Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-06-04
HE URGES THE NEED
OF MILITARY EFFICIENCY
Government Official Tells Cadets IN
- Ger What Conditions Can the coun-
try Receive the Proper Protection
at Their hands--He Then Talks OF
Complete Transformation In Work.

ANNAPOLIS. NIL, June o,-oeSie-
tary of the Navy Meyer told the
graduating class at the naval acad-
envy here today that 1.-The navy should
be SO constituted and drilled that II
will have at all times the greatest
,ossible military efficiency"
Under such conditions only" he
added, "can the navy protect the In
terests of the country and insure
leace. The navy is only menace
and a needless expense when 1t Is
permitted to deteriorate and when the
military spirit weakens."
Taking models of the original
Kearsarge and of the modern battle
ship Michigan, which are In his office
at Washington Mr.. Meyer said he
could think of mo comparison that
would demonstrate SO well at glance
how the duties of the naval officers
have changed, and with 1t the char
aoteristics of the officer and blue
jacket" Then after speaking OF the
enlisted men Of the navy. saying that,
while in former years 1t was often
difficult to man the ships with Ameri-
can sailors. today Sc per cosst -sf
crews are Americans. he continued:
Complete Transformation.
while the change in the require
ments of the enlisted man is very
great, 1t Is equally, II not more, mark
ed in the officers, and the transfer
nation that has taken place In the
navy is 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 1t re-
quires a skilled personnel TO make
ell parts work in unison to a common
end. This requires on the part of
officers 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
stokehold to fire the furnaces and
tend the boilers. There he learns how
everything must be maintained in ef.
ficcnt working order to get the great
est speed with the greatest economy
Of fuel"
He went on to explain how the
young officer is given a similar train
ing in regard TO the other parts of
a vessels management.
Officers ShouId Be Younger.
n2f. y -.
,roduced in congress by which cap
tsins will be created from 43 to As
years of age and rear admirsls at
So, the secretary said:
The responsibility Of commanding
battIeship involves not only a thous-
! and lives. but vast expenditure of
money and a possible loss of a unit
IN the feet of stragetic importance.
Therefore. commanding officer
should be at an age to stand the ner-
vous as well as the mental and phys
ical strain. Onr admirais should have
more time in that rank to ge; prec-
tice az squadron and division CON-
manders before reaching the supreme
command of the feet"
In conclusion the secretary admon-
ished the young officers 20 let their
aim be ~an earnest cndeavor at all
times to attain the highest efficiency
end not to be satisfied with anything
less"
Make Your Own Footprints.
The country looks TO you.- he as
serted. not merely 10 be content to
step in the footprints Of your prede-
ocssors but to make your own foot
prints and TO do under ali circum-
stances the best that Is in you. whe,h-
er IN peace or In war. and thus main
Tain the reputation Of the Americsa
navy for progrsssivencss. efacieacy
and courage