Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-12-04
NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
More Ships and Men Needed to Keep
Pace with the Times


For the first time in our history naval
maneuvers on a large scale are being held
under the immediate command Of the ad-
miral Of the navy. Constantly increasing
attention Is being paid to the gunnery OF
the navy, but 1t Is yet far from what It
should be. | earnestly urge that the IN
crease asked for by the secretary Of the
navy In the appropriation for improving
the Workmanship be granted. In battle
the only shots that count are the shots that
nit. II is necessary to, provide ample
funds for practice with the great guns in
time Of peace. These funds must provide
not only for the purchase Of projectlles, but
for allowances for prizes to encourage the
gun crews. and especially the gun pointers,
and for perfecting 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 very
rich country, vast In extent Of territory and
great In population: a country, moreover,
compared with that of any other nrst-class
power. We have deliberately made our
own certain foreign policies which demand
the possession OF o tlrst-class navy. The
isthmian canal will greatly increase the
efficiency of our navy II the navy Is of suf-
flslent size; but II 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 policy; but 1t would be
worse than idle to assert It unless we In
tended to back 1t up, and II can be backed
up only by a thoroughly good navy. A good
navy Is not a provocative Of war. II is the
surest guaranty 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
we are now doing as regards securing the
services Of a sufficient number OF the high
est type Of sallormen, 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 ore unsurpassed In daring, In resolu-
tion, In readiness, In thorough knowledge
of their profession. They deserve every
consideration that can be shown them.
But there are not enough of them. It is
no more possible to improvse crew than
It Is possible to improvise = warship. To
build the finest ship, with the deadliest
battery, and to send Il afoat with a raw
crew, no matter how brave they were in
dividually. would be to insure disaster If
a foe OF average capacity were encountered.
Neither ships nor men can be improvsed
when war has begun.
We need thousand additional officers In
order 70 properly man the ships now pro-
videt for and under construction The
classes at the naval school at Annapolls
should be greatly enlarged. At the same
tine that We thus add the officers where
We need them, We should facilitate the re-
tirement Of those at the head Of the list
whose usefulness has become Impaired.
Promotion must be fostered II Inc serv-
Ice Is TO be kept efficient. :.
"NNn IL not a cloud on theIhorlzon at