New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-24
NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
AdmirGJ Converse Makes an Urgent
Plea for More Officers

Washington. Nov 23.-IIow badly off the navy is
for officers and how seriously this condition NAV
affect the navy and the nation plainly told in
the annual report OF Rear Admiral George A Con
verse. chief Of the Bureau of Navigation approved
by Secretary Morton to-day. Experience especial
ly in gun fire. he says, has shown that It is neces
sary increase the number of officers assigned to
ships, that the estimate made in 190 of the
Der Of officers needed for ships commission Is
adequate 1t provided for only about half many
officers as ships of the class IN the British
French and German navies carry. Admiral Con-
verse recommends that the number of ueutenants
be increased from 800 TO COO and that the number %
lieutenant commanders be increased from 200 to SOC
1T is especially desirable" the admra SAYS
that every battleship ana other powerful vessel
requiring the greatest skill and experience for prop
er efficiency should have her full quota Of officers
Of suitable rank; yet many Of battleships have
ieutenants navgatocs. practically all have lieu
tenants as ordnance officers and several batteships
have ensiRns and even midshipmeI. watch and
division officers This very unsatisfactory and even
dangerous condition is due TO the many urgent de
mands for officers the existing inadequacy
bers often making it impossible to detail officers of
appropriate rank. The increasing number of mid
shipmen graduated from the Naval Academy in
time will partially relieve the situation in lower
grades, but more leutenant-commanders and lieu
tenants are needed than existing law provides
Because of the important part played by torpedo
craft in the war in the Far East. it IS deemed
advisable that the larger vessels OF this type be
commanded by Heutenant-commanders.
To illustrate how much older the captains of the
American navy than those of foreign navies.
the report says the youngest American commander
to-day the day he attained that rank older
than the average age Of japanese captains and
about the the average of English and
German captains. He had passed the compulsory
retirement for Japanese captains and
within sixteen months of the compulsory retire
age for German and English captains. No
specific remedy for this defect is offered because
Admiral Converse feels that if the need be recOg-
nZed by higher authority satisfactory means may
be devised He remarks. however. that until
a measure is adopted for the compulsory retirement
of commanders and captains that do not gain pro
motions at certain ages the flow of promotion and
the ages of officers in the different grades will
be satisfactory"
Authorization by Congress of TWO vice adniraIs
is urgently recommended in order that flag officers
may be beneath foreign officers holding equal
or inferior commands 1t is manifestly undesir-
able says the admiral for flag officers he
beneath ali others in matter OF precedence in inter
national affairs with which they have to do
representatives of the United States It Is there
fore recommended that the rank of vice-a admiral
ba conferred the officer detailed commander
in chief of the North Atlantic and the Asiauc
fleets and that the law reviving this grade pro
vide that no officer should hold the rank OF vice
admiral in either the active retired list. except
while exercising such command. unless he shall
have had command ahoat as a vice-admiraI FOR
years, or else a nag officer for three years
altogether. at least those years vice-ad-
mral and that officers may not Trey retire be
promoted the grade OF vce-admiral"
Attention called the iuGispensabtlity OF
cruisers the report saying.
We require "A cruiser squadron IN the North At
lauIIc. south Atlantic and the Caribbean, and also
the European station. all these being ready on
the approach OF hOstilities 70 combine IN one fleet
wherever needed. In the Pacific our force should
consist of large squadron OF Crulsersi and the
Asatc station the battleships should be supple
mented by full squadron of cruisers
Regarding the paramount efficiency Of the battle
ship and the part played by II in the Far Eastern
war. Admiral Converse says:
Although hundred and more torpedo boats and
GeE-r5yrrs have besn actually engaged Tor hve |
months against battleships. which nave been eK-
posed TO attack times without NUMBER We nave |
gel 10 learn, authoritativeiy. of torpedo from
torpedo vessel causing the loss or single battle-
shin Those which have been sunk owed their |
destruction TO submarine mines anchored OF broken