The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-16
Desertiona In the Navy.

Study Of the problem Of assertions in
the navy, to which reference was made
in our news columns on Saturday. has
led Mr.. H. c. GAUSS, confidential clerk
to the Secretary Of the Navy, to some
very interesting results OF investigation.
He thinks that he has proved that certain
laws govern the matter, and he formu-
lates them.
Marked changes in the total strength
Of the enlisted personnel Of the navy,
whether upward or downward, are &C.
companied by an increased percentage
of desertions; active efforts to secure
a maximum strength are accompanied
by an increased percentage Of assertions;
when the enlistments have become nor
NAL, assertions decrease; the maximum
percentage Of assertions is about seven
teen in peace, and the minimum little
over nine, the normal being between
eleven and twelve.
Mr.. GAUSS begins his consideration OF
the matter with the year 1879. the earliest
for which data are at present available
in the Department. In that year the
strength Of the navy was reduced from
$500 to 1900; and the assertions were
10 per cent. As the strength reached its
minimum, the assertions decreased, be-
ing II g per cent. in 1877. and o per cent in
1873. In making the reduction, says Mr..
GAUSS, ships crews were broken up.
and there was spirit Of unrest and dis
turbance among the men; when this
had passed, assertions decreased, and
stayed near the minimum until 1887,
when the percentage was o.. In that
and the next year the commissioning
OF the first vessels of the new navy
called for an increase Of enlistments,
which was attended by an increased
percentage of assertions, the figure
reaching 1874 per cent in 1888, and falling
to OIL per cent. in 1889.
In 1891, with more vessels to be manned,
recruiting was pushed so earnestly that
thrice the work was stopped because
the authorized strength was reached;
and assertions reached their high-water
mark with the percentage OF 1913. This
figure decreased slightly in 1892 and 1893
(l5.2 per cent. in both years.. In 1894
the authorized strength was placed at
1900, an increase of nearly 10 per cent.
Desertions should have increased too;
but they did not, because the very size
OF the increase permitted recruiting to
be pushed steadily and systematically,
without sudden starts and stops. In
1897, however, with an increase Of en-
If dnGor-
tions, which amounted to 1913 per cent,
falling again in 1898, the war year, to ST.
per cent. Men do not desert in active
war time.
The reduction Of the war strength in
1890 brought increased assertions to
1870 per cent. Since then the enlisted
strength has been increased each year
by upward OF 20 per cent. and assertions
have followed suit, reaching lat per
cent. in 1900, 1877 in 1901, and falling
again to al In 1902.
During the past winter, though re-
cruiting continues actively, assertions
have decreased. At the end OF No
vembcr, though the strength of the navy
had been increased by IS per cent. over
the corresponding month Of 1901, de-
sertions had increased by only half Of
/ per cent; in December the strength
was larger by 20 per cent, but assertions
had fallen of by four-tenths Of per
cent. At the end Of March the strength
was one third larger than In March, 1909,
and assertions were one-tenth OF I per
cent. smaller. Mr.. GAUSS concludes:
There Ia reason for belief that the great sedy
OF new m atenai added TO the navy In The len tive