Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16
WHAT THE NAVY LACKS
Admiral Dewey Discusses Pro-
posed Retirement Scheme.
FLAG OFFICERS TOO OLD
High Rank Reached at an Earlier Age
in Other Countries.
CHANCE FOR THE YOUNG MEN
Little Opportunity Now for Fleet
Commanders to Get Experience
Average Service Only Year.
CHANCE FOR THE YOUNG MEN
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Naval flag officers are not like poets
said Admiral Dewey the other day; they
are not born: they must be trained. BEFORE
an officer can be of any value as commana-
erin chief of fleet he must have handieo
battleships and cruisers, and before he can
realize his responsibilities and know his du-
ties and have the nerve and skill to per-
form them he must have commanded d.
vision and a squadron. A nag officer WITH
out experience is a very dangerous man.
So Is the captain of battleship, as we
have had demonstrated to US recently NO
battleship or cruisers of any great Vaiue
unless 1t has a competent commander. NO
feet is of any value unless 1t Is properly
handled, and 1t cannot be properly nan
died without captain of experience A
feet is worth just as much as its COM
mander-in-chief. A battleship Is worth
Just as much as its captain
mo officer can step, full-hedged from the
command of a ship to the command OF
fleet in time of great emergency without
great risk. He must first be tried in suDor-
dinate commands. The English promote
by selection young officers who have abll-
fly and character, while they are at the
height of their mental and physical vigor
They are first tried in subordinate COM
mands. and, II competent, are given addi-
tional responsibility. If incompetent, they
are turned down.
What Our Navy Lacks.
I'VE are creating a navy of great
strength and 1t must be divided into squad
rons and feets-something we have not had
since the civil war And we need compe-
tent flag officers and captains of expe-
rience, just as much we need sailors and
gunners Notwithstanding their armor
armament, speed, tonnage and the
personnel of ships crew, an III
competent commanding officer can ruin
a ship or render 1t useless ana
neutralize the entire strength OF MS
command. And no one can tell who Is
competent until the officers are tried
There is no way to try them without expe-
rience. and. at the present rate Of promo
ton, many of our officers are too old to
learn when they reach the rank that gives
them an opportunity to receive training.
And others, with a few exceptions, are
compelled TO retire for age as soon as they
have any training. When the captains or
our battleships and our flag officers assume
their responsibility they have almost
reached the retiring age. Few officers be-
come captains until they are hfty-hve or
ffty-seven years old, and they seldom be-
come rear admirals until they are sixty.
"a man is supposed to reach his prime
physically and mentally, In nerve, energy,
Judgment and wisdom when he Is thirty five
work between thirty-fie and fifty, but, dur
ing all those years. when they are most
competent to command the officers of our
navy are serving In subordinate positions.
has taught us that many officers
who have been accustomed to receive Or
ders until they are fifty years old will lose
their nerve at that age. They Will find ii
practically impossible to form the habit of
promptly accepting responsibility in emer-
geEcies. Men who have passed that age in
positions will shrink from TAX
ing the initiative In a dilemma and will
nos be ready to give the directions that will
best solve the problem presented. But an
efficient flag officer captain must have
those qualities.
Our Flag Officers Too Old
Speaking generally, then. under our pres
ent slow system of promotion, we cannot
reasonably expect flag officers and captains
to form the habit of command because of
the advanced age at which they reach those
grades, and their experience Is SO limited
that we cannot expect them to maneuver
sqUadrons or handle battleships with the
skill and efficiency that they would show
If they had more experience and training.
In the British navy the captains range
from thirty five to fifty-five years of age;
in the Japanese navy from tfirty-eight to
fifty-two years; in the German navy forty
two to fifty-two years; in the French navy
from forty seven to fifty-nine, while in the
United States navy our youngest captains
are fifty-five years old and they run all the
way up from that age TO sixty-two.
THE Japanese adnirals are the youngest
of all the navies, and range in age from
forty-four to fifty-seven; the British from
forty mine to sixty-two; the German from
hfty-one to fifty-six; the French from fifty
three to sixty-four, and the United States
from fifty-nine to sxty-two.
"A French admiral averages fourteen
years and two months in the service at
that grade; the Japanese eleven years; the
British eight years; the German six years,
and the United States admirals have an
average of only one year of training in that
rank.
The British captains average eleven
years and two months In that rank before
they are promoted; the French nine years
and two months; the Japanese eight years;
the Germans six years and two months, and
the captains of the United States navy
fou- years and Ave months.
I'VE used to give our young men a
chance" continued Admiral Dewey land
i speak the more feelngly on this subject
because l was only thirty-two years old
when ! was given command OF the Nara
Ferret IN operations against pirates in the
West Indies when he was only Twenty-Five
and he commanded the Boxer and Decatur
from thirty to thirty-seyen. Admiral Samp-
son commanded the Narragansett when he
was thfrty-two, and always had COM
have selected a captain who Is only thirty
four years of age for the command of the
Dreadnaught. the pride of their navy, and
probably the most powerful fighting ma
chine that ever fioated.
Ships In Commission and Building.
I'VE have now the following ships in
commission:
Battleships ,....... IS Transports ........ Z
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