Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-06-04
SHOULD
Be WATCHWORD
Of NAVY OFFICER
Secretary Meyer Delivers Com
mencement Day Address al
Graduating Exercises Of An
napoIis MidShipmen,

ICY Morning journal Special Leased wirei
Annapolis. MI, JuEe 3-Secre'ars
OF the Navy Never told the grnduat-
IN. .e!as-.ir- -i,- N-tv--rcsnemr'hrre
today that Tho navy should he so
constituted and drilled that II Will
have at all times the greatest possible
military efficiency"
'Undcr such conditions only he
added, can the navy protect the in
forests OF the country and insure
peace. The navy Is only a menace
and n needless expense when II is per-
mitted TO deteriorate and when the
military spirit weakens.'
Taxing models % the original kear-
sarge and Of the modern battleship
Michigan. which are in his office in
Washington. MI. Meyer said he could
think Of mo comparison hat would
demonstrate so well at a glance how the
duties OF the naval officer hav
changed, aud with il the Characters
ties OF the officer aud bluejacket."
Then after speaking Of the enlisted
men Of the navy, saying that. While In
former years IT was often difficult to
man the ships with American sailors,
today 80 per cent Of the crews are
Americans. he continued,
while the change In the require
monts Of the enlisted man is very
great, it is equally. II not more,
marked in the officer. and the trans
formation that has taken place in the
navy Is u transformation lot only in
personnel but IN material and IN the
methods Of handling 10Th.
THE battleship OF today is q vast
complicated mechanism and II re-
quires a skilled personnel to make all
parts work in unison To a common
end. This requires on the part Of Of
fSccrs and men OF the navy eXacting
drill and training. The young officer
Of today, instead Of being sent aloft
TO furl sails, Is sent down INTO the
stokchold to fire the furnaces ana
tend the boilers. There he learns how
everything must be maintained IN cf-
ficient working order to get the
greatest speed With the greatest econ
omy Of fuel
lie went on to explain how the
young officer is given a similar train
ing In regard to the other parts of a
vessels management.
Referring to the personnel bin in
PRODUCED in congress by which cap
talns viii be created from 43 to AZ
years Of age. and rear admirals ut %,
the secretary said
THE responsibility of commanding
IL battleship involves not only a thou
sand lives, but a vast expenditure OF
money and a possible loss Of q unit
in the fleet Of strategic Importance.
Therefore, a commanding oftlccr
should be at au age to stand the nerN-
Gus as wen as the mental and phys
ical strain. our admlrals should have
more time III that rank To get Irhe-
ticc rs squadron and division COM
manders before reaching the supreme
command Of the fleet
Ia conclusion the secretary Rdmon-
ished the young Officers to let their
nim be IAN earnest c%ndoavor at all
times TO attain the highest efficiency
and not to be satisfied With anything
less.
rThe country looks TO YOU" he as
serted. not merely to he content 10
step in the footprints of your prede-
cessors, but to make your own loot-
prints and to do under all circum-
stances the best hat Is IN Nou'
whether in peace or in war, and mus
maintain the reputation of the Amer
can navy for progressiveness, eiti-
,tongtr and pauragp.f