Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-07
BONAPARTE ADVISES
INCREASE OF NAVY
The Recommendations Offered by
The Secretary Of The Navy
in His Annual Report.
FOR TWO BIG BAIILEsHIps
Report DweIls at Length Upon the
Partial Reorganization of tn,
SerNice-The Type of the Fighting
Machine Most Favored is Like the
South Carolina.
(By Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON, ID. C. Dec. C.
In his annual report TO the Presi-
dent, Secretary of Navy Bonaparte
says in part.
The annual report of this depart
ment is accompanied by the reports
Oh several bureaus containing re-
cord OF their work during the fiscal
year 1906 and snch recommendation
as their respective chiefs have
thought well to submit for the flu
ture. 1t is not proposed here to
repeat, In substance or otherwise,
what is contained in these reports,
to which your attention and that
of the congress is very respectfully
invited.
Reports of the Personnel Board.
There is also appended to this
report from board of officers, I'M
der the Presidency of the assistant
secretary. appointed last August t.
suggest such notifications In the
law affecting the commissioned per-
sonnet of the navy as might seem
10 them advisable. The board was
directed. by the orders organizing
1t, to submit three reports, one con-
tanning such recommendations as
might effect officers of the line only
another dealing with matters con-
nected with the several staff corps
and the Marine corps and third
with respect to any changes which
might be deemed desirable in the
organization of the department itself
or any of its bureaus or boards
The first of the above mentioned
three repots, with cetain exceptions
and qualifications of minor impor-
lance, is very cordially approved by
me, and hope that the congress
may find it practicable and deem it
advisable to ,embody the recommen-
dations of the board in legislation
to be enacted at the present sess-
ioE.
This proposed legislation offers a
remedy for two serious evils, namely
the absence of opportunity for Off
GERS of flag rank to familiariZe
themselves by actual experience with
their duties as commanders Of
fleets, divisions, or squadrons in the
short time to elapse before their
retirement for age, and secondly. an
impending peiod of great stagna-
ton is promotion when the large
increase among the junior officers,
caused by the augmented classes
of graduates from the Naval acad-
envy, shall produce its inevitable
effects, If no appropriate changes
be made in existing laws respecting
the organization of the service. The
subject is one of undoubtedly diff
fculty and many schemes have been
suggested to afford n remedy 1t Is
believed that the plan of the board
is, on the whole, satisfactory to the
line officers of the navy, and its
adoption by the congress will be
generally accepted in the service as
a gratifying step in advance.
The Staff Corps and Marine Corps.
The second report of the person.
mel board, dealing with questions
concerning the commissioned per-.
sonnet OF the several staff corps
and the Marine corps. has been crit
icized in some respects by boards
of officers selected in each one Of
the said several corps for this pur-
pose, and both the report itself and
their comments and suggestions are
respectfully recommended to your
consideration and that of the con.
sress / refrain from any re:om-
mendation with respect to this part
of the work of the personnel board
Ut has, in the main, received the
approval of the officers most directly
affected, and ! am not prepared to
advise the embodiment in legislation
OF any plan which will not, finally
ana ohce for all end the reSrGttah'e
and chronic. differences existing for
SO long between the staff corps and
line. While this want Of sympathy
has not prevented the officers of
either class from serving the country
with the highest credit and cooperat-
ing tremendously In all matters af-
fecting the vital interests of the
service. 1t has been source Of
friction and discord in minor mat
tiers, and, occasionally, of embar-
rasment to the department. Some
suggestions looking to a radical cure
TO-: these Objectionable features of
existing conditions are made later
in this report.
Organization of the Department.
The personnel board after care.
fl! consideration of the subject. ask
ed to be excused from offering sug-
gestions on this subject, submitting,
al their report under the third head