such value that it needs a trained per-
son for these purposes. With this psi
ton provided for. the experience and-se--
vices of one Of the employees will be re-
leased for the necessary preliminary and
very important work of exam;n ng M
terial and making rough compilation IN
this way relieving the chief clerk CT
heavy burden. and thus enabling him to
give his time and strength to the final
compilation and editing.
In this connection I would also re-
spectfully make recommendation that thu
salary of the chief clerk should be in
creased from 81. SEQ to 81 600, which is :hs
amount appropriated for each Of the eli
clerks in the Department, this Office being
the only exception. The office b.ing
double one. including not only the Naval
War Records. but also the library, tina
duties of chief clerk are manifold AMI
exacting: the combination of admins ra-
tive and clerical duties therefore renders
this position difficult enc, and the com
pensation, it would seem, should cSrre-
spond.
THE library accession book shows adj
ditions of volumes to the library to the
number of 1,05S. This includes bounI
periodicals and bound pamphlets. Govern
ment documents and gifts. as we'll as new
books purchased. The catalogues have been
kept up to date. The process of changing
the volumes from the fixed location to the
and the Redistribution has been
but is progressing slowly. in
as much as the work can be done only at
when the pressure of other work
permits
Effort is continually made to obtain the
latest and most valuable books on profess
sional subjects. beth in this country and
abroad. Book lists and catalogues are ex-
amined and lists made. from which books
are ordered regularly. Special books are
ordered without delay when requested by
officers neeging them. The current scien-
tific ard professional periodicals and an
nuals comprise the chief part of the Ii
brary ACQUISITIONS The library iS TINS