The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-12-03

navy then the fortifications arc power
less by themselves to secure the VIC
tory, for OF course the mere deficiency
means that any resolute enemy can
at his leisure combine all his forces
upon one point with the certainty that
he can take 1t.
Unity our battle feet is much larger
than at present It should never be split
into detachments so far apart that they
could not in event Of emergency be
| speedily united. Our coast line is on
the Pacific just as much as on the At
lantic. The interests OF California,
Oregon and Washington are Is en-
phatically the interests of the Whole
Union as those of Maine and New
York, OF Louisiana and Texas. The
battle feet should now and then be
moved to the Pacific, just as at other
times Ii should be kept In the Atlantic.
When the isthmian canal is built the
transit OF the battle feet from one
ocean to the other will be comparative
ly easy. Until IL is built l earnestly
hope that the battle feet will be thus
shifted between the two oceans every
year or two. The marksmanship on
all our ships has improved phenome
nally during the last five years. Until
| within the last two or three years 1t
was not possible to train battle feet
in squadron maneuvers under service
conditions, and II is only during these
last two or three years that the train
ing under these conditions has become
really effective. Another and most
necessary stride I'm advance is now be-
ing taken. The battle fleet Is about
starting by the strait of Magellan to
visit the Pacific coast. Sixteen bat
tleships are going under the command
Of Rear Admiral Evans, while eight
! armored cruisers and two other battle
ships will meet him at San Francisco.
whittier certain torpedo destroyers are
also going. No feet Of such size has
ever made such voyage, and 1t will
be of very great educational use to
all engaged in It, The only way by
which To teach officers and men how
to handle the feet so as to meet every
possible strain and emergency IN time
Of war Is to have them practice under
similar conditions I'm time Of peace.
Moreover, the only way TO find out our
actual needs Is to perform In time of
peace whatever maneuvers might be
necessary I'm time of war; After war
| is declared ii is too late TO find out the
needs. That means to invite disaster.
| This trip to the Pacific will show what
some Of our needs are and will enable
us to provide for them. The proper
place for an officer to learn his duty is
at sea, and the only way in which a
navy can ever be made efficient is by
practice at sea under all the conditions
which would have to be met IL war
| existed.
/ bespeak the most liberal treatment
the navy. It il true Of them, as like
wise of the officers and enlisted men
of the army, that they form a body
whose interests should be close to the
heart of every good American. In
return the most rigid performance Of
duty should be exacted from them.
The reward should be ample when
/
than their best should be tolerated. 1t
is idle to hope for the best results
when the men In tie senior grades
come to those grades late in life and
serve too short a time in them. Up to
the rank of lieutenant commander pro-
motion in the navy should be as now,
by seniority, subject, however, TO such
rigid tests as would eliminate the un-
fit. After the grade of lieutenant com
mander-that is, when we come TO the
grade Of command rank-the unfit
should be eliminated i'm such manner
that only the conspicuously fit would
| remain, and sea service should be n
are passed by should after certain
length of service i'm their respective
grades be retired. OF a given number
of men 1t may well be that almost all
would make good lieutenants and
most OF them good lieutenant com
manders, while only minority will
be tit to he captains and but three or
four to be admirals. Those who OBJ
ject to promotion otherwise than by
mere seniority should reflect upon the
elementary fact that no business i'm
private life could be successfully man
aged IL those who enter at the lowest
rungs of the ladder should each in
| turn if he lived become the head of
the firm, its active director. and retire
after he had held the position few
months. On its face such scheme is
an absurdity. Chances for improper
| favoritism can be minimized by a
properly formed board, such as the
board Of last June which did such con-
scientious and excellent work in elm.
ination.
If all that ought to he done cannot
now be done. at least let beginning
he made. In my last three annual.
messages and in a special message 10
the last congress the necessity for leg.
islation that will cause officers OF the
| line Of the navy TO reach the grades
l.~f aax tat, a .s,.,I n