New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-13
nauiels's Announcement
Gtaddens Heart of the
General Board.
GUANTANAMO THE
RENDEZVOUS, JAN. Is
o,se Reports Shortage of Off,
GERS In Navy More Serious
than That of Men.
rron It's Trfouns Bureau J

Warrington, Dec. 12.-Secretary DAN
a. announced tonight that as soon as
=. cruiser Tacoma could arrive at
W.. Cruz from Port-su-Prince, the
,...l..hip Minnesota would be ordered
-. for overhsuling. This will leave
Nv n. Texas and the Rhode Island
az. Mexican port. On this point the
s.crs.sry said:
GEAR Admiral Fletcher will return
:, washington tomorrow, preparatory
!. proceeding to Guantanamo on board
q. own flagship. The Atlantic feet
All rendezvous at Guantanamo Janu-
.,v Is for feet maneuvres and battle
.,setiee. There will be twenty-one or
asrbaps twenty-five battleships in the
sset."
4. -. General Board Of the navy. For
y. srst time in more than twenty
-o,ths the whole battle feet of the
i,sj,sd States will reassemble. The
Tsyss and the Rhode Island may join
Re Asst az this time, as neither IS IN
,,sd Of overhaul.
ss,ys.s-y Daniels himself is greatly
,isss.d. In the face of the criticism
gL,s own and the Presidents policy
~ Interfering with the maneuvres OF
-. ssst by using bsttleships for gun
LAT dutv. as the General Board claims,
nis opportunity 60 shortly TO get all
n, hehtsrs once more in a single
rroup Is 9 source of genuine gratifica-
Don.
Europes Strength in the Air.
Tia present strength in air wal
e-ait ef the European countries Is in
Sost,d IN Official estimates submitted
~ he Navy Department TO the House
Naval Committee and made public to-
hy II shows that Austria-Hungsry
al month has 500 aeroplanes and
iiriHblss; Belgium, so aeroplsnes, no
SiySbiss; Great Britain, 200 aero
san.s, Y dirigbles; France, 1,40c
ssrOplsnes, 80 dirigibles; Germany
400 seroplanes, so dirigibles: Italy
500 ssroplanes, 4 dirigibles; Japan, q
,sroplsnes, 2 dirigibles; Russia, LOCO
sropisnes, 20 dirigibles.
In supplementary written state
nsnt 10 the committee, Rear Admiral
Victor Blue, chief of the Navigation
Bureau, said the navy was suffering
more from q shortage Of officers than
RON Q shortage OF men.
There are altogether 4,565 men and
iO3 line officers short of the number
necessary 10 man the vessels Of mill
ary value which could be used In
II go nd
While there is little doubt that this
demand would be met by the eX-service
nm sow in civil life, confusion and
dslay would result unless an organiza-
ton vas perfected prior to the out
break Of war.
Navy Short Of Officers.
Shortage of officers in the total re-
eairsi Is more serious than that OF
Ken. II will necessarily be several
yan before the requirements can be
net as the supply Of officers is regu'
lated By the Naval Academy yearly
output. From captain 10 admiral Off
GERS are being promoted at an age that
VII permit of very little service in the
latter grade before retirement. A
bard which has been considering these
eonditons is now preparing its report.
OF the expense of campaigns CARVED
o. across the water at any great dis
isnee Admiral Blue said;
I worked out the figures some time
ago, and found that in order to keeI
'sr feet supplied with fuel and pro.
usIons while operating 5000 to 5000
rules from its base in the United States
scout 200 merchant vessels would be
iequired. Naturally, we would hope tc
gsi these vessels from the merchant
Esrine."
In the face of Secretary Daniels:
announced unwllingness TO advocate
az sppreciable attempt 70 increase the
ssfoplsns feet of the navy, the supple.
nentary testimony Of Captain Mark l.
Bristol, chief Of the seronAutical di.
Vision, made public by the House
Committee on Naval Affairs to-day
Slows that the head Of the service