Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-21

eral parcel post has awakened great
opposition on the part Of some who
think that it win have the effect to
destroy the business Of the country
storekeeper. Instead of doing this,
think the change will greatly increase
business for the benefit of all. The
reduction in the cost of living 1t will
bring about ought to make its coming
certain.
The Navy Department.
On the I'd OF November last re-
viewed the fighting fleet of battleships
and other vessels assembled in New
York harbor. consisting of twenty-four
battleships, two armored cruisers, two
cruisers, twenty-five destroyers, twelve
torpedo boats, eight submarines and
other attendant vessels, making nine
ty-eight vessels of all classes of a ton
mage Of 516,634 tons. Those who saw
the feet were struck with its prepared
ness and with its high military eff
cheney. All Americans should be proud
of its personnel.
The fleet was deficient In the mum
Der of torpedo destroyers, in cruisers
and In Golfers as well as in large bat.
tleship cruisers.
The building plan for this year con
templates two battleships and two col
liers This is because the other and
smaller vessels can be built much
more rapidly in case of emergency
than the battleships. and we certainly
ought to continue the policy of two
battleships a year until after the
Panama canal is finished and until II
our first line and in our reserve line
we can number forty available vessel:
| of proper armament and size.
The reorganization of the navy and
the appointment of four aids to th'
secretary have continued to demon
strate their usefulness.
1t is certain that the navy with it:
present size should have admirals IL
active command higher than rear ad
mirals. Our great battleship feet il
commanded by rear admiral. witt
four other rear admirals under his or
ders. This is not as 1t should be, ant
when questions of precedence arise be
tween our naval officers and those o
European navies the American rea
admiral, though in command or tel
! times the force Of foreign vice ad
miral, must yield precedence to tn
latter. Such an absurdity ought not t
prevail, and it can be avoided by tn
creation of two or three positions o
flag rank above that Of rear admiral.
I attended the opening Of the ney
training school at North Chicago, Ill
and am glad to note the opportunit
which this gives for drawing upo
young men of the country from the IN
terror, from farms. stores, shops an
Offices, which insures a high averag
of intelligence and character anon
them and which they showed in tn
very wonderful improvement in disc
pline and drill which only a few shoI
weeks presence at the naval static
had made.
/ urge upon congress the necessit
for an immediate increase of 2,0C
men in the enlisted strength of tn
navy, provided for in the estimate
Four thousand more are now needle
to man all the available vessels.
There are in the service today aboJ
47,75O enlisted men of all ratings.
Careful computation shows that
April, 1912, 49,166 men will be requi
ed for vessels in commission, an
5000 apprentice seamen should
kept under training at all times.
The secretary Of the navy has re
commended the abolition of certain ,
the smaller and unnecessary nav
yards and in order to furnish a cor
plete and comprehensive report hs
referred the question Of all navy yart
to the joint board of the army ar
navy. This board will shortly NAL
its report, and the secretary Of Il
navy advises me that his recommend
lions on the subject will be presentt
early in the coming year.
, For the consideration Of matte
which are pending or have been di
posed of in the agricultural departme
, and in the department of CONNER
and labor l refer to the very excelle