The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-03
SECRETARY TELLS GRADUATING
CLASS At ANNAPOLIS THAT 1T
is A NECESSITY.
ONLY WAY TO SECURE PEACE
Refers to the Models Of the Original
kearsage and the Michigan as Elk
amples Of Progress is Uncle Sans
Navy.

Annapolis, Md. June 3.-Secretary
of the Navy Meyer told the gradu
ating class at the naval acade-
my here today that the Navy
should be so constituted and drilled
that it will have at all times the
greatest possible military efficien
cy."
Under such conditions only" said
he. can the navy protect the interest
of the country and insure peace. The
navy is only a menace and a need
less expense when it is permitted
to deteriorate and when the military
spirit weakens'
Taking models of the original
Kearsage and of the modern bat
tleship Michigan, Mr.. Meyer said he
could think of no comparison that
would demonstrates well at a
glance how the duties of the naval
officer have changed, and with it
the characteristics of the officer and
blue jacket" 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 SO per cent
of the crews are Americans, he con
tinued:
while the change in the require
ments Of the enlisted man is very
great. it is equally, if not more,
marked in the officer, and the trans
formation that has taken place in
the navy IL a transformation not
only in personnel but in material
and in the methods of handling
both.
THE battleship of today is a
vast complicated mechanism and it
requires a skilled personel to make
all parts work in unison to com
mon end. This requires on the part
of officers and men of the navy eX-
acting drill and training. The young
officer of today, instead of being
sent aloft to fur sails Is sent down
sent aloft to furl saids is sent
furnaces and tend the boilers. There
he learns how everything must be
maintained in efficient working or
der 10 get the greatest speed with
the greatest economy of fue','
He went on to explain how the
young officer is given similar
training in regard TO the other parts
of vessels management.
Referring. to the personnel bill in
troIuced in congress by which cap
tains will be created from AZ to 4S
years of age and rear admirals at
50. the secretary said:
THE responsibility of command
ing a battleship involves not only
a thousand lives but a vast eXpen-
diture of money and a possible loss
of unit in the fleet Of strategic
importance. Therefore, a command
ing officer should be at an age to
stand the nervous as well as the9
mental and physical strain. Our ad
mirals should have more time in
that rank to get practice as squad
ron and division commanders be-
fore reaching the supreme com
mand OF the fleet"
In conclusion the secretary ad-
monished the young officers to let
their aim be IAN earnest endeavor
at all times TO attain the highest
efficiency and not to be satisfied
with anything less
"The country looks to you" he
asserted. not merely to be content
to step in the footprints Of your
predecessors but to make your own
footprints and to do under all cir
cumstances the best that is in you,
whether in peace or in war an
thus maintain the reputation of the
American navy for progressiveness,
efficiency and courage"