The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-23
LONG ASKS
FOR MEN
Navy Needs More
Officers at
Once.
INCREASE IN
NUMBER OF SHIPS
General Board Recommends -Four
First-CIass Battle Ships and
Many Other Vessels.

nual report Secretary of the Navy
John D. Long renews his recommends
ton that the office of vice admiral b.
revived. He also asks that the num-
Der of lieutenants be increased from
! 800 to $50, and that the limit of tho
number of junior lieutenants and en-
signs be made 500; that the present en-
listed force be increased to 5000 men
| that the marine corps be increased BY
$50 men, as recommended by the gen
eral board.
In conclusion the secretary says:
The navy today is a far greater fac
tor in our relations with the world
than it was before the recent national
expansion which now includes Porto
Rico, the Hawaiian Islands, the vast
area of land and sea in the Philippines
and our obligations to Cuba If we
are to have a navy at all it must be
commensurate with these great extern
sions-greater in international even
than in territorial Importance. This
necessarily involves the construction of
more naval vessels, their manning, eS-
ercise and maintenance.
Inc general OA NA4ASh lhC StN
miral is president, recommend the fol-
lowing increase of the navy:
Four first-class battleships.
Two ffrst-class armored cruisers.
Four picket vessels of about $50 tons
trial displacement, with a sea speed of
Is knots, with twin screws, carrying a
battery of four 6-pounder and two
Colts guns and complement of 60
officers and men.
Six sheathed and coppered, seagoing
gunboats of about 1 900 tons trial dis
placement, with moderate sail power.
similar to the Annapolis class.
Six ught-draft steel gunboats of
about 200 tons trial displacement not
to exceed feet draft, for ,insular ser
vice in the Philippines.
Six steel sailing training ships of
about 1000 tons trial displacement.
one collier of 10000 tons cargo ca
pacity and a sea speed of u knots.
Three thousand enlisted men, in or
der that they may be enlisted and
drilled in preparation for the compile
ton of the ships.
Seven hundred and fifty marines.
CThis number needed for duty on
board ship, and does not include the
necessary garrison for posts at home
and in our insular possessions.)
An increase of so per cent in the
number of naval cadets now allowed
by law, in order to provide for the in
crease of officers needed for the ships
recommended above.
The board of construction recon-
mend:
Three seagoing battleships of about
10000 tons trial displacement.
Two armored cruisers of about 14,5OO
tons trial displacement.
six gunboats of about 1900 tons trial
displacement.
six gunboats of about 600 tons trial
displacement.
six gunboats of about 200 tons trial
displacement.
Two golfers of about $1,000 tons trial
displacement.
One repair ship of about $500 tons
trial displacement
Six training ships of about 1000 tons
trial displacement.
+ our DlGhtb bOuAS VI ebOUl O1V NNAlS
trial displacement.
Four tugboats.
All the vessels thus recommended are
desirable in the prospective and har-
monious development of our naval
force. A larger increase than usual is
also desirable in view of the fact that
none was made last year. Some of
the vessels above recommended, how
ever, can better than others be omitted
for the present from the list and await
appropriation hereafter Among these
are the gunboats of 600 tons displace-
ment, in case the picket boats of SINH
lar dimensions are authorized; also the
repair ship and a portion of each of
the other classes of smaller war yes
sells. The department therefore recon-
mends:
Three first-class battleships.
Two first-class armored cruisers.
Three gunboats, each of about 1000
tons trial displacement.
Three gunboats, each of about 200
tons trial displacement for insular SER
vice.
Three picket boats. each of about $50
tons trial displacement.
Three steel sailing training ships.
each of about 1000 tons trial displace-
ment.
one collier of about 5000 tons trial
displacement
Four tugboats-
The department viii submit to Con-
gress in December next. as directed by
the last naval appropriation bill,
general description of two seagoing
battleships and two armored cruisers.
according TO which the battleships and