The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-08

In message to Congress just be-
fore the holidays President Taft dealt
with the navy as follows:
On the End of November l reviewed
the fighting fleet of battleships and
other vessels assembled in New York
Harbor, consisting of twenty-four bat
tleships, two armored cruisers, two
c"uisers, 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 576,634 tons. Those who saw
the fleet were struck with its prepar-
edness and with it's high military eff
ficiency All Americans should be
proud of it's personnel
The fleet was deficient in the num-
Der of torpedo destroyers, in cruisers,
and in golfers, as well as in large bat
tlship cruisers, which are now becom-
ing a very important feature of foreign
navies, notably the British, German
and Japanese.
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 year until after the Pan
anna Canal is finished and until in
our first line and in our reserve line
we can number forty available yes
sells of proper armament and size.
= The reorganization of the navy and
the appointment of four aids to the
secretary have continued to demon
strate their usefulness. 1t would be
difficult now to administer the affairs
of the navy without the expert coun-
sci and advice of these aids, and ] re-
new the recommendation which made
last year, that the aids be recognized
by statute.
1t is certain that the navy, with Its
present size, should have admirals in
active command higher than rear ad-
mirals. The recognized grades in or
der are: Admiral of the fleet, admiral,
vice admiral, and rear admiral. Our
great battleship fleet is commanded by
a rear admiral, with four other rear
admirals, under his orders. This is
not az it should be, and when ques-
tions OF precedence. arise between our
naval officers and those of European
navies, the American rear admiral
though in command of ten times the
force of foreign vice admiral, must
yield precedence to the latter. Such
an absurdity ought not to prevail, and
it can be avoided by the creation OF
two or three positions of flag rank
above that of rear admiral.
I attended the opening of the new
training school at North Chicago, Ill.
and am glad to note the opportunity
which this gives for drawing upon
young men of the country from the in
terror, from farms, stores, SHOPS ah'
offices, which insures high average
of intelligence and character among
them, and which they showed in the
very wonderful improvement in dis
cipline and drill which only a few
short weeks presence at the nava
station had made.
invite your attention to the con
sideration of the new system Of deten
ton and of punishment for army an'
navy enlisted men which has obtained
in Great Britain, and which has mad'
greatly for the better control of tn
men. We should adopt similar sys
tenn here.
Like the Treasury Department AM
the War Department, the Navy De
partment has given much attention l.