Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-06-15
ADMIRAL Melville
RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE ABAN.
DONMENT OF PHILIPPINES.
Distant Possessions Requiring a
Fleet too Expensive. Says it Costs
two Thousand Dollars Annually to
Support Each Sailor in the NAVY.
Restore Merchant Navy.

Rear Admiral Neville, of the Unite!
States navy, recently delivered all ad
dress before a meeting of tile Americai
Academy of Political Social Science a
Philadelphia. His address is nterestihi
for several reasons. In the first place hi
gives his views upon the cost of maintain.
ing navy. He declares that it is now
costing the government about two thous
and dollars annually for the support o
each sailor. He declares that we have
acquired three inheritances within the
past eight years leach of of which is
likely TO prove Pandora's Box OF evils
and disappointments to this nation" The
first is the Philippine Islands, the second
the Panama canal, and the third "our
attempt to practically assume the re.
ce;vership OF republics whose treasures
are empty as a result Of intolerable
national business and administrative
methods"
He advocates first, the "pre paration of
plans for the Immediate abandonment at
the slightest financial loss, of every dis
tant possession that is likely to require a
fleet tc defend it,"
Second, "The improvement of the
channels leading to all ship-buildling
plants, naval stations, and maritime die.
tributing ports"
Third, "The building of fleet of large
and fast colliers, so that in time of war
practically all the coal required for naval
operations distant from our own shores
would be available for immediate ship
ment to the place where moss needed.
Fourth, "The rehabilitation OF all navy
yards to a condition where it would be
possible, in case OF necessity, to build any
type OF war ship at any one Of these
stations"
Fifth, 1.-The enactment into law of a
statute providing that the elect of the
graduates of the Technical Ins, sutton who
have successfully undertaken course OF
instruction satisfactory to the navy de-
partment, shall be appointed as acting
midshipmen, and shall after two years of
service at sea have the opportunity of
competing with the regular graduates of
the naval academy for commission in the
naval service, thereby providing a re.
serve OF naval officers for emergency pur-
poses."
Sixth, "The establishment OF a naval
reserve, and the appropriation of an
amount sufficient to send all members OF
this naval reserve to sea in naval vessels
for at least a month of every year."
Seventh. "The restoration Of our mer-
chant MARINE" (He says in view OF our
existing relative naval strength it would
subserve our military. commercial and
national interests to stop building battle.
ships and devote all or portion OF the
money thus saved to placing upon the
ocean a merchant marine that would
help us to secure greater trade OF the
world, and which, in case OF war would
prove military auxiliary only one lesf
removed in importance that the battle.
ship itself.)
Eighth, 1.-THE recognition of the fact
that the modern navy is AN engineering
one, and that the training of both officerl
and men should be more technical ir
character. The time spent by appren
tices and landsmen on sailing vessels ii
practically wasted"
Ninth, "The purchase from Denmark
France and England, Of all their Wes
India possessions or the trading if pos
sible OF the Philippines for the same
80 that none of these islands could bt
USED as base OF operation by possible
enemy against either the Isthman cana
or our southern coast"
The admiral in conclusion again insists
that we should give up distant foreign
POSSESSIONS (which we could not hold id
time oil war against any possible enemy
AS his views are the views of navy
officer they naturally look toward the
building up OF still larger navy. At the
same time they are importsnt because Of
the emphasis which he places upon the
danger, merely from a military stand.
point OF holding the Philippines. They
are source OF weakness in our corsntry
rather than source Of strength. 1t j:
necessary for our own protection that ws
should enforce the Monroe doctrine, and
thus prevent the acquisition of South
American territory by European govern
ments. 1t would also be wise for us to
acquire, whenever convenient, the little
islands in the West Indies now owned bv
European nations, ard it would be easier
to acquire, these islands il we would agree
to make the inhabitants citizens and not