The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-03-12

Dakota, Tennessee. Washington and
West Virginia.
Following is a reorganization Of the
entire navy: First and second class
battleships. 81; armored cruisers, 10;
cruisers, first class, S; cruisers, second
class, z; cruisers. third class, 10; tor
pedo boat detroyers, 16; torpedo boats
SO: submarines. IL; monitors. 10:
wooden cruisers, 4; gunboats. SO:
transports. Z; supply ships, Z: hospital
ship, L.. collier. i: converted yachts
"a; tugs. AZ: training sailing ships. s.;
receiving ships, 9; unserviceable fol
sea going. 10; under construction or
authorized first class battleships, Z;
torpedo boat destroyers, 10; subma-
tugs. 2.
commissioned and 597 warrant officers,
and "a warrant officers. The enlisted
and apprenticed seamen.
The marine corps consists Of 267
officers and 1913 men. Major General
George p. Elliott is the commandant.
Besides one admiral, George Dewey
SicIc are ~ rear dQII1lTdlS.
The navy yards are at Brooklyn
Charlestown. Portsmouth, Kittery, op-
posite Portsmouth: Philadelphia, Mare
Island. Washington, D. c.. and Puge:
sound. There are 10 naval stations In
this country and its possessions.
According to the last official orders
OF the department the distribution OF
the navy was:
Atlantic feet, first squadron, Rear
Admiral Charles S. Sperry command
ing. First division, Connecticut alag
ship. Kansas. Vermont and Mime
sofa. e..
Second division, Rear Admiral Rich
ard Wainwright commanding, Georgia
(fagship), Nebraska, New Jersey AMI
Rhode Island.
Second squadron. third division. Rear
Admiral Seaton Schroeder command
ing, Louisiana (f1agship). Virginia
Ohio and Missouri.
Pacific fleet. Rear Admiral William
T. Swinburne commanding. First
squadron, first division. West Virginia
(fagship). Colorado. Maryland and
Pennsylvania.
Second division, Rear Admiral Uriel
Sebree commanding. Tennessee alag
ship, California, South Dakota and
Washington.
Second squadron, third division, Mil
waukee and st. Louis; G. c. Rogers
commander Of the Milwaukee, Albert
Gleaves commander of the st. Louis.
Fourth division. no vessels assigned
Third squadron, first division, Rear
Admiral Giles B. Harbor commanding,
Rainbow (dagship), Charleston. Chat
tanooga, Cleveland. Denver and Gal
weston; second division, Concord,
Wilmington. Helena, villalobos, Callao
and Samar.
It is interesting in this connection,
especially in view of the leap which
the United States navy has made, to
recur to the early history of the de-
partment. The origin of the depart
ment dates from Oct. Is. 1875. At that
time congress authorized the equip
ment Of two cruisers. mounting re-
spectively ten and fourteen guns. Be-
fore the end of that year fifteen ves-
sells Of from twenty to thirty guns
were authorized. The affairs Of the
navy were then referred to a marine
committee" The navy department
was created in 1898. Benjamin Stod-
dart being the first secretars.
At the end Of 1864. the navy took
a back seat for some time. Congress
cut down appropriations and naval
affairs were at low ebb. In 1S66-S2
only few vessels were authorized.
Five monitors Of from 1000 to 5000
tons were ordered and about a dozen
wooden cruisers. Several old vessels
were ordered to be repaired. It was
ut this time that we were the laugh