The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-12-09

of the Navy. The Navy should be
treated as purely military organiza-
ton, and everything should be sub
Ordinated to the one object of secur-
| ing military efficiency. Such military
efficiency can only be guaranteed in
| time of war if there is the most thor
Ough previous preparation in time Of
| peace-a preparation, l may add,
which will in all probability prevent
any need of war. The Secretary must
| be supreme, and he should have as his
official advisers a body of line officers
who shall themselves have the power
to pass upon and coordinate all the
work and all the proposals of the sew
eral bureaus. A system Of promotion
by merit, either by selection or by
exclusion or by both processes, should
be introduced 1t is out of the Ques-
ton, if the present principle of pro-
motion by mere seniority is kept, to
expect to get the best results from
In the high command positions.
Two hospital ships should be pro-
vfded. The actual experience of the
the higher officers. Our men come
too old, and stay for too short a time,
hospital ship with the feet in the
Pacific has shown the invaluable work
which such ship does, and has also
proved that it is well to have it kept
under the command of a medical of
fcer. AS was to be expected, all Of
the anticipatiOns of trouble from such
command have proved completely
baseless. 1t Is as absurd to put a |
hospital ship under line of1cer as !
it would be to put a hospital on shore |
under such command. This ought |
to have been realized before, and |
there is no excuse for failure to re-
aIiZe ii now.
Nothing better for the Navy from |
every standpoint has ever occurred |
than the cruise of the battle feet
around the world. The Improvement |
of the ships in every way has been
than they would have gained if they /
far more experience in battle tactics
than thy would have gained if they
had stayed in the Atlantic waters.
The American people have cause for
profound qualification, both in view
of the excellent condition of the fleet
as shown by this cruise, and in view
OF the improvement the cruise has
worked in this already high condition.
/ do not believe that there is any
other service in the world in which
the average of character and efficien-
cy in the enlisted men is as high as is
now the case in our own. I believe
that the same statement can be made
as to our officers, taken as a whole;
but there must be reservation made
in regard to those in the highest
ranks-as to which 1 have already
spoken-and in regard to those who
have just entered the service. be-
cause we do not now get full benefit
from our excellent naval school at
1t is absurd not to grad
uate the midshipmen as ensigns; to
keep them for two years in such an
anomalous position as at present the
law requires is detrimental to them
and TO the service. In the academy
Itself, every first classman should be
required in turn to serve as petty Of
ficer and officer; his ability to dis
charge his duties as such should be
a prerequisite to his going into the
line, and his success in commanding
should largely determine his stand
ing at graduation. The Board of Wis
tors should be appointed In January,
and each member should be required
% give at least six days service, only
from one to three days to be per-
'ormed during June week, which is
he least desirable time for the board
% be at Annapolis so far as benefiting I
he navy by their observations is con- g
IL
THEODORE ROOSEVELT. {
rhe White House,
Tuesday, December 8. 1908.