The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-05

ture-be increased beyond the present
number of units. What IS now clearly
necessary is TO substitute efficient for
inefficient units as the latter become
Worn-out or as il becomes apparent
that they are useless. Probably the
result would be attained by adding a
single battleship to our navy each year,
the superseded or Outworn vessels be
ing laid up or broken up as they are
thus replaced The four single-turret
monitors built Immediately after the
close of the Spanish war, for instance,
are vessels which would be of but lit
tie use in the event of war. The money
spent upon they could have been more
usefully spent in other ways Thus it
would have been far better never to
have built a single one of these mont
tors and to have put the money into
an ample supply of reserve guns. Most
though they serve a. useful purpose so
far as they are needed for interna-
tional police work. would not add to
the strength of our navy in a conflict
with a serious foe. There is urgent
need of providing large increase in
the number of officers, and especially
in the number of enlisted men.
Recent naval history has emphasized
certain lessons which ought not to- but
which do, need emphasis. Seagoing
torpedo boats or destroyers are indis-
pensable not only for making night at
lacks by surprise upon an enemy, but
even in battle for finishing already
crippled ships. Under exceptional cir
cumstances submarine boats would
doubtless be of use. Fast scouts are
needed. The main strength of the
navy, however, lies and can only lie in
the great battleships. the heavily-arm-
ored, heavily-gunned vessels which de-
eide the mastery of the seas. Heavily
armed cruisers also play a most use
ful part, and unarmeo cruisers, if swift
enough, are very useful scouts. Be-
A-T--
equal prowess the comparative perfec-
ton of the instruments of war will or
dinarily determine the fight. But it is
+ Of course true that the man behind
the gun, the man in the engine room.
and the man in the coming tower,
considered not only individually, but
especially with regard to the way in
which they work together, are even
more important than the weapons with
which they work. The most formid-
able battleship is of course helpless
against even light cruiser if the men
aboard it are unable to hit anything
with their guns; and thoroughly we'll
handled cruisers may count seriously
in an engagement with much superior
vessels, if the men aboard the latter
are ineffective, whether from lack of
training or from any other cause. Mod
efn warships are most formidable
mechanismS when we'll handled, but
they are utterly useless when not we'll
handled; and they can not be handled
at all without long and careful train
ing. This training can under no cir
cumstance be given when once war has
broken out. No fighting ship of the
first class should ever be laid up save
for necessary repairs; and her crew
should be kept constantly exercised on
| the high seas, so that she may stand
at the highest point of perfection. To
put a new and unframed crew upon
the most powerful battleship and send
it out to meet q formidable enemy is
not only to invite but to insure disaster
and disgrace. To improvise crews at
the outbreak of a war, so far as the
serious fighting craft are concerned, is
absolutely hopeless. If the officers
and men are not thoroughly skilled in.
and have not been thoroughly trained
to, their duties. it would be far better
to keep the ships in port during hos
tlities than to send them against a
formidable opponent, for the result
could only be that they would be either
sunk or captured. The craftsmanship
of our navy is now on the whole in a
gratifying condition, and there has
been a great Improvement in fleet prac-
uce. we need additional seamen;
we need a large store of reserve guns;
we need sufficient money for ample
target practice. ample practice of every
kind at sea- We should substitute for
comparatively inefficient types-tlae
old third-class battleship Texas, the
single -turreted monitors above men
q
some of the old cruisers-e efficient,
modern. seagoing vessels. Seagoing
topedo-boat destroyers should be sub
stituted for some of the smaller tor
pedo boats. During the present con-
gress there need be no additions to the
aggregate number of units Of the navy.
| Our navy, though very small relatively
to the navies of other nations. is for
/ the present sufficient in point or num-
bers for our needs. and while we must
constantly strive to make its efficiency
higher. there need be no additions to
the total number of ships now built
and building save in the way of sub
stftution as above outlined [ recon-
mend the report of the secretary OF the
navy to the careful consideration Of
the congress, especially with a view to
the legislation therein advocated.
Naturalization Laws.
During the past year evidence has
| accumulated to confirm the express
sions contained in my last two annual
messages as to the Importance of re-
vising by appropriate legislation our
system of naturaliZing aliens. l APP
pointed last March commission to
make a careful examination of our
naturalization laws, and 10 suggest ap-
propriate measures to avoid the no
torious abuses resulting from the i'm
/ pfovident or unlawful granting of citi-
/ zenship This commission, composed
/ of an officer of the department of
state, OF the department. OF JusLices ana
/ of the department of commerce and
labor, has discharged the duty imposed
| upon it, and has submitted report,
which Will be transmitted to the con-
gress for its consideration, and, hope,
/ for it's favorable action
| The distinguishing recommendations
/ of the commission are.
/ First-A federal bureau of natural
/ liza ton, to be established in the de-
partment of commerce and labor to
supervise the administration of the
naturalization laws and to receive re-
turns of naturalizations pending and
I accomplished.
Second-Uniformit of naturaliza-
ton certificates, fees to be charged,
and procedure
Third=More exacting qualifications
4 for citizenship.