The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-10-17
NEEDS or TIE NAVY.
Abstract from Report of Admiral
Crowninshield.

reduction made during the past year
in the strength of the Asiatic feet,
which was drawn upon to furnish
| two vessels to reesta blish the Euro
| pean station and will be further di-
minished in order to permit of the
commissioning of at least two train
| ing ships and an increase of the
North Atlantic squadron by two gun
boats and of the Pacific squadron by
possibly one. 1t is particularly de-
sirable to have some small ships for
! gulf service on the Atlantic side. 1t
is said that the. operations on the
Asiatic station were marked by uni
form success and that the conduct of
our sailors and marines in China in
the main was all that could be asked
| for.
Admiral Crowninshield declares that
the time has come when, in the in
terest of the health of the sailors,
of their correct drilling, of their COM
fort, and of economy, the United
States navy should follow the ex-
ample of every first-class navy, and
! provide barracks in place of receiv-
ing ships. 1t is figured that the gov
eminent would save annually by this
course nearly $150,000, or the interest
on twice the sum required to provide
| barracks for 5000 men. 1t is recon-
mended that congress appropriate for
| such barracks at New York $500, 900,
and for League Island and Mare Is
land 100000 each.
Sailors were enlisted during the
year to the number of 9,S96, making
the total men in service 1925. From
| this number there were 3,158 deser-
| tions.
The most important feature of the
report, that of personnel, is reserved
for the last. Admiral Crownins HELD
already has given warning to con-
gress of the absolutely imperative
need of the navy for more officers
and men. Now he adds some start
ling figures to support his renewed
recommendations. He says if the de-
partment were called upon to man
the ships for war service, it could not
meet the demand. There are not
enough line officers to man the ships
already constructed. When, in three
years, the vessels now under con-
| stEuction shall have been completed,
the number of officers necessary to
man them and a few auxiliary YES
sells, would be no less than a thou
sand, and the problem presented is
how these officers can be secured in
| the short time remaining. At pres
ent the line of the navy, under the
personnel act, and as fed from An
napolis, is increasing only at the rate
OF ten per year in number 40 Off
GERS being retired arbitrarily each
| year,, which would make 30 for the
three years. According to Admiral
Crowninshield, the only remedy is to
| increase the number of cadets at the
naval academy to not less than 800.
1t is recommended that, beginning
with the next congress, there shall
be allowed at the academy two naval
cadets for every representative or
delegate, two for each senator, one
for the District of Columbia, and ten
at large annually, and that the course
be limited to four years.
| Washington, Oct. 12.-There were
few callers at the white house Friday
morning before the cabinet assembled
at II o'clock. Acting Secretary Adee
presented the Colombian minister and
Gen. Rafael Reyes, formerly Colon
| bian minister to France, now vice pres
| ident of the republic. The latter spoke
briefly to the president of the impor-
tance of the approaching Pau-Ameri-
can congress in the City of Mexico in
which, he said, he thought the United
States would be the guiding spirit.
| Senator Mason. of Illinois, who re-
| turned to his home Friday. called to
assure the president that the report
that he intended to fight the new
canal treaty was entirely erroneous.
To the president Senator Mason ex-
pressed the hope that the new treaty
would be entirely satisfactory.
Pacific Gable.
| Washington, Oct. l2.-Attorney Cen
eral Knox made a verbal report to the
president and cabinet Friday regard
ing the result of his Investigations into
the Pacific cable question. His conclu-
sion was that under the law of 1866 any
domestic company could land any cable
on the shores of the United States or
of its posse ssiOns. The president and
| cabinet were convinced by the verbal
report that no executive action is called
for at this time. The president will go
over the subject more in detail with the
attorney general Saturday and will re-
view the whole question in his message
to congress. The law Of 1866 is the
same law under which the Postal Tel
egraph company claimed it had the
power to land a cable at Havana, but
the claim was disregarded at the time
by the secretary of war.
| Presidents Policy Endorsed.
Five members of the cabinet, Secre-
tary Long, Secretary Hitchcock, Secre-
tary Wilson, Attorney General Knox
and Postmaster General Smith, were
present at Fridays meeting, which was
devoted largely to the consideration Of
appointments under the various de-
partments. The question of southern
appointments generally agai- came
up and the president reiterated his
policy of appointing republicans if
suitable applicants could be found and
if not ofappointinggo gold democrats. His
policy in this respect meets the approx.
al of the cabinet. The appointment OF
DR.. Clayton to the colleetorship oil
internal revenue in South Carolina wa
considered in this connection.
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Rumora Denied.