New-York tribune., 1902-10-13
THE N4TTS NEED OF OFFICERS.
EARLY GRADUATION OF CADETS ONLY 4
PALLIATIVE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
OF OFFICERS AT sIXTY-FOUR
MIGHT BE 4 HELP.
To The Editor of The Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir. The editorial I'm to-days issue. More Oficers
for the Navy" most ably treats the subject IN the
space given II. and every reader ought 20 give n
thorough consideration, because everybody must
recognize the urgent need resulting from our chang
lrE status as a naval power Congress Will surely
need 20 give consideration 70 that need. and IN the
mean time the subject should receive the broadest
and most thoughtful discussion Never before IN
its history has the navy been so in need of COM
missioned oficers II has been reported that the
secretsr of the Navy WII ask the next session
% Congress Tor additional ships but that he Will
make an urgent preseatatiOE Of the need Of more
officers and more enlisted men in number COM
mensurate with the growth IN shrs up 70 the pres
ert time. Congress has. as YOUR editorial states
attempted 10 provide FOR temporary relief In va
rIous wsyz. but tts efforts have not altogether
proved sufficient For instance the graduation of
two classes - midshipnen one year In advance
provides move officers. but II must be remembered
that the- are juniors without sea experience be
yond what they have had IN the summer cruises on
, practice ships. Of course, they could with good
reason he detailed for duties the smaller vessels
torpedo boats and eunboats-an1 the older officers
sent 70 tle larger ships
In tae matter q the ofhcers on the retired list
viii be recalled that two years ago Congress passed
a Law providing that officers on the retired list
sbouId Tor the next twelve years be given duty
an sea or on shore upon their own Application 4
fe- ofHcers n the line and Of the medical and pay
-r~ne ard 81 rho warrant contingent have been
ordered 20 d1ty. and ~ believed they have per
formed their duties wei II is said that many other
ofHrerz % the retired list have signIhed their 7Ill
ireEess 20 perform such duties as the Navy De-
rarr7e7t NAV desire Of them but their Offers have
not hrar avaiIsd of OF course. the retired list is
made mo ~ those who were retired on account of
age OF because ~ wounds or sickness that made
them unable 10 reform duties az sea. but many Of
tberl are no doubt able % perform IN efficient
manner duties on shore. The experience with the
provision ~ law which was intended 70 add 10 the
commissioned strength hy each year selecting six
,,-.rr.rt officers and giving them commissions has
not rr-ve5 fts success Not since the law
psssei has there been a wear when the whole six
have been obtained. and for the reason that those
vybo hive arrued have not been able - meet the
reouirer,ert- Hence the Naval Academy must he
dapenied upon 70 provide the officers needed Only
YESTERDAY the Secretary OF the Navy sent The fol-
lowing telegram ~ the members of the Senate and
House
Owing 70 the great, need tor naval ofAss.s ,he
mi,ishiurleu az Washington city only on November
l2 under The zupfrEisen 81 ~ ~ 1iyl -I on
,5i,s 11 ~ ,5 ~ cln5idate VINO has failed TO pass
any Tidshl7msn ezaminaton his veer car be re
nominated Tor November l. dctncleS i1l utieI
az IlIrSers S-.i1 6t tie LVHIrh Congress
=, -. 5,ta ~ the last annual report of the
navy there we're : 0E officers doLng sea duty "ho
have been m the service ranging all the way from
four % forty-.feht years TO supply the ships au-
tba,izad nv existing law viii require loz6 addi-
fionsI ofHCers and that would be- 80 per cent small
sr 49, ia provided in the Commissioned force Of
screirn ns,.iss. ard then there would be for the
sr,ir 80, A. uS oi-e-sl ratio or only three Off
rsr- rsr one thousand tons. leaving out the ques-
10, - oess~s required for shore duty An EFFORT IS
- - 1,e5e a. The next session Of Congress 70 make
~. ga limit sor retirement sNty-rour years. the
sa1Sa in The army. and this will relieve the
dearth o a small extent .-----..s --rs-..s e.
y4-i-L - ,hro rb0usaud increase authorized at the
ast sssior 81 Congress the present ENLISTED force
numbers p O50 and eoys anu t ,s IoasS on ~
ei,-t,. ,a COR each one thousand TONS q snip 4Ae
.s,hts - quth0rzed tonnage - 10000 tons.
hence on the basis OF sixty men toI eaeh one thou-
ssrd to1s ,bFre Will be required an enlsted lorce
~ a. Do PLENTY of can Be snlisteo but not OF
,boSe y-bo are really qualified By seafaring expe-
Renee snd raining II takes time 70 tram men who
srs - - ~ Tse 10 the navy, ana they need 70 ne
men of Better intelligence Than are Usually found
nenI me ,s ersaty in need Of able bodied manIof.
~ - sbovn in a method or advertising that
a. novel II is huge c0l0red poster
uuon Which Is a striking picture os the 1sItiSssnlp
ne 49, he Is well fed and Wen cIothed- 4he text
% %udi Is ~ the paw ratings. etc. In most
truthf,I Snd captivating manner. ara more tnan
one bnr dred and fifty thousano OF thehl are 10 ns
distributed thtous STITDENT OF THE NAVY.
Fa,.ol.t,, - Y oct. II. 1902