Arizona republican., 1908-12-09

proposed will form the second di- vision. It will be an improvement on the first, the ships being of the heavy. single caliber. all big gun type. All the vessels should have the same tactical qualities. that is, speed and turning circle, and as near as pos sible these tactical qualities should be the same as is in the four vessels before named now being b'Iilt.
 I most earnestly recommend that the general board be by law turned into a general staff There is liter ally no excuse whatever for continu- ing the present bureau organization of the navy. The navy should be treated as a purely military Organiza- tion, 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 thorough previous preparation in time of peace-a preparation, I may add, which will in all its probability pre- vent any need of war. The secretary must be supreme, and he should have as his official advisers a body of line officers who should themselves have the power to pass upon and CO., ordinate all the work and all the proposals of the several bureaus A system of promotion by merit, either by selection or by exclusion, or by both processes, should be introduced. It is out of-the question if the pres ent principle of promotion by mere seniority is kept, to expect to get the best results from the higher officers. Our men come too old, and stay for too short a time, in the high com manding positions.
 Two hospital ships should be pro vided The actual experience of the hospital ship with the fleet in the Pacific has shown , the invaluable work which such a step does, and has also proved that it is well to have it kept under the command of a medical officer. As was to be eX- pected, all of the anticipations of trouble from such a command have proved completely baseless. It is as absurd to put a hospital ship under a line officer as it would be to put a hospital on shore under such a com mand. This ought to have been real ized before. and there is no excuse for a failure to realize it now.
 Nothing better for the navy from every standpoint has ever occurred than the cruise of the battle fleet around the world. The improvement of the ships in every way has been extraordinary, and they have gained far more experience in battle tactics than they 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 cOndi- tion. I do not believe that there is any other service in the world in which the average character and eff ficiency 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 whole; but there must be a reser- vation made in regard to those in the highest ranks-as to which I have all ready spoken-and in regard to those. who have just entered the service; because we do not now get full bene- fit .from our excellent naval school at It is absurd not to graduate the midshipmen as ensigns; to keep them for two years in such an anom alous position as at present the law requires is detrimental to them and to the service In the academy itself, every first classman should be re- quired in turn to serve as petty off cer; his ability to discharge his duties as such should be prerequisite to his going into the line, and his success in commanding should largely determine his standing at graduation. The board of visitors should be appointed in January, and each members should be required to give at least six days service, only from one to three days to be per formed during June week, which is the least desirable time for the board to be at Annapolis so far as befitting the navy by their observations is concerned.
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
 THE RETURN OF ALLEN-Sheriff Hayden returned yesterday evening f,or, Dow .t,itb A1Ian the