The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-03


high Individual efficiency of the unit Is
of the utmost Importance. Formerly TINS
unit was the regiment: it is now not the
regiment, not even the troop or company
it is the individual soldier. Every eHorl
must be made to develop every WORK
manlike and soldierly quality in botn
the officer and the enlisted man.
5 l urgently call your attention to the
need of passing bill providing for
general staff and for the reorganization
of the supply departments on the lines
of the bin proposed by the Secretary OF
War last year When the young oiflcers
enter the army from West Point they
probably stand above their compeers III
any other military service. Every eHort
should be made, by training, by reWaro
of merit, by scrutiny into their careers
and capacity, to keep them of the same
high relative excellence throughout tne!r
careers.
The measure providing for the reor-
ganization of the militia system and Tor
securing the highest efficiency IN tne
National Guard, which has already pass
ed the House, should receive prompt at
tention and action. 1t is of great I'M
portance that the relation of the National
Guard to the militia and volunteer forces
of the United States should be Defined
and that in place of our present obsolete
laws q practical and efficient system
should be adopted.
Provision should be made to enable the
Secretary of War to keep cavalry ana
artillery horses, WORKOUT in long per-
Torrance of duty. Such horses fetch but
a trifie when sold. and rather than turn
them out to the misery awaiting them
when thus disposed of. it would be better
to employ them at light work around
the posts. and when necessary to put
them painlessly to death.
BUILD UP THE NAVY.
For the first time in our history naval
maneuvers on large scale are being
held under the immediate command of
the admiral of the navy. Constantly
increasing attention is being paid to the
gunnery of the navy but it is yet far
from what it should be. l earnestly
urge that the increase asked for by the
Secretary of the Navy in the aDpropria-
ton for improving the craftsmanship
be granted. In battle the only shots that
count are the shots that hit. 1t is neces-
sary to provide ample funds for prac-
tice with the great guns in time of peace.
These funds must provide not only for
the purchase of proiectiles, but for al
lowances for prizes to encourage the gun
crews. and especially the gun pointers,
and for perfectng an intelligent system
under which alone it 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
very rich country, vast in extent of
territory and great in population;
country. moreover, which has an army
diminutve indeed when compared with
that of any other first-class power. We
have deliberately made our own certain
foreign policies which demand the posses
sion of. a first-class navy. The isthmian
canal will greatly 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 hostage to any power
of superior strength. The Monroe Doc
trine should be treated as the cardinal
feature of American foreign policy; but
it would be worse than idle to assert it
unless we intended to back it up. and it
can be backed UP only by thoroughly
good navy A good navy is not a provo
cative of war. 1t is the surest guaranty
of peace.
Each individual unit Of our navy should
be the most efficient of its kind as re-
CARDS both material and personnel that
is to be found in the world. ! call your
special attention to the need of provid-
ing for the manning of the ships. Seri-
Gus trouble threatens us if we can not
do better than we are now doing as re-
CARDS securing the services of a sufficient
number of the highest type of sailormen,
of sea mechanics. The veteran seamen
of our war ships are of as high type
as can be found in any navy which rides
the waters of the world: they are unSur-
passed in daring, in resolution, in readi
ness, in thorough knowledge of their
profession. They deserve every consid-
Grafton that can be shown them. But
there are not enough of them. IT is no
more possible to improvise a crew than
it is possible to improvise war ship.
To build the finest ship, with the dead
licst battery. and to send it 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
provided for and under construction.
The classes at the Naval school at An
napolis should be greatly enlarged. At
the same time that we thus add the
officers where we need them, we should
facilitate the retirement of those at the
head of the list. whose usefulness has
become impaired. Promotion must be
fostered if the service is to be kept
The lamentable scarcity of officers, and
the large number of recruits and of I'M
skilled men necessarily put aboard the
new vessels as they have been commits
stoned, has thrown upon our officers, and
especially on the lieutenants and junior
grades. unusual labor and fatigue and
has gravely strained their powers of en-
durance. Nor is there sign of any i'm
mediate let-up in this strain. 1t must
continue for some time longer, until
more officers are graduated from An
napolis, and until the recruits become
trained and skilled in their duties. In