New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-29
THE NEEDS OF THE NAVY
MORE OFFICERS THE MOST
URGENT DEMAND.
sECRETARY MOODY REVIEWS LAST
YEARS WORK AND FORECASTS
THE FUTURE.

Washington Nov. 2s-secretary Moody in his
annual report made public to-day, says that the
most imperative need of the navy is officers.
The condition Of affairs is acute, and when the
ships authorized completed II will be desperate
unless Congress takes early action for Its relief.
Much important work has been performed by tie
navy In the last year, the Secretary says. The
cooperation Of the army and navy has everywhere
been cordial The navy has done its share IN re-
storing order ia the Philippines. The conditions
throughout the islands nave so far improved that
the constant presence of large naval force is no
longer necessary. Five gunboats have been put
OF commission or laid up for repairs The dis
furbed conditions in the Indies and the Carb-
bean have required the constant presence Of ships
charged with the duties of maintaining order by
moral influence. protecting the interests of Amerl-
citizens and those Of other nations and or
preserving the treaty rights of the government
These duties have been performed in harmonious
cooperation with the Department of State me
navy rendered essential aid in the relief furnished
10 the inhabitants of the islands OF Martinique and
st. Vincent. afflicted by the volcanic eruption III
May Ocean surveys have been continued to the
extent which the number of available officers. men
and ships would permit.
The task which is employing the highest energies
of the navy and receiving the greatest attention
from the heads of bureaus, the commanders in
chief Of stations, the commanding and subordinate
officers of squadrons divisions and single vessels
everywhere Mr.. Moody says, is the work of train
tng. To the development of the greatest efficiency
On all branches of the service the attention, zeal
and thought of those in charge mainly directed
The most important features Of the report follow:
THE FUTURE OF THE NAVY.
Among the most important lessons learned in the
nar with Spain was that modern navy cannot
be proTssI during war or 4 upon tine @ tb
sourcbase Of ships MANY OF them Served useful
auxiliary purposes. bat it may well be doubted
6eveionm NJ ' and nerfecton OF our navy is the
m II hP .
Happily the present is such a time and It pei
The country approves. with hardly a dissenting
fhe sea WHAT would nave Deen an auequat i nav
some years ago is totally inadequate for the per
POSSESSIONS in The PACING and Atlantic and the
determination OF Congress to construct canal
If then the policy of strengthening our power
the n att needs be not abandoned The navy
has manifold needs There must De aeGioilai ma S.l
3iary; and increase of officers and men In al
with the navy wisely and generously. and doubt
that in The future it will accurately register
The most imperative need of the navy to-day is
pf additional officers l cannot overstate this need
Jt invites the instant attention of Congress. The
administration OF the department is embaTrassedi
rank This condition has been approaching for
stated by my predecessor in Once 1t is acute to-
completed il viii be desperate unless there Ii carry
A statement Of this kind cannot safely rest upon
mere Insertion but demands verifcation by a com
harrison of the number officers with the duties
which are required of them. Recognizing clearly
mat the same deficiencies exist in the staff corps
and that enlargement OF them Is urgently de-
3nanded. viii nevertheless here make the compari-
ron solely with respect to the officers OF the line,
selecting October last recent date illustrative
of the present condition. Following is a table
descriptive of the conditions then existing:
Number Of line officers including midshipmen, 80
qured for vessels the navy hst-. :l,2Oo
pnceTs on Inspection, court martial duty' 1Sdvai
Academy recruiting ordnance. equipment and en- Nc.
j. transit t. and from stations 90
Sick SU
leave waiting orders. 20
elur5er q officers now on navy list including mid 90
s'ipm'5 after graduation u-o
IN the above table only the serviceable ships Of
the navy included. and TO them there is allotted
only the minimum number of officers required. the
allowance being less than that made in the other
Of the world. II is too obvious to need more
than mention that with sqGadrons in Pacific,
waters there must always be certain number of
Officers in transit from point of duty to another,
Rnd for tho time being withdrawn from active duty,
In considering the effect OF this taDie IL must pc
remembered that ordinarily IN peace considerable
portion one-quaTter. of the SerViceable ships
would be Of commission undergoing repairs and
hundred officers would be released for other duty
Even in such case, and by the detachment OF OH
law and the absolute requirements Of the service
would permit H. could not in time Of peace
officer three-qudrters Of our present fleet.
count least the future which IS in sight would
he totally inadequate, and therefore project the
comparison into the four years of our Immediate
combatant ships in course of construction and au-
1horized and the number OF officers necessary for
them:
Vessels. Officers Vessels Officers,