Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-10
MORE OFFICERS NEEDED
THE NAVAL SERVICE rs NEARLY
500 SHORT.
Admiral Taylor Recommends organi
cation Of Two Big Squadrons I'M
der Command of Vice Admirals.

The most crying need of the navy,| ac-
cording to Rear Admiral H. C. Taylor. chief
OF the bureau of navigation. as presented
In his annual report, Is for more officers to
man our warships. He declares that the
preparations now going on for the mobiliza-
tion of the fleet fo- the winter maneuvers
in the West indies has brought the de-
partnent face to face with a critical condi-l
ton due to lack OF officers, which. he says,
has reached such point az to be danger
Gus to the efficiency of the feet. Fts says
that the number OF officers on our ships Is
less than the number on board the saps Of
other navies, although as mattec 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 tnae the pres
ent needs of the naval service require
LOGO officers. while the number on the navy
list, including mfdshipmen asler gradua-
ton, is only 1,o23, or ST. short. He figures
that the vessels now authorized by Con-
gress. but not completed, will require 1913
additional officers. to which is to be added
% per cent for officers sick nr on shore
duty and 16O for casualties during the next
four years, or a total for the vessels now
building of 1873. This number added to the
present shortage. 5I7. will give 1850 The
graduates from the Naval Academy during
total deficit July 1, 1906. of ,OoI,. not count
ing officers for auxiliaries Who would be
required in the event of hostilltics.
In addition to the increase of midshipmen
provided for by the last Congress Admiral
Taylor recommends a. further increase Of
one mfdshipman for each member and dele
gate in the House and each senator, making
two each, also one from the District Of Co
iumbia and ten annually at large. He also
recommends that the number of lieutenant
commanders be increased 30; lieutenants
tsenior grade), so, and lieutenants Junior
grade) and ensigns, 800.
Two Big squadrons.
A concentration OF the naval force in two
big fighting sauadrons in the north Atlantic
and Aslatic waters is recommended. For
the present, the report says, two sQuadrons
are all that the. present number of our bat
tie ships will permit. To carry out this
policy Admiral Taylor proposes to transfer
the battle ships In the remaining squadrons
to one of the other of these heavy squad
rons, and compose the Pacific, European
and south Atlantic squadrons entirely of
cruisers. These changes will be undertaken
as soon as the winter maneuvers in the
West Indies are concluded
1t is also proposed to form additional tor
pedo boat f1otillas. with destroyer as the
leading vessel, after the plan of the present
group in the West Indies, under the
command of Lieut.. Chandler.
The proposed concentration of the naval
forces. Admiral Taylor says. makes 1t de-
sirable to have an officer of high rank ir
command of each of the great heavy fleets,
and he recommends for these two COM
maGds that Congress authorize the creation
of two vice admirals or. as an alternative,
that 1t sanction the appointment Of two act
ing vice admirals.
Admiral Taylor also urgently recommends
further congressional action for the estab-
lishment of a general staff to control and
administer the affair of the fleet. to be re-
sponsible for the personnel and to direct
generally, under the Secretary. military at
fairs of the feet and be responsible to him
for Its condition.
Enlisted Force Mostly American.
A summary of the enlisted force of the
navy shows that there has been an increase
of 6 per cent of citizens of the United
States within the last year. OF the total
enlisted force when this report was pre-
pared, aggregatng 81 .433, 50 per cent were
citizens of the United States, 70 per cent
being native born and 13 per cent natural
lied.
Admiral Taylor recommends that the col
liers which are now manned with merchant
crews be gradually manned by naval Off
GERS and regularly enlisted men, pointing
out that the handling of these ships would
be of great valne in training both men and
officers. He also recommends the use of
small briggs at training stations for the
exercise of the crews.
Prizes for craftsmanship.
Much space is devoted in the report to
the necessity for gunnery training, and 1t
is recommended that prizes be awarded
for excellence in gunnery exercises and
target practice. Attention Is called in de-
tail 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 that the de-
feat OF Lukban the insurgent leader, is
largely attributed