The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-07
Americas Safety Lies
in a Bigger Navy
Secretary Bonaparte Points Out the
Necessity for More Fighting Ships

boats seems to me eminently desirable and l
strongly urge their authorization
With respect TO the two bsftleships which,
the already authorized, would make three
equal in hghtlng force 10 any which, SO FAR as
al tie time OF their completion. ] have already
said that consider the authorization OF one such
vessel cOnsOrt to the ship already authorized
Is clearly demanded by the requirements OF
reasonable foresight for the national SAFETY IN
der circumstances now existing.
BIG NAVY NECESSARY
In closing this report, 1 think it is but right
to call attention to certain features OF our
country's situation which, although sufficiently
obvious and OF self-evident Importance, never
theless appear to lie frequently overlooked Al
though a continental power. for practical pur-
poses share with Great Britain the immense
advantages OF an insular position. Provided our
naval strength be sufficient 10 retain command
Of the sea absolutely safe from INVASION
and consequently escape the burdens of a vast
military establishment which bear upon all the
great powers Of the European continent; Dut II
We have not a sufficient navy the oceans 10 the
east and west OF US instead OF serving as bul-
warks for defense, become highways Tor m
yasion. - -,
cost Of the navy amounts to about sl.33 per
sanum for each inhabltant of the United States
and that about six men out of every ten thou
sand inhabitants are at present bound by law to
naval service. Surely such burdens as these, or
even some very slight increase of these burdens.
win be accepted without reluctance or murmur
by the patriotism and good sense Of the Amer
REGARDING proposed changes in the
personnel Of the navy, Secretary Bona
parte says:
The work Of the department should be
grouped into four sections, one under the I'm.
mediate direction of the secretary. another under
flat OF the assistant secretary, and the remain
ing two under officers of flag rank. or the last
mentioned two sections. one should be entrusted
with the duties now imposed upon the bureaus
Of yards and docks, equipment, construction ana
repair steam engineering and ordnance, and the
officer at its head should have as assistants the
chief constructor. the engineer in chief. and two
officers not now designated in the law, for
whom ! suggest the titles Of master OF ordnance
and master Of public works. the last mentioned
10 be a civil engineer Of the naYy. These
officers should not be chiefs Of bureau, but the
deputies aud technical advisers, IN their re-
spectfTe provinces. Of the chief OF section, and
should discharge such special duties Of super
vision or otherwise as he might, from time TO
time delegate to each of them Moreover they
yvonld discharge tIe duties now imposed by
regulation upon the board Of construction and
any other duties which the department might
deem it wise 10 eonfde to this board from
time 10 time hereafter.
DUTIES OF OTHER OFFICERS
The other chief of section should be in
trusted in the main with the direction of the
navy as an organized fighting force, his prov
ince being thus broader than that OF the chief
Of the present bureau OF navigation. and he also
should have four assistants IN the surgeon gen
eral. the paymaster general, the commandant OF
the marine corps and the superintendent or the
naval academy. The duties Of these officers
would be necessarily more permanently special
led than those OF the first mentioned group,
but they should all be the deputies, within
their several fields Of action. Of the chief OF
section and like the other group should con-
stsfute 9 board under his presidency. from
which the department might expect advice on
all matters affecting the personnel OF the navy.
The plan Of the board on personnel includes
the crea ton of three vice admirals. The depart
meut recommended in its last annual report that
al least two officers of this rank should be pro-
vided. bin was subsequently prepared and
submitted TO the committees on naval affairs
u the two houses providing that the comm and
in chief Of the Atlantic and Asiatic fleets
should have the title. rank and pay of vice
admrals while holding these positions. but no
longer. ANY Of these three plans would
afford remedy FOR a situation which is already
annoying and. IN some measure, injurious 10
discipline. and must become more with the
gradual increase Of the navy. and which will
be peculiarly unsatisfactory at the time Of the
occasion many foreign naval officers OF very high
rank may have 10 be received and entertained
TWO CHIEFS OF SECTION
II the plan Of reorganization hereinbefore sug-
gested shall be substantially adopted. the gen.
eral board might be with advantage com posed
OF the two proposed chiefs Of section and three
officers specially designated by the President
after consideration of the confidential recon-
menda tons Of the Secretary of the Navy. While,
however, there shall be on the active list of the
navy officer OF higher rank than vice admiral
he should form part Of the general board as
matter Of right. and such officer the senior
Of them. II there be more than one should be
ex-Oficio its president. It would be welf to pro-
vide by law for the organization Of the general
board, provided that its duties should he always
liable 10 m0difcs tion by naval regulations. In
any event, however, the members Of this board,
other than the officer or officers forming part Of
II by virtue OF their rank. should be specially
designated by the President the department
should be liable TO relief at any moment, so
TO insure absolute harmony between its views
Qf