Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-12
THE WORk-OE-THE FLEETS
ANNUAL REPORT OF REAR ADMIRAL
cRowNINsHIELD.
Points Out theSNeed. of the Navy for
Moreofacsrs and
Niens

inshield, the chiefsof thu navigation bureau
speaks of the work sofssthe different fleets
during the past year and says that the
operations on tbs AsAtic stations were
marked by uniform success, and the con-
duct of our sailors and marines in China
and in the Philippines was in the main all
that could be asked for. Reference is made
to the part the Vicksburg played in the
capture of Aguinaldo and it is said that
the whole expedition was conducted with a
degree of success which can only be at
tained by the highest discipline and eff
cheney.
A good deal of attention was devoted to
the subject Of training landsmen and the
adoption Of a new system of recruiting the
navy by means of the dispatch of recruit
ing officers to different parts of the coun-
try, instead of waiting until the men pre-
scented themselves at receiving ships. The
system is said to have been an undoubted
success.
Gunnery Training Ships.
Much attention has also been devoted to
gunnery training, and the report states that
the department is about to undertake a
long cherished project and establish two
gunnery training ships on the Asiatic sta
ton. The system of training petty officers
on board the Newport, though still in it's
incipiency, is said to be rapidly develop
ing into useful adjunct.
The department is about to follow up the
precedent established last year in the crea-
ton Of torpedo boat reserve station at
Norfolk by establishing four other sections
at Port Royal, Charleston, Pensacola and
a second one at Norfolk.
The report refers to the rapid deteriora-
ton Of the old wooden training ships as IL
Illustrated by the condemnation Of the Yer
mont, and the report says that the time
has come when the United States navy
should provide barracks in place of receiv-
ing ships. 1t Is recommended that Con-
gress appropriate for such barracks at
New York, 100000 and for League Island
and Mare Island 100000 each.
Sailors were enlisted during the year to
the number of 9,s96. making a total of men
in service 1885 and from this number
there were 3,15S assertions.
The beginning of a general staff Of the
navy is foreShadOwed in a transmitted rec
concentration of Captain Sigsbee the chief
intelligence office, looking to combination
in the department Of the work of the gen.
eral board, the War College and the Office
of naval intelligence to begin systematical-
ly general staff work.
Touching the Naval Academy the report
1ndorses, the superintendent recommended
lions that no cadet be appointed under ff-
teen or over eighteen years of age: that the
course shall be four years and that 5000
ton practice ship be provided. In connec-
ton with the naval training stations it is
tHdt 1lJU,UOD De appropriated
to hit out the historic constellation at New
port for training ship and that small
briggs of $50 to 200 tons be built for Newport
and San Francisco stations. The report
includes the recommendations made by
special board looking to the change Of the
naval ration by the inclusion of condensed
milk and many small articles calculated to
make the ration more attractive and abund-
ant. tH
Not Enough Men and Officers.
The most important feature Of the report
that Of personnel is reserved for the last
Admiral Crowninshield refers to the i'm
perative need Of the navy for more officers
and men, and says II the department We're
called upon to man the ship for war SER
vice 1t could not meet the demand. There
are not enough line officers, he says, to man
the ships already constructed. When, in
three years, the vessels now under con-
struction will be complete the number Of
officers necessary to man them, and few
auxiliary vessels would be no less than
thousand, and the problem presented is
how these officers can be secured in the
short time remaining. At present the line
of the navy under the personnel act and as
fed from Annapolis Is increasing only at
the rate of ten Per year in number, which
would make thirty for the three years.
There Is but one remedy for this fatal error
IN naval policy, according to the report and
that Is to increase the number of cadets
at the Naval Academy to not less than 500
Therefore, 1t Is recommended that begin
ming with the next Congress there shall be
allowed at the academy two naval cadets
for every representative or delegate, two
Tor each senator, one for the District of
Columbia, and ten at large annually.
Another striking recommendation under
this head of personnel is that four vice ad-
mirals be created, reducing the number of
rear admfrals from eighteen to fourteen,
If necessary.