Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-11-20
lHE ANNUAL NAVAL REPORT
Secretary Long Asks For Twenty-Five
New Ships.
MORE MEN ARE NEEDED BADLY
The Secretary Desires Onicer., Sailors md
marines and Urges avicc-Admiraiship p
Recommends Larger Classes mt An
n"polis and States tho Need of an I:s,.
Client Naval Reserve-Thc Sailors. Diet

Washington. y. C.--"Thc navy to-
oaF Is far greater factor IN our re-
iations with the world than If was be-
fore the recent national cxpansi,n
which now includes Porto Rico. line
Hawaiian Islands. the vast area or
iand and sea in the Philippines AMI
our obligations to Cuba. II we are
10 nave navy Mt nil 1t must he com.
mensurate with these great extensions
greater in international even than
IN territorial Importance. This neces-
sarily Involves the construction Of
more naval vessels. their manning.
exercise and maintenance
With this brief statement Secretary
Long. OF the Navy Department. makes
the Following recommendations for
new warships to he passed unon Mt
the coming session of the Fifty.sey.
enth Congress:
Three trst-ciass battle ships.
Two first-class armored cruisers.
Three gunhoats. each of about 1000
tons trial displa cement.
1nree Sunboats. each of about 900
tons trial displacement, for insular
service.
Three packet boats. each Of about
6Io tons trial displacement.
Three steel sailing training ships
each OF about 1000 tons trial displacc-
ment.
One collier OF about $4,000 tors trial
displacement
-Four tu%boats.
Tue Secretary calls attention 70 the
need or more officers and men. and
makes these recommendations
In the case OF lire officers. that tho
hummer of lle'ltenants he increased
from 500 to $40. and that the limit OF
'he humber of iunio" lieutenantS and
ensi"ns he made GOO.
That there he nm Increase in tbo
corns OF naval constructors and i'm that
OF civil engineers.
That the present enlisted force be
increased Ivy 30o0'men.
Ihat the Marine Corps be Increased
by 40 men
the Secretary recommends that the
office OF Vice-Admiral he revived.
The Secretary also invites attention
TO the recommendation in regard tn
an efi"ienf engineering personnel. both
official and enlisted.
He again calls attention 70 fhc
pressing need of q national naval rn.
serve force from which TO draw for
sea service Immediately upon all out.
break OF war.
me Secretary recommends that ;he
titie OF "nidshipman." which is full
oi historic associations. he restored
ara substituted for naval cadet" that
Il training vessel he built for the Naval
Academy sufficiently large to accom-
modate the entire corps OF cadets: that
the number Of cadets at the Academy
he increased fifty Der cent. and that
there. be appointed annually by the
President ten ut large.
secretary Long also reDortS fhp
hoard recommendation for n naval
station and dry dock ut San Juan.
Porto Rico, and says land in now
Deing condemned for naval station
and for harbor and channel defenses
at Pearl Harbor. Island OF Oahu Ua-
wall. Estimates have also been sub
mitted' Tor station at TutuiIa. The
secretary reports progress toward es-
tabiishing naval base and coaling
station at San Luis d'Apra. Island of
Guam
Ihe Secretary asks that the depart
ment be allowed to improve the diet
or the sailors so that they will not
nave 10 contribute to their own sub
slstence, as at present" The changes
recommended would make the actual
cost of the ration about thirty cents
per man per day. instead of twenty
one to twenty-five cents, as at present.