The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-12-08
For the Next Fiscal Year They
Are the Largest Ever
Submitted.
SECRETARY OF NAvY's REPORT.
Never Before Were So Many Ships
Launched by Ibis or Any Other
Nation In One Year.
Attention Is Called To the Need For
More officers and Men In Order
To Garry On the Work
of the Navy.

Washington. Dec. 5.-The annual re.
port of Secretary of the Navy Morton
was made public Sunday.
The naval estimates sor the next
fiscal year are large the largest ever
submitted, notwiths,ami,ag the fact
that they have beer cut down from
those sent i'm by the bureaus more
than seventeen million dollars. We
have asked for less than the money
actually required to continue the naval
program as laid down by the general
board, of which Adm. Dewey is the
head, Notwithstanding all who have
studied the question carefully agree
that this program should be carried
out.
The past year was an important one
in the history of our naval construc.
ships launched by this or any other
nation in one year Vessel for vessel
and type for type | believe our new
ships will compare favorably with
those with any navy afloat, and every
American should be proud Of the pro.
gress and character of work now be.
ing accomplished, not only in con.
struction but in all branches of the
service.
New ships necessarily require more
officers. more marines, and more en-
listed men. and the appropriations are
quite likely to increase steadily for
some years TO come. The more ships
We have the greater our fixed charges
will be and the greater our facilities
necessarily must be, in the way of
yards and docks, and the ability to
make repairs and take proper care Of
the fleet
Last year the navy cost little over
dollar per capita. 1t cost little COM
pared to what war would cost. and il
IS the best insurance we have against
war. We want such a navy in size,
style and sand" that no other navy
will desire an engagement with us. 1t
is our greatest exhibit in favor of
peace. We are bound to occupy a
prominent position among the great
nations of the earth, and while doubt.
less we shall always be In the lead in
every international movement to pro-
mote peace. II ia much better for us
10 be at all times so well prepared
for war that war will never come.
am sure that the people of the United
States will approve of navy that is
wen prepared at all times TO take care
OF their defcnses and to protect their
position in the world. This is all we
are trying 10 accomplish.
The lessons Of the war I'm the east
thus far are the same as those Of the
Spanish war with respect 10 the rela.
tive value and uses of battleshiDs, tor
pedo boats and destroyers. Weight
of metal heavy guns and hard hit
TING whether at long or short range.
sun do the most effective work. The
day OF the battleship Is not over, and
the sphere of the lighter vessels, while
important, Is auxiliary only.
All commissioned officers of the
navy are citizens Of the United States.
OF the total enlisted force. numbering
29,32l, 81 per cent are native born, IL
per cent. naturalized, giving therefore,
81 per cent, rs citizens Of the United
States. Recruiting, now carried on ex.
tensively in the states of the middle
west, brings to the navy an excellent
class of young men. No better ma.
tcrjal can he found anywhere. If a
taste for the service can be developed
among this class of our citizens ia
such degree that the enlisted per.
sonnel can be largely recruited from
this source, great advantage to the
navy will result. To this end it must
, be the united aim of all who have to
do with naval administration to see
that the enlisted personnel is dealt
with justly.