The Washington herald., 1915-08-22

the increase in the angle of fire, it is
stated. the range of the l4-inch gun can
| be extended to the limit of vision on any
| sea and under any condition.
An increase of at least 5000 men will be
asked by the Navy Department for the
navy ana Marine Corps. At the last ses-
sion OF Congress the department went on
record for an increase OF 400 enlisted
men for the navy. and on this basis there
should be added about 1900 to the
strength OF the Marine Corps. The Ma
rine Corps is now a battalion short of
what is recognized as its required
strength in proportion to that of the
navy. If the navy should be increased
400 men there should be 800 enlisted men
added to the Marine corps, In addition
to the shortage of battalion that exists
now. But it is believed that the Secre
tary of the Navy, working in harmony
with the new policy of the administra-
ton for an increase in the strength of
the national defenses, will recommend a
larger increase than he did last session.
At the Secretary's request, Congress
passed the naval reserve act, which II
was thought would produce a large force
of reserves for the navy. This act has
not been a success, the number Of re-
serves now being only a few hundred.
inviting. former enlisted men of the navy
DO not seem to be disposed to take ad-
vantage OF it. With the failure of this
act it is evident that the Secretary must
take some stems to increase the number
of enlisted men on the active list. Just
what his recommendation will be is not
known AT this time. but il will proba bly,
depend largely upon the building pro-
gram which is authorized at the next
session of Congress.
The date for the opening of proposals
for the construction of submarines, au-
thorized at the last session of Congress,
has been again postponed, this time to a
date which will be announced later by
Secretary Daniels. 1t was originally in
tended by the Navy Department to open
the bids for this work on August ?, but
Mr. Daniels learned of the intention of
two shipbulding concerns to submit
proposals and plans. the preparation of
which would require more time than was
permitted if the bids were opened on the
date specified.
The dispatches from Galveston in the
first hours following the storm which
visited that part of the Gulf coast came
by way o. the radio apparatus of the
army transport Buford. which has been
held in readiness to take troops by way
of the Panama Canal to the Philippines.
1t was thus learned that the army trans
PORT Mcclellan, once used as a -efriger-
ator ship and not now in commission,
had broken loose from her moorings and
had drifted for a mile or more. resulting
in considerable damage. The army trans
port Fitzpatrick. also on. of commission
al Galveston. is supposed to be safe and
sound. The transport Sumner has been
at New York undergoing repairs and an
overhauling.
Secretary Daniels will probably recon-
mend to Congress at the next session
the provision of the rank title, and pay
of admiral for the officer serving as chief
of naval operations to apply only during
the individual tour of duty in that ca
pacity. as in the case of the comma nders-
in-chief Of the Atlantic. Pacific, and
Asiatic fleets. The functions of the chief
Of naval operations are such that he has.
in a practical sense. supervision of the
fleets. determining in large measure the
character of the employment Of the
ships, and in other respects exercising
an influence. If not direct authority over
the destiny of those commands
Mr. Daniels believes that II is only
commensurate with the nature of the
duties devolving upon the chief of naval
operations that that officer should have,
while SO serving, equal rank with that
Of the feet commanders. aside from the
fact that the responsibility imposed upon
him by law is of character that JUST.
hes the increase in rank over that of rear
admiral provided by Congress when it
created the Office.
There will be prompt and willing COM
pliance at the Capitol with such a rec
ommendatton from the Secretary of the
Navy: 1t has been understood by MEM
bers of the Naval Committee that Con-
gress would be asked to increase the
rank which goes with the ONCE. and
there was, indeed. some discussion Of
making the chief Of naval operations an
admiral at that time. There will also be
sought Congressional authority for es-
tablishing an organization similar to that
of the bureaus, without necessarily
making the Office a bureau in name, but
giving it the graded clerical force re-
Quired for the. disposition Of increasing
business which the chief of naval opera
tons and his assistants are called upon
to transact and recently enlarged by the
transfer to Rear Admiral Benson's once
of what was the ONCE Of aid for ma
teriaL
Whitford Kane has returned to New
York after a vacation spent in Maine.
He is now engaged in preparing the
announcement outlining the activities
Of the Irish Theater OF America for