Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-01
Army and Navy

Vice Admiral Galster, of the German
navy, is the author of q recently pub
l:shed pamphlet in which he puts forth
the argument that the need OF the Ger
man navy is not the hurriedly increasing
number OF battleships ana large cruis-
ers, but the development of the means
of carrying on guerrilla warfare with
submarine boats. torpedo-boats and small
and swift cruisers. In the course Of the
essay he advocates the building of sixty
submarines. He argues that in the event
of war cruisers should be stationed at
German colonial ports-which must be
heavily fortified--in order to break Great
Britain's communications with her COO
nies, and the use of floating mines would
have to be resorted to extensively in or
der to render the blockade of German
ports Intellectual.
statemenut that definite programme
for the review OF tae battleship fleet by
the President at the time the start Is
made from Hampton Roads has not been
made. The precise time for the start viii
depend on the tide 1t is now expected
that the President will steam down past
the fleet at anchor, then take position by
the flagship Connecticut, bid Admiral
Evans goodbye and Godspeed. and re-
view the entire feet as it weighs anchor
and proceeds outward bound.
The following was the degree OF comple-
tion on November 9, 1907. Of vessels un-
der construction for the United States
navy: Battleships-Mississippi, 96.S2 per
cent; Idaho, se.41 New Hampshire. 1920;
south Carolina, 1888: Michigan, 29.10;
Delaware, 2.33; North Dakota. 4.2S. Ar
mored cruisers--North Carolina, 1888;
Montana S738 Scout cruisers-Chester
o. s.7o Birmingham, 90.79: Salem. $3.50. Tor
pedoboat destroyers--No. II, No. 1S. No. 10,
No. 20, No. 21--O Submarine torpedo
boats-No. 9. SO; No. 10, :; No. II. =; No.
i. ~ 90. Coliiers-vestai. 52.7o: Promethe-
us, 7.6o. Tug boats -Patapsco. 2S; Patux-
ent. a. +Delivered at Naval Torpedo sta
ton. Newport, r. l., Oct 16, 1907.
One of the most striking instances Of
the depletion of the army is shown by
the case of the Tenth company of Coast
artillery. which paraded In January, 1900,
with 101 men In the ranks. but which,
when called upon, to parade on October
IL of this year, could muster only IA men
In the ranks. that being the total
strength of the company. hardly less
striking instance is furnished, however,
ty the Seventh infantry. which recently
attended the Mckinley memorial exercis-
es at Canton. The entire regiment OF
twelve companies was ordered to Canton,
and should have been about 1900 strong.
AS matter of fact, the twelve compar
MES and the band were represented by
only 4O6 men, while one company could
muster only 10 privates fit for duty.
Describing the condition of the vessel
20 which he was attached during the bat
tie of Tsu-Shima. after an attack upon
her by the Japanese. Commander Vladi-
mer Semanoff, Imperial Russian navy,
says: After completing my inspection
OF the lower battery 1 ascended TO the
upper battery (out of the smaller turrets
there was not one that would revolve).
Here l was confronted with scene
which most strikingly Illustrated the
terrible effect of the Japanese projectiles.
There was no fire here, simply because
everything that could ignite had been al
ready burnt All four of the 70 nm. guns
had been knocked off their mountings,
but careful search failed to show either
on the guns themselves or on their
mountings amy trace Of direct impact of
a she'll or of any OF It's pieces. Not one.
IL is clear, then, thrt such destruction
had not been produced by any direct i'm
pact. but by the force OF an explosion.
But OF what? In this particular battery
there had not Seen stored either torpe-
does or lyroxilin. The explanation. then.
is only to be found in the enemys pro-
1ectiles, which gave out an explosive
force equal to that of a torpedo.
-
instruction in bayonet lighting is hence
forth to be a prominent feature of the
winter training OF enlisted men of the
British army. General instructions have
been prepared with the object of teaching
men to use their bayonets with good ef-
feet in action. Some of the details. al
though they afford an excellent training
for this result, are, however, more par
ticularly .dapted to competition fighting.
All recruits are to be put through
course of instruction in bayonet fighting
and .rained soldiers are to go through
short annual refresher during the
winter months ON the same lines as the
recruit, under the direction OF the COM
pany officers The duration of the course
and the lessons given are to be regulated
according to the degcee of proficiency OF
the Individual soldier. The troops are to
be armed with long bayonet after the
Japanese model