Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-11-11
MOST CRYING NEED
OF UNCLE SAM'S NAVY
Department Face to Face
With Critical Condition.
MORE OFFICERS ARE NEEDED,
In His Report Admiral Taylor, Chief
of Bureau of Navigation, Says Lack
of Officers to Man Warships En-.
dangers Efficiency of Fleet.

Washington, Nov 10.-The most
crying need of the navy, &C
cording to the annual report of
Admiral H. c. Taylor, chief of the
bureau of navigation, is more officers
to man our warships. He declares
that the preparations now going on
for the mobilization of the feet for
the winter manouvers in the West
Indies has brought the department
face to face with the critical condi-
tion due to lack of officers, which, he
says, his reached such a point as to
be dangerous to tire efficiency of the
fleet. He says that the number of off
GERS on our ships is less than the
number on board the ships of other
navies, although, as a matter of fact,
our ships require more officers than
other navies, because We are COMPEL
ed to man our vessels with green
crews, having little or no knowledge
OF sea life.
Present Needs of Naval Service.
He submits a table showing that the
present needs of the naval service
require 1000 officers, while the mum.
Der on the navy list, including mid
shipmen after graduation, is only
1923, or SIT short. This table is based
on the lowest possible number of Of
fcers needed on our battleships. He
A0uroo +hof Tho vaecalu p0u orttihOr.
lied by congress, but not completed,
will require 49S additional officers, TO
which is to be added rs per cent. for
officers sick or on shore duty, and
100 for casualties during the next
four years, or total for the vessels
now building of 1888. This number
added to the present shortage, SIT,
will give 1860 The graduates from
the naval academy during the next
four years will be 355, leaving a 70.
tai deficit July 1, 1906, of 1905, not
counting officers for auxiliaries who
would be required in the event of hos
tflities, in addition to the increase oil
midshipmen provided for by the last
congress.
Admiral Taylor therefore recon-
mends a further increase of midship
men, one for each congressman and
each senator; one from the District
and ten annually at large He also rec.
ommends that the number of lieuten.
ant commanders be increased to 80
lieutenant commanders (senior), anu
lieutenants (junior) and ensigns, $50
Concentration of Force.
A concentration of the naval force
in two big fighting Bquadrons in the
North Atlantic and Asiatic waters is
recommended. For the present, two
squadrons are all that the present
number of our battleships will permit
To carry out this Admiral Taylor pro.
poses to transfer the battleships, in
the remaining squadrons to one or the
other Of these heavy squadTons and
compose the Pacific, European AMI
South Atlantic squadrons entirely OF
cruisers.
Additional Torpedo Boat FotiIIas.
It Is also proposed to form addition.
al torpedo boat fotillas with de.
stroyer as leading vessel, after the
plan of the present group now in the
West Indies under the command Ct
Lieutenant Chandler.
The proposed concentration of the
naval forces, Admiral Taylor says,
makes it desirable to have an officer
of high rank in command of each of
the great heavy fleets, and he recon.
mends for these two commands, that
congress authorize the creation of two
vice-admirals Much space is devot.
ed in the report to the necessity for
gunnery training. Prizes are recon-
mended for excellence in gunnery
exercises and target practice. Atten.
ton is called in detail to the opera.
lions of the fleets and the work of our
naval officers and men in the waters
of the Philippines and of the West
hides is highly commended.
TanopIa of | abor planpad