The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-03

the craftsmanship be granted. 1t is neces-
sary TO provide ample funds for practice
with the great guns in time of peace. These
funds must provide not only for the pur-
chase of projectiles, but for allowances for
prizes to encourage the gun crews, and
especially the gun pointers, and for per-
fecting an intelligent system under which
alone 1t is possible TO get good practice.
There should be no halt in the work of
building up the navy, providing every year
additional fighting craft. We are a very
rich country, vast in extent of territory
and great in population; a country, more
over. which has an army diminutive indeed
when compared with that of any other
frst-class power. We have deliberately
made our own certain foreign policies,
which demand the possession of a first
class navy. The isthmian canal will great
ly Increase the efficiency of our navy if
the navy is OF sufficient size; but if we have
an inadequate navy, then the building of
the canal would be merely giving a hostage
to any power of superior strength. The
Monroe doctrine should be treated as the
cardinal feature of American foreign pol
icy; but it would be worse than idle to as
and it can be backed up only by a thor
oughly good navy. A good navy is not a
provocative of war. 1t is the surest guar
anty OF peace.
Each individual unit of our navy should
be the most efficient of it's kind as regards
both material and personnel that is to be
found In the world. / call your special at
tention to the need Of providing for the
manning of the ships. Serious trouble
threatens US if we cannot do better than we
are now doing as regards securing the serv-
ices of a sufficient number of the highest
type of sailormen, of sea mechanics. The
veteran seamen of our warships are of as
high a type as can be found in any navy
which rides the waters of the world; they
are unsurpassed in daring, in resolution, in
readiness, in thorough knowledge of their
profession. They deserve every considera-
ton that can be shown them. But there are
not enough of them. 1t is no more posi-
BILE to improvise a crew than il is possible
to imprOviSe a warShip. To build the finest
ship, with the deadliest battery. and to
send il afiOat with a raw crew, no matter
how brave they were individually, would
be to insure disaster If a foe of average
capacity were encountered. Neither ships
nor men can be improvised when war has
begun.
We need a thousand additional officers in
order to properly man the ships now pro-
vided for and under construction. The
classes at the naval school at Annapolis
should be greatly enlarged. At the same
time that we thus add the officers where we
need them, we should facilitate the retire
ment of those at the head of the list whose
usefulness has become impaired. Promo
ton must be fostered If the service is TO be
kept efficient.
The lamentable scarcity of officers. and
the large number of recruits and of un-
skilled men necessarily put aboard the new
vessels as they have been commissioned
has thrown upon our officers, and especiallv
on the lieutenants and junior grades. UNI
usual labor and fatigue and has grayely
strained their power of endurance. Nor
is there sign of any immediate let-up i'm
this strain. 1t must continue for some
time longer. until more officers are gradu-
ated from Annapolis, and until the recruits
become trained and skillful in their duties.
In these difficulties incident upon the de-
velopment OF our war fleet the conduct of
all our officers has been creditable To the
service, and the lieutenants and junior
grades in particular have displayed an
ability and a steadfast cheerfulness which
entities them to the ungrudging thanks of
all who realize the disheartening trials and
fatigues TO which they are of necessity
subjected.
There is not Il cloud on the horizon AZ
present. There seems not the slightest
chance of trouble with a foreign power
We most earnestly hope that this state of
things may continue; and the way to insure
its continuance is to provide for a thorough
ly efficient navy. The refusal TO maintain
such a navy would invite trouble. and If
trouble came would insure disaster. Fa-
tuous self-complacency or vanity, or short
sightedness in refusing TO prepare for dan
ger is both foolish and wicked in such p
nation as ours; and past experience has
shown that such faulty in refusing to rec
ognize or prepare for any crisis In advance
is usually succeeded by a mad panic of
hysterical fear once the crisis has actually
arrived.