The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-03

should be provided by making large
addition to the classes at Annapolis.
There Is one small matter which should
be mentioned in connection with An
napolis. The pretentious and unnleanng
title Of naval cadet" should be abol-
ished; the title of "n,idshipman.' full
of historic association. should be re-
stored.
Should Be Used.
Even in time of peace a warship should
be used until it wears out. for only SO
ca 1t be kept fit TO respond to any emer-
gency.
The officers and men alike should be
kept as much as possible on blue water.
for 1t is there only they can learn their
duties as they should be learned.
The big vessels should be n,aneuvered
in sQuadrons containing not merely bat
tleships. but the necessary proportion
Of cruisers and scouts.
The torpedo boats should be handled
by the younger officers in such manner
as will best fit the latter to take re-
sponsibility and meet the emergencies of
actual warfare
Every detail ashore which can be per-
formed by a civilian should be 80 per-
formed. the officer being kept for his spe-
cial duty in the sea service.
Above all. surrery practice should he
unceasins. 1t is important to have our
navy of adequate size. but it is even more
important that ship for ship it should
equal in efficiency any navy in the world.
Highly Drilled Men.
This is possible only with highly
drilled crews and officers. and this in
turn imperativsay demands continuous
and progressive instruction in target
practice, ship handling. squadron tactics
and general discipline.
Our ships must he assembled In squad
rons actively cruising away from har-
borS and never long at anchor
The resulting wear upon engines and
hulls must be endured: a battleship
worn out in long training of officers and
men is we'll paid for by the results. while
on the other hand. no matter in how ex-
cellent condition, it is useless if the crew
be not expert
We now have II battleships appropri-
ated for of which nine are completed
and have been commissioned for actual
service.
The remaining eight will be ready in
from two to four years. but it will take
at least that time to recruit and train
the men to fight them.
1t Is of vast concern that we have
trained crews ready for the vessels by
ships and good guns are simply good
weapons. and the best weapons are use
tess save in the hands of men who know
Row to fight with them
System of instruction.
The men must be trained and drilled
under thorough and we'll planned sys-
tenn Of progressive instruction. while the
recruiting must be carried on with still
greater vigor.
Every effort must he made to exalt
the main function of the officer-the COM
anand of men. The leading graduates of
the naval academy should be assigned to
the combatant branches, the line and |
marines.
Many of the essentials of success are
already recognized by the general board |
which, as the central office of a growing |
staff. is moving steadily toward a proper |
war efficiency and a proper efficiency Of
the whole navy. under the secretary.
This general board. by fostering the
creation of a general staff is providing
for the official and then the general rec
ognition of our altered conditions a
nation and of the true meaning of a !
great war fleet. which meaning is first,
the best men, and second the best ships. !
Inner Line Of Defense.
The naval militia forces are state Or
CARNATIONS. and are trained for coast
service. and in the event of war they
will constitute the inner line Of defense.
They should receive hearty encourage
1nent from the general government
But in addition we should at once pro-
vide for a national navy reserve, or
ganized and trained under the direction
of the navy department and subject to
the call of the chief executive whenever
war becomes imminent.
1t should be real auxiliary to the
naval sea going establishment, and offer
material to be drawn on at once for
manning our ships in time of war;
1t should be composed Of graduates OF
the naval academy. graduates OF the
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