The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-06-10
Submarine Fl0tilla Will Soon
Be Augmented by Thirty
eight Boats Many
Reserve Ships.

tleSh1ps Alabama and the Maine; the
armored cruisers San Diego, West Vir-
ginia and South Dakota; the cruisers
Brooklyn, Charleston, Milwaukee, st.
Louis, Chicago. Albany, Marblehead.
Montgomery and Salem. Destroyers,
monitors and gunboats are also In this
class.
Out Of commission temporarily are
the battleships Indiana, Iowa and Mas
sachusetts and several cruisers, de-
stroyers and gunboats.
In recent letter from Josephus Dan
iels, secretary of the navy, to Presi-
dent Garfield of Williams college, in
regard to the progress of the navy in
recent years, Mr. Daniels stated the
following in part:
under the direction of Admiral
Naval War college and approved by the
department. the fleet has been busted
in tactics to try out it's efficiency and
readiness. All reports tell of the en-
thusiasm of officers and men in this
practice and the splendid record made
by the ships.
Strenuous Practice"
"The spring practice followed close
upon the heels of valuable maneuvers
and tactics in October, November and
December last This was indeed siren
uous practice, but it is the way the
navy is kept fit and ready, and the
new admiral in command of the fleet
and the department planned such ex-
tensive evolutions because the only
way that the navy can be always pre-
pared is by practice, and practice. and
then more practice.
This simple statement of the opera
tons of the fleet since October is one
of the best answers ! can give to your
question as to the navy'S preparedness.
The necessity of keeping ships in Mex
leo last year denied Admiral Badger
the opportunity for as long practice rs
he had wisely planned. but the sudden
call for the expedition to Vera Cruz
demanded and eXacted unusual service
to which the fleet responded with an
alacrity ard readiness which amply
justify the faith of the country that
there exists today no more efficient i'll
stitution than the United States navy.
Some critics have said the efficiency
of the feet was reduced by reason OF
going to Vera Cruz To our regret
certain maneuvers and target practice
of value we're necessarily omitted
The emergency experience. however of
a year of stress and strain was of far
greater value in one important respect
than the well planned routine. because
it gave a demonstration Of the readi
ness of the navy in every department.
afloat and ashore. to meet an urgent
call.
its FlexibiIity.
Its fexibility was shown in adjust
ing itself to entirely new and unex-
pected situations, as we'll as its re
markable adaptability in handling ev-
cry problem presented to it.
1T must be conceded by all that the
best school and preparation for war is
war itself, and it was almost under
this condition that our fleet acted in
proceeding almost in day to Mexican
waters. The stay at Vera Cruz, how
ever, did not prevent practice. for the
ships, individually or in divisions. dur
ing great part Of the time held tacti-
cal maneuvers, torpedo proving prac-
tice and subcaliber drills in prepare
ton for target practice.
For many years officers have writ
ten and talked about the formation of
advance base material and the prac-
tice Of exercising landing parties of
seamen and marines in the use Of this
important adjunct to naval warfare
Congress appropriated money for this
important plan Of campaign, but never
until January of last year was the
navy thus exercised.
There had been plenty Of talk, but
not until January of last year was it
undertaken Then, under Instructions
from the department, Admiral Badger.
carried out comprehensive exercise
in which the professional advantages
gained by officers and men were ines
Unable
"Three months after this extensive
practice had been given for the first
time in our navy the same feet and
the same men were called upon to land
at Vera Cruz. and in the taking of that
city the navy carried out under fire
what had been learned at Culebra.
S70,ooo,o0o For the Navy.
During the first two years Of the
Wilson administration upon my recon-
mendation congress authorized the con-
struction Of five Dreadnoughts, to cost
about S14,OOO,OOO each. Stated In dol
lars, the Wilson administration in it's
first two years authorized $70,0OO,OOO
to be spent on the chief fighting force
| of the navy.
"As to submarines, these wonderful
agencies of war have astonished the
world in the present European conflict.
The Sixty-third congress ordered the
construction of three seagoing subma-
rines. the largest ever authorized by
any country, and twenty-three subma-
rines of the same size and type which
have done such fearful execution in
the present war. These submarines
will cost S16260.OOO-
/ "Some of our submarines are not as
perfect as they should be, nor are the
submarines of any other nation. Tn.
| der this administration. however, the
THE SIXTH MAINE REUNION.