The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-04-25

the nations great experts upon the subject gath
cred together to determine just such policies 1t
is the sort of navy that has been steadily adyo-
Gated by the Navy League of the United States.
Just recently Secretary Daniels stated the
presidents position to the house committee on
naval affairs, evidently with the presidents con-
sent. He said the president favored at least two
battleships year. with the idea always In mind
Of keeping pace with the building programs of
the other great nations.
The general board of the navy, having merely
the needs Of the service in mind and not con-
sidering the matter Of appropriations that
gress might be expected to make, stated that pro-
vision should be made this year for four first
class ships. This need due to the lack of
adequate appropriations for the two years past.
Back of all of this is the declaration in the
platform of each of the three parties prominent
in the last presidential election declaring for an
adequate navy for maintaining American prestige.
The general board Of the navy is however, the
authority responsible for the drift Of this coun-
try toward the idea of a definitely laid down
policy operative through series of years with a
navy of given strength as the ultimate goal.
This general board is also one of the most inter-
esting organizations in the federal service but
one that is little understood.
Admiral George Dewey, the hero of Manila
bay, the only admiral in the navy, is president
Of the board The presiding officer of the execu-
tive committee is Rear Admiral c. F. Vreeland
who has been naval attache at St Petersburg
and Paris, has commanded a division of the At
lantic fleet, has served in important posts in the
department. These honors have come to Rear
Admiral Vreeland despite the fact that his first
service enlisted man, he having re-
ceved his appointment to Annapolis from the
post of an apprentice seaman.
The next officer in rank with the general
board also came up from the ranks. He Is Rear
Admiral w. II. H. Switzerland who was an en-
listed before going to Annapolis. He COM
Nicaragua two years ago for the expedition that
penetrated to Managua and Strengthened out the
affairs Of that muchtroubled Central American
republic. Rear Admiral A. NJ. Knight. of the
general board, is the navy departments ordnance
expert. He is the author Of Knights Seaman
Ship" the generally accepted authority on the
subject, and president Of the navy war college
Read Admiral B. A. Ffske is the inventor OF
the service Capt A. G. Winterhalter has seen
much service in far Eastern waters. Capt. H. S.
Knapp is a member Of the Joint board of the
army and navy and one of the men whe is build
ing the Notifications for the Panama canal zone.
Capt. John Hood for long time in COM
mand Of the battleship Delaware, making her
the efficiency ship Of the navy. Capt. w. r.
Shoemaker routed those romantic Moro pirates
out Of the southern Philippine waters.
1t was at the close of the SpanishAmerican
war that the navy department came to appreciate
the fact that it was an administrative organiza-
ton with no individual assigned to do any think