New-York tribune., 1901-12-04
PPESDENT ROOSEVELTS FIRST MESSAGE TO CONGKEoo

war in sight-all are entitled to fun .h,-.
in the glory of Manila and Santiago and the -.s..
accorded by every true American to thosa wso
wrought such signal triumph for our co,ntrv =.
forethought and preparation which secn-.s
us the overwhelming triumph of 1893 II We ,,fI
to show forethought and preparation now thsrs
may slime when disaster will befsu W.
instead of triumph; and should this time coma ,,.
fault will rest primarily not upon those whom, ,b
accident of events puts in supreme command a.
the moment. but upon those who have failed ~
prepare in advance.
There should be cessation in the work of co,,
pieting our navy. So far ingenuity has been vho,r
unable to devise a substitute for the great u,r
craft whose hammering guns beat the nnastsr,-
of the high seas. 1t is unsafe and unwise not to
provide this year for several additional battlssh,,
and heavy armored cruisers, with auxiliary ,,5
lighter craft in proportion; for the exact nrnh.-
and character I refer you TO the report Of the ss
retary of the Navy But there is somethi,s :.
need even more than additional ships and 81 =,
additional officers and men. To provide battssb,.
and cruisers and then lay them up with the =.
pectation of leaving them unnamed until thew ara
needed in actual war. would be worse than forr.
it would be crime against the nation.
GUNNERY
To send any warship against competent enemy
unless those aboard it have been trained by years
of actual service including incessant guunery
practice would be to invite merely disaster but
the bitterest shame and humia ton. Four thousand
additional seamen and one thousand additional
marines should be provided: and increase in the
officers should be provided by making a large add
tion the classes at Annapolis There is one small
matter which should be mentioned in connection
with Annapolis The pretentious and unmeanng
title of naval cadet should be abolished the title
of ''rridshipman," full of historic association
should be restored.
Even in time of peace warshfp should be used
until il out. for only it be kept ft to
respond to any emergency. The officers and men
alike should be kept much possible blue
water, for it is there only they learn their
duties they should be learned The big vessels
should be mannuvred in squadrons containing
merely batteshps. 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 responsibility and
meet the emergencies of actual warfare
Every detail ashore which be performed by
civilian should be so performed. the officer being
kept for his special duty in the service. Above
ALL sunnery practice should be unceasing- 1t is i'm
portant to have our navy of adequate size but 1t Is
even more important that ship for ship it should
equal in efficiency any navy in the world This Is
possible only with highly drilled crews and officers.
and this in turn imperatively demands continuous
and progressive instruction in target practice ship
handling SQUADRON tactics and general discipline
Our ships must be assembled in squadrons actively
cruising away from harbors and never long az
anchor. The resulting wear upon engines and huls
must be endured: a battleship worn out in lors
training of officers and is well paid for by the
results while on the other hand, no matter in how
excellent condition IL is useless il the be not
expert.
We now have seventeen battleships appropriated
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 ous
IL will take at least time to recruit and train
the mon To fight them It is Of vast concern thac
We have trained crews ready for the vessels by the
time they are commissioned Good ships and good
guns are simply good weapons and the pest
veapous are useless save in the hands OF men VINO
know how TO fight them. The men must De tralneu
and drilled under thorough and well planned sys-
tenn OF progressive instruction while the recruiting
must be carried on with still greater Vlsor Every
effort must be made exalt the MAN 1uncton OIL
the offfcer-the command Of men, The leaolns
Graduates of the Naval Academy should be as
signed 10 the combatant branches, the line anu
marines
Many of the essentials of success are already
recognized by the general board, which as the cen
traI office of a growing staff. is moving s'edu-y
toward a proper war efficiency and proper EN-
ciency of the whole navy. under the Secretary.
r-hi GENERAL hoard nv fostering the creation OF d
general staff is providing for the official ana tnen
the general recognition of our altered cohuluoiS a.
a nation and of the true meaning OF d sieH' We"
fleet which meaning is. first the best men, anu
second. the best ships ..
The naval militia forces are State organizations.
o1 arc trained for coast service, and in event OF
var they will constitute the inner line OF derence-
They should receive hearty encouragement HUM
the general government
Rrt in addition we should at once provide lo.
national naval reserve organized ana traiiieU
the direction of the Navy Department ana su0Ie0l
a tho call of the Chief Executive whenever "d'
hAcon,es inminent II should be real auxilals !"
the naval seagong peace establishment anu - -
material to be drawn on at once Tor nidillin7
ships in time of war 1t should oe eoNip !. .L
graduates Of the Naval ACADEMY sidI"" IT,.
,o,,aI militia officers and crews OF coast my
tar,ars Iongshore schooners. fishing vessels anu
80, yachts together with the coast populd'oA
.hout such centres as IifesavinG stations anu hsN
houses ,,5 ,5 main
The American people must either ouild anu 10, -,
tain an adequate navy OF else make up 'IVi- -.
aa1ritslv TO accept a secondary position IN me- ~
+ioraI affairs not merely in political OUT III -
,arcia1 matters 1t has been well said tndt tLe.o -
i no srrer way of courting national ols4s'e' '"'''
10 he "opulent. aggressive and unarmeo
THE ARUT.
T. = not necessary 70 increase our army peyo4a
its present size at this time. But It Is -. ,
L.an II AT the highest point of efficiency luz -
di,,,duaI units who officers and ehiS' :. -.
conpose this army are, we nave soou ie ..,.-
ueve. at least as efficient as those OF any ++st
army in the entire world 1t is our duty 10 st.st
their training is of kind to insure tH -,sr
possible expression OF power ~
acting in combination ,h az TO
Tho conditions of modern war are SUI -
,aI-. an Infinitely heavier demand than eve - -
fore upon the individual character ana W FAR
the of1cer and the enlisted man. ana 10 set
moro difficult for 10 act Josetner w ..,5ss
6ottt Ing
cr5ar which means that each man H"s .i,n