The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-27

! II believe It would require something
! like 1000 or 5000 additional men to fully
man the ships which think ought to
he fully manned upon the opening Of
hostiitles. 1t would take 5000 In addi-
ton to the above TO man other ships
that should Immediately BE- called out
OF reserve.
1T would not be possible to say just
how long it would take to train a man
to be useful. There are so many posi-
tons on board ship, and their impor-
tance Is graded ali the way from a man
OF little experience TO a man who re-
puires years Of training so that they are
able to All certain positions Immediately
and then, az their training increases,
they take more important duties They
get tho best training on battleships, ana
the battlcship must in tho end decide
whether or not We shall first I've ahlo 20
control tho sea. and next. i We ho strong
enough, falling on the sea, to guard our
immediate coast and the richest OF our
ports.
ut takes longer to train the men
capable Of filing the positions calling
for skill than II does to build a battle
ship" This admission on the part Of
Admiral Fletcher Is very significant.
To-day a large number of tho fighting
craft the navy would have to call upon
in time OF war are laid up 10 reserve and
manned by 40 called skeleton crews
These men have all they can do TO keep
tho ships structure in condition. and
they spend their dme AZ navy Yards
instead OF out at sea In those naunu-
vrea and practices that make a shin an
effective fleet unit IN time Of action
But. as Admiral Fletcher has said even
the battle fleet has suffered from lack
OF fleet mannuvres, and this among the
vessels fully manned and actively en-
gagged In meeting service requirements.
According 20 this authority. IL vii,
take these men Of tho active ships IN.
better part OF a month To reach that de-
gree OF efficiency demanded OF Cooporat-
ing ships OF the first line of defence. ~
what value, then, are the ships held in
reserve? How long would g; take ~
recruit their crews 10 their full measure
and make these craft equal to meeting
thoroughly prepared and determined
foe? II u !s recalled that dreadnoughts
take on an average thirty months IN the
building we have an answer to the
question and also food for thought.
In answer 10 this drec, question:
Assuming an enemy should send over
here more ships than we have and as
surning al the same time that, ship FIR
ship. ours were superior 10 theirs and
assuming also that the craftsmanship
of our men 4. superior TO theirs. then
would your assumption that tho foa
would whip us. because he had greater
numbers be true?" Admiral Fletcher
said Yes"
But Il would be claiming much too
much 70 assume American gun point
ers TO be unQuestionably superior to
those OF some other nations. The Eng
llsh Cunners have had an enviable rep
utation, and yet We know what hap
pened when the Germans attacked
Admiral Cradock's squadron Again,
Admiral Won Spec fought his vessels
until they sank. and he did this for
hours in the face Of an attack from a
far superior force. Il II certain that
the French the Italians and the lana
ncse are not very proficient IN marks
manship? Would II be wise 70 take
inefficiency for granted? In III. light
OF the reserved and careful way In
which Admiral Fletcher has spoken,
II probably would he grave mistake
, to contide In the skill and capacity ~
tho American navy II an enemy could
send against the United States a nu-
merically greater force