Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-11-13
MORE OFFICERS NEEDED.
Admiral Taylor, Chief Of Bureau Of
Navigation, Says This Is the
Cry Of the Navy.
CRITICAL CONDITION is BElNG FACED.

Lack of Officers for Coming Maneu-
vers Has Practically Endangered
Efficiency of FAeet-Report of Gen.
Crozier, Chief of Bureau OF Ord
nance.
Washington, Nov. 1.-THE most
crying need of the navy according to
the annual report of Admiral IL. G.
Taylor, chief of the bureau of naviga-
ton, is more officers to man our war
ships. He declares that the prepare
tons now going on for the mobiliza-
ton of the fleet for the winter
maneuvers in the West Indies has
brought the department face to face
with the critical condition due to
lack of officers, which, he says, has
reached such point as to be dan
gerous to the efficiency of the fleet.
He says that the number of officers
on our ships is less than the number
en- board the ships of other navies al
though, as a matter of fact, our ships
require more officers than the ships
of other navies because we are com
PEELED to man our vessels with green
crews, having little or no knowledge.
of sea life. He submits a table
showing that the present needs OF
the naval service require 1000 officers,
while the number on the navy list,
including midshipmen after gradua-
ton, is only 1923, or SIT short. This
table is based upon the lowest possi-
bic number of officers needed on our
battleships, II, against an average
number of officers for similar ships
in foreign navies of SO in England, rs
in France and 20 in Germany. He fig
ures that the vessels now authorized
by congress, but not completed, will
require 1913 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
building of 1888. This number added
to the present shortage, 577, will give
1860 The graduates from the naval
academy during the next four years
will be 555, leaving a total deficit July
t.. 1906, of 1,005, not counting officers
for auxiliaries who would be re-
quired in the event of hostilities. In
addition to the increase of midship-
men provided for by the last con-
gress, Admiral Taylor, therefore, rec
ommends a further increase OF
one midshipman for each member and
delegate in the house and each sena-
tor, one from the District of Columbia
and ten annually at large. He also
recommends that the number Of lieu
tenant commanders be increased 80
1ieutenants (senior grade), so lieu
tenants (junior grade), and ensigns
$50.
Recommends Concentration of Force
A concentration Of the naval force
in two big fighting squadrons in the
North Atlantic and Asiatic waters is
recommended. For the present, the
report says, two squadrons are all
that the present number of our bat
tleships will permit. To carry out
this policy Admiral Taylor proposes
to transfer the hattleships in the re-
naming squadrons to one or the
other of these heavy squadrons and
compose the Pacific, European and
South Atlantic squadrons entirely Of
cruisers. These changes will be I'M
dertaken as soon as the winter
maneuvers in the West Indies are
concluded.
The proposed concentration of tho
naval forces, Admiral Taylor says,
makes it desirable to have an oficer
of high rank in command OF each of
the great heavy fleets, and he reeom-
mends for these two commands that
congress authorize the creation Of
two vice admirals, or, as an alterna-
tive, that it sanction the appointment
of two acting vice admirals.
Admiral Taylor also urgently
recommends further congressional
action for the establishment Of q
general staff to control and admins
ter the affairs of the fleet, to be re-
sponsible for the personnel and to di-
rect generally, under the secretary
of military affairs of the fleet, and be
l. H.
No recommendations are made con-
corning the national naval reserve.
The admiral says the subject is still
occupying the attention of the bu-
reau and that the general board has
been frequently consulted, but at
present the bureau is not prepared
to make recommendations.
+ s r. e Z. (. u !
Much space is devoted in the report
to the necessity for gunnery training.
Prizes are recommended for excel
lence in gunnery exercises and target
practice. Attention is called in detail
to the operations Of the fleets and
the work of our naval officers and
men in the waters of the Philippines
and of the West Indies is highly
commended. To the close blockade
established by the navy in the Island
of samar, he says the defeat of Lux
ban, the insurgent leader, is largely
attributable. Progressive instruc-
lions, and maneuvers similar to those