Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-14
Annual Report Of Chief Of
Bureau Of Navigation.
Some Of the Needs Pointed
Out by Admiral PiI|sbury.
Cruise Of BattIeship Fleet Will
Prove Of Great importance.

NdSHhlSlOH NOV lo.-StrOnS recon-
mendaton that the grade of vice ad-
miral BE- revived in the navy is made
in the annual report of Rear Admiral
J. E. PilIsbury, chief of the Bureau of
Navigation. Rear Admiral Pillsbury
says:
Rank naturally goes with command,
and no better illustration Of our detici-
cnceS in this respect is shown than in
the command Of the feet of ships now
on its voyage around the world Here
are sixteen battleships of the first class
with auNiliaries. 1t is the most pow
trful fleet that ever attempted to make
such a voyage. 1t is the centre of ma
val attraction of the world, and in spite
Of adverse criticism and alarming
prediction ii has thus far pursued it's
voyage i'll accordance with it's pre- ar
ranged itinerary The commandments
chief of this force has only the rank of
rear admiral. With any other service
than our own this fleet would be COM
manded by an admiral. with a vice ad-
lniral second in command. and with
rear admirals rs division commanders.
1T Is urged as due to the service and to
the country that the COMMUNICATIVE
chief of our Atlantic and Pacific fleets
should at least have the rank of vice
admiral, and it is recommended that
five vice admirals be authorized by
Congress-
There is a recommendation that the
law authorizing the appointment Of
two mldshipmen by each senator, rep
rcsentatiVe and delegate in Congress
during period of four years be now
extended for two years additional This
would operate to reduce by one third
the number of midshipmen promoted
to be ensigns. The report says: "Ip to
the present time graduates of the
Academy have not been sufficient to .
fill the commissioned grades allowed
by law, but by the rate of entry into
the Academy as now provided for the
time is fast approaching when there
will be & sufficient number of officers
in the lower commission grades and
an excess of graduates"
In order that the difficulty of having
officers arrive at command flag rank
at an early age may be obviated it Is
recommended that the present law be
changed and that the minimum age OF
candidates for Annapolis be fifteen
years and the maximum not over
seventeen years, the law to be eff
foctive from July l. 1910. II is held
that this will make the average
age of those entering the Academy six
teen and cne-half years and the gradu-
ating age twenty and one-half years.
This would be about two years below
the average age at which midshipmen
arc now graduated.
OF the results of the battleship cruise
the report says:
THE cruise without q doubt will not
only prove to he of great benefit to the
service from the practice that 1t has
given to the personnel of the fleet, but
also to the nation from the good fell
!owship induced by the friendly inter-
mlngling of SO many Americans with
the people of the countries visited"
An appropriation of $4,000 by Congress
for prizes to be awarded under the
steaming competition on the fleet Is
recommended. Upon the question Of
target practice the report says:
"Fhc target practice Of the Atlantic
fleet in Magdalena Bay was of special
interest. owing to the fact that many
cthcers had been of the opinion that
training in port was essential to cfl-
cheney. but it was clearly shown by tho
excellent records made by the main
battery guns of the battleships that a
high degree OF efficiency can be OBJ
tanned by sea training alone. The
coming year will record firing at lon
ger ranges and under rougher weather
conditions than has been the practice
in the past. so that gun crews and
pointers will become more familiar
with handling their weapons under
conditions possible in action.
with the improved facilities now
provided for training the personnel
aiioat at small arms target practice nm
increased interest in all features Of
small arms firing has taken place
owing to the cruise of the battleship
feet none of the men of that fleet wer,.
able to hold small arms practice, but
of the other vessels Of the navy. e25s
officers and men completed the regular.
course Of firing; 9S9 qualified as marks.
men. 49, qualified as shareholders ana
IA as expert rifemen''
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