The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-12-04

JellTeu. vi given NUMBER or men IL
may well be that almost all would make
good lieutenants and most of them good
nant-commanders while only a min
GRITTY will be fit to be captains, and but
three or four to be admirals. Those who
object to promotion otherwise than by
mere seniority should reflect upon the ele-
mentary fact that no business in private
life could be successfully managed if
those who enter at the lowest rungs of
the ladder should each in turn, if he lived.
become the head of the firm, it's active
director, and retire after he had held the
position a few months. On it's face such
q scheme is absurdity. Chances for
improper favortism can be minimized by
properly formed board such as the
board of last June, which did such con-
Scientious and excellent work in elimna-
ton.
Wants More Rapid Promo
tion for Navy Officers.
If all that ought to be done cannot now
be done, at least let beginning be made.
In my last three annual Messages, and
IN special Message to the last Con-
eress. the necessity for legislation that
Will cause officers of the line of the Navy
to reach the grades of captain and rear
admiral at less advanced ages and which
Will cause them to have more sea train
ing and experience in the highly respon-
sible duties of those grades, so that they
may become thoroughly sldlful in han
ding battleships, divisions, squadrons. and
meets In action, has been fully explained
and urgently recommended. Upon this
subject the Secretary of the Navy has
submitted detailed and definite recon-
mendations which have received my APP
prevail. and which, if enacted into law,
will accomplish what is Immediately nee
essary. and will. as compared with exist
ing law. make a saving of more than five
millions of dollars during the next seven
years. The navy personnel act of 1899
mas accomplished all that was expected of
1t in providing satisfactory periods of
service In the several subordinate grades,
from the grade of ensign to the grade of
lieutenant commander, but the law is in
adequate in the upper grades and will
continue to be inadequate on account Of
the expansion of the personnel since it's
enactment. Your attention is invited to
the following quotations from the report
OF the personnel board of 1906. of which
the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was
PRESIDENT
Congress has authorized considerable
increase in the number of mdshipmen at
the Naval Academy, and these midship-
men upon gradua ton are promoted TO en-
sign and lieutenant (juniorgrade). But
no provision has been made for CORE
spending increase in the upper grades,
the result being that the lower grades
VIII become so c6ngested that a midship-
man now in one of the lowest classes at
Annapolis may possibly not be promoted
to lieutenant until he is between As and
50 years of age. So it will continue un-
der the present law, congesting at the top
and congesting at the bottom. The coun-
try fails to get from the officers of the
service the best that is in them by not
providing opportunity for their normal
development and training. The board be-
lieves that this works a serious detri-
ment of lie
a real menace to the public safety
As stated in my special Message to the
last Congress: II am firmly of the opin-
ion that unless the present conditions of
the higher commissioned personnel is rec
tilted by judcious legislation the future
OF our Navy will be gravely conprom-
tsed." 1t is also urgently necessary to in
crease the efficiency of the Medical Corps
OF the Navy. Special legislation to this
end has already been proposed: and l
trust may be enacted without delay.
1t must be remembered that everything
done in the Navy to fit it to do we'll in
time of war must be done in time of
peace. Modern wars are short; they do
not last the length of time requisite to
build battleship; and it takes longer to
tram the officers and men to do well on
a battleship than it takes to build it.
Nothlng effective can be done for the
Navy once the war has begun, and the
result of the war, if the combatants are
otherwise equally matched will depend
upon which power has prepared best in
time of peace. The United States Navy
is the best guaranty the Nation has that
Its honor and interest will not be neglect
ed: and in addition it offers by far the
best insurance for peace that can by hui
man ingenuity be devised.
Course of Study Changed
at the Naval Academy
call attention to the report of the
official Board of Visitors to the Naval
Academy at Annapolis which has been
forwarded to the Congress. The report
contains this paragraph:
Such revision should be made of the
courses of study and methods of conduct
ing and marking examinations as will de-
velop and bring out the average all
round ability of the midshipman rathe,
than to give him prominence in any one
particular study. The fact should be kent
In mind that the Naval Academy is not a
university but a school, the primary OH
ject of which is to educate bows to t,e
efficient naval officers. Changes in cur
riculum, therefore, should be in the di-
rection of making the course of lnstruc-
ton less theoretical and more practical
No portion of any future class should be
graduated in advance of the fulI fou,
years course. and under no circumsta nces
should the standard of instruction be
lowered. The Academy in almost all of
its departments is now magniflcently
equipped. and 1t would be very unwise
to make the course of instruction less
exacting than 1t is today"
Acting upon this suggestion / desie
mated three seagoing officers, Capt. Rich
ard Wainwright. Commander Robert s
Griffin. and Lieut. Commander Albert l.,
Key. all graduates of the Academy. to in
vestigate conditions and to Recommend r.
me the best method of carrying into effect
this general recommendation. These Of.
ficers performed the duty promptly and
tntelligently. and. under the personal d.
rection of Capt. Charles j. Badger. Sill
perintendent of the Academy, such of the
proposed changes as were deemed to he
at present advisable, were put into effect
at the beginning of the academic veor
October ], last. The results, am CONF,
dent. will be most beneficial to the Acad-
envy to the midshipmen, and To the
Navy
IN foreign affairs this country's steady
poiicy Is to behave toward other nations
rs strong and sef-respectine man
should behave toward the other men with
whom he is brought into contact In
other words. our aim is disnterestedlv
TO help other nations where such heln
can be wisely given without the annear-
ehcc OF meddling with what does not con-