Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-07

for thorough training, we provide the
au us, for them, unless we provide ,rba.
docks, the coaling stations, the golfers |
and supply ships that they need. We
are extremely deficient in coaling sta
tons and docks on the Pacific, and this
deficiency should not longer be per- |
mitted to exist. Plenty of torpedo boats !
and destroyers should be built. Both on
the. Atlantic. and Pacific coasts, fortiti- /!
cations of the best type should be pro-
vded for all our greatest harbors.
NAVY NOT FOR COAST DEFENSE !
We need always to remember that in
time of war the navy is not to be used |
to defend harbors and sea -coast cities;
fhoqd perfect our System of coast fst
the navy is for offense. The only way
In which it can efficiently protect our
own s coast against the possible action
hostile fleet which actually attacks
them; the coast cities must depend up
marines. and torpedo boats and destroy
ers. All Of these together are efficient
for defensive purposes, but they In no
way supply the PLACE of thoroughly
| efficient navy capable of acting on the
| offensive; for parrying never yet won
a fight. 1t can only be won by hard
navy alone can do this hard hitting OF
the offensive type. But the forts and
the like are necessary so that the navy
is sure to be demand, under pressure of
fright, for the ships to be scattered so
as to defend all kind of poyts. Under
must be reused fu The ship e,s must uri be
kept together, and their objective made
the, enemies fleet, If Notifications, are
to oaern on navy T
foe has In existence a hostile navy of
anything like the same size or efficiency
But unless there exists such navy then
the Notifications are powerless by them
selves to secure the victory. For. of
course the mere deficiency means that
any resolufe enemy can at his leisure
with the certainty that he can take 1t.
/ KEEPING FLEET TOGETHER
! Until our battle fleet is much larger
than at present. it should never be split
into attachments so far apart that they
could not IN event of emergency be
lantc. The interests of California, Ore
gom. and Washington are as emphati-
as those of Maine and New York of
Louisiana and Texas. The battle fleet
should now and then. be moved
. It should be kept in the Atlantic When
the Isthmian canal is built the transit
Of the. battle fleet from one ocean to
the the other h will be comparatively easy
the battle fleet will be thus shifted be-
tween the two oceans every year OF
: two. The craftsmanship on all our ships
has improved phenomenally during the
, last five years. Until within the last
! two or three years 1t was not possible
! to train battle fleet in. squadron
maneuvers under service conditions, anG
= it is only during these last two or thres
. years that the training under these con
/ ditions has become really effective An
. other and most necessary stride In ad
y, vance Is now being taken.
e TRIP TO THE PACIFIC
:. IT,
! the Straits of Magellan to visit the Pa
! cifc coast. Sixteen battleships are goint
;. under the command of Rear Admira
r Evans, while eight armored cruisers ant
: two other .battieships will meet him a
: San Francisco, whittier certain TORPEDO
i destroyers are also going. No fleet o
Q and it will be of very great educationa
!, use to all engaged in it. The only wa,
:. u by which to teach officers and men HOY
g g to handle the fleet so as to meet ever
. possible strain and emergency In tim
. of war is to have them practice unde
, u similar conditions in time of peace
. Moreover, the only way to find out GU
= actual needs is to perform in time Q
: peace whatever maneuvers might b
=; necessary In time gof war. After. wa
Y is declared it is too late to find on
- This trip to the Pacific will show wha
>, some of our needs are and will enabl
4 us to provide for them: The prope
u place for an officer to learn his dut
: is at sea and the only way. in which
IS navy can ever be made efficient is b
- practice at sea, under all the condition
e which would have to be met If wa
,,s existed.
l. OFFICERS AND MEN WORTHY
J. bespeak the most liberal treatmer
'e for the officers and enlisted men {
A the navy. 1t is true Of them, as like
10 wise of the officers and enlisted me
whose interests should be close to tn
heart Of every good American. In re
turn the most rigid performance Of dut
le ward should be ample when they d
At their best: and nothing less than the
e. best should be tolerated. 1t is idle
r. hope for the best results when the me
&c in the senior grades come to thos
lie grades late in life and serve too sho
10 time In them, Up to the rank Of liei
n tenant commander promotion in the nav
St should be as now, by. seniority subjec
to however, to such rigid tests as won
e e eliminate, the unfit; After the grade !.
ee come to the grade of command ran
y. the unfit should be eliminated in sue
a. q. manner that only the con sI,!Ss
would remain and sea s service sn 6n
is who are passed by should, after a ce
a tain length Of service in their respe
is Der Of men it may well be that almo
ne all would make good lieutenants al
ass most Of them good ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
al ers., while only minority will be
ly to be sdmirals. Those who object to pr
ar motion otherwise than by mere seniori
of should reflect upon the elementary ia
an that no business in private life could
ef successfully managed if those who ent
of at the lowest rungs of the ladder shou
each in turn, if he lived, become L
head OF the firm. its active director. al
all retire after he had held the. position
he few months On it's face such a scher
Sc is an absurdity. Chances for improp
of favortism can be minmized by a pro
" ery formed board; such as the board
en- last June which did such conscientio
,et and excellent work in, elimination.
he IF all that ought to be done can n
u now be done. at least let beginn
as be made In my last. three annual me
ny sages, and In a special message to t
is last congress. the necessity for legsl
ice ton that will cause officers Of the Ii
ry of the navy to reach the grades
he captain and rear-admiral at less a
,ly vanced ages and which will cause the
IN, to have more sea training and expe
M ence in the highly responsible duties
IN those grades. SO that they may beech
of thoroughly skilful in handling bait
ire ships. divisions: squadrons, and flee
to in action, has been fully explained a
its urgently recommended. Upon this ST