The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-07

acter for high command as to justify
their remaining in the active service
to be promoted. Provision should be
made by which they may be retired on
certain proportion of their pay. In
creasing with their length of service
| at the time Of retirement. There is
now a personnel law for the navy
which itself needs amendment and to
which I shall make further reference.
Such a law is needed quite as much
for the army.
| Coast Defenses.
The coast defenses of the United
States proper are generally all that
could be desired, and in some respects
! they are rather more elaborate than
under present conditions are needed
to stop an enemy's feet from entering
the harbors defended. There is, how
ever, one place where additional de-
| tense is badly needed, and that is at
the mouth of Chesapeake bay, where
it is proposed to make an artificial is
| land for fort which shall prevent an
enemy's feet from entering this most
I important strategical base Of opera
lions on the whole Atlantic and gulf
coasts. hope that appropriate legis-
lation will be adopted to secure the
construction Of this defense.
| The military and naval joint board
have unanimously agreed that it would
be unwise to make the large expendt
lures which at one time were contem-
base and station In the Philippine Is
/ &1ot nd
ment, in which fully concur, in ia
vor of making an extensive naval base
at Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu, and
not in the Philippines. This does not
| dispense with the necessity for the
comparatively small appropriations re-
quired to finish the proper coast de-
lenses In the Philippines now under
construction on the island of Corregi-
| dor and elsewhere or to complete
suitable repair station and coaling sup
ply station at Olongapo, where is the
| floating dock Dewey. l hope that
this recommendation of the joint board
will end the discussion as to the COM
parative merits of Manila bay and
| Olongapo as naval stations and will
! lead to prompt measures for the proper
| equipment and defense Of Pearl Har-
Dor.
| The Navy.
| The return Of the battleship feet
| from its voyage around the world in
more efficient condition than when it
started was noteworthy event Of in
| terest alike to our citizens and the
naval authorities of the world. Be.
sides the beneficial and farreaching
effect on our personal and diplomatic
relations in the countries which the
| feet visited, the marked success of the
ships in steaming around the world in
| all weathers on schedule time has in
creased respect for our navy and has
added to our national prestige.
Our enlisted personnel recruited from
all sections of the country is young
and energetic and representative of
the national spirit 1t is, moreover,
owing to its intelligence, capable of
quick training into the modern man
of-war's men. Our officers ara earnest
and Jealous in their profession, but it
is a regrettable fact that the higher
officers are old for the responsibilities
Of the modern navy, and the admirals
do not arrive at flag rank young
enough to obtain adequate training in
their duties as flag officers. This need
for reform in the navy has been ably
and earnestly presented to congress by
my predecessor, and 1 also urgently
recommend the subject for considera-
i ton.
Early in the coming session a COM
prehensive plan for the reorganiza-
ton of the officers of all corps of the
navy will be presented to congress,
and l hope it will meet with action
suited to it's urgency
Owing to the necessity for economy
in expenditures. l have directed the
curtailment of recommendations for
naval appropriations so that they are
thirty-eight millions less than the cor
responding estimates of last year, and
the request for new naval construction
is limited to two first class battleships
and one repair vessel.
The generosity Of congress has pro-
vided in the present naval observatory
the most magnificent and expensive as
Economical establishment in the world
1t is being used for certain naval pur-
poses which might easily and adequate
ly be subserved by a small division
connected with the navy department
at only a fraction of the cost of the
present naval observatory. The Of
fetal board Of visitors esta blished by
congress and appointed in 1901 ex-
pressed it's conclusion that the official
head of the observatory should be an
eminent astronomer appointed by the
president by and with the advice and
consent of the senate, holding his
place by tenure at least as perma-
nent as that of the superintendent of
the coast survey or the head of the
geological survey and not merely by
detail Of two or three years dura
ton. I fully concur in this judgment
| and urge a provision bY law for the