The Bourbon news., 1904-12-06
The NAVAL ESTIMATES
The Annual Report of the Sec
retary of the Navy.
Attention is Called To the Need For
More Officers and Men in Order
To Carry 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 for the next
fiscal year are large, the largest ever
submitted, Notwithstanding the fact
that they have been cut down from
those sent in 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-
tion. Never before were so many war
ships launched by this or any other
nation in one year. Vessel for vessel
and type for type 1 believe our new
ships will compare favorably with
those with any navy afoat, and every
American should be proud of the pro-
6olNoO anu ClidI dCICl VI WOlh llOW U6-
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 it
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, it is much better for us
to be at all times SO we'll prepared
for war that war will never come.
am sure that the people of the United
States will approve of navy that is
well prepared at all times to take care
of their defenses and to protect their
position in the world. This is all we
are trying to accomplish.
The lessons Of the war in the east
thus far are the same as those of the
Spanish war with respect to the rela-
tive value and uses of battleships, tor
pedo boats and destroyers. Weight
of metal, heavy guns and hard hit
ting. whether at long or short range,
still 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
9,321, so per cent are native born, IL
per cent. naturaliZed, giving, therefore
81 per cent. as 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
terial can be found anywhere. If
taste for the service can be developed
among this class of our citizens to
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.