The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-04
EUROPE'S NAVIES
OUTSHOOT OURS,
DECLARES FISKE
reats Accomplished We Have
Not Even Attempted,
Admiral Says.
CALLS on OFFICERS
TO EDUCATE T

AxSIpoL1s, Nd, June Sin the pres
sce OF Secretary Daniels and scores OF
,mcers OF the naval service at the Naval
,.osemy alumni dinner here tonight
p.ar Admiral Bradley A. Fiske made
a., ,mnressive address disclosing the true
~,.,s,ion Of the United States navy to
N. naval forces OF possible enemies.
pssponding to the toast OF THE
Navy" Admiral Fiske sketched the de-
,.c,s OF the navy in material. personnel
and organization. He showed how the
scrcs, nos at wal in Europe have sur
cssed the United States In the de-
,,opment and use OF the newer instru-
msn,s of naval warfare with superior
crvsn,zation and adequate personnel.
NJ declared tina, even n gunnery, which
m, been regarded as tho prize feature
6 the United States navy. the forces
IN Europe have achieved feats greater
than any even attempted In this u
~.
One Of the most startling features OF
Admiral Fishes speech was his state
ment tina Il was the duty Of naval
ofncers TO make laymen realize the facts
o. the nsvy as known to those Of its
service.
Must Risk Displeasure.
III we fear TO do this" he added.
1est we incur displeasure and spoil our
Individual careers we are unworthy Of
the uniform we veal and we fail our
country in her hour OF need just as
enectually as II we deserted u flag
In war"
This point in the Admiral's address
vss regarded as particularly interest,"
ing in view OF the fact that Admiral
Fiske is known to have been one OF those
officers who risked their entire official
status in c~ontending for the reforms
needed In the navy. He recently re-
signed as aide for operations at the
Navy Department because OF the stu
alton that resulted from his efforts. and
Il was largely his statements before the
House Naval Committee hat awakened
the country generally to the discussion
Of national defences. A large part OF
the credit for many innovations recently
accepted by Secretary Daniels. such as
the tendencies toward the creation Of
a general staff, is given to Admiral
Fiske.
In reviewing the situation the United
States would "a to meet in case of
an attack upon IL, he said:
An attack by one OF the great naval
Powers is the only kind we need con-
the attacking force?
what Attacking Force Means.
"Clearly the attacking force would be
a. great as the attacking force could
spare in order to insure its success and
minimize its losses. This means thai
the attacking force would include battle
cruisers, dreadnoughts. predreadnoughts,
scouts, cruisers. ~destroyers. submarines,
nine depot ships. mine layers, mine
.Reepers, airships and aeroplanes. all
fully manned. and all strategically di.
rec'et by a general STAFF.
What have we with which to op.
pose this force? A smaller number Of
dresdnoughts. predreadoughts and de-
stroyers than the enemy would bring
no battle cruisers, no effective scouts
one airship recently contracted for, only
three good aeroplanes not yet ready, ar
embryonic aeronautical service. tive
mine depot ships. one mine layer ant
Twelve mine sweepers also about forty.
i've submarines OF all kinds and ages
distributed over the Atlantic and Pacih,
coasts, Panama. Hawaii and the Philip
pines. none Of which has ever attempted
the feats like those so effectively per
formed in foreign navies now and ar
Inadequate merchant marine from which
10 get auxiliaries. To man even THU
insufficient material we have an en-
listed force insufficient even for that IL
time Of peace and no trained reserve
n d>no general stan or similar agency t
-oEt the whole.
This means that, reasoning on the as
sumption that the United States desire.
mat the navy shall be able to guard oul
coast effectively against the only kline
0! attack that would be made. the navy
must obtain several types of vessels an,
instruments that we do not now possess
OF possess IN only insufficient measur,
practically, must learn them. both a,
units and as members OF great unit
with a skill at least equal to that will
which foreign navies already use them
must enlist and efficiently train as larg'
a force OF enlisted men, active and re
serve. as our probable enemy would SEN
and must develop a general star or som'
similar agency as skilful and experienced
as theirs,
We as naval officers realize all this
ou' his will accomplish nothing unles!
make the laymen realize it too"
II was here that Admiral Fisk
warned naval officers hat they mus
mol fear to incur displeasure and spO.
tnelr individual careers.
He pointed out that the recent crea
uoh OF the bureau of operations wa
me hrst step toward a general stan
winch should have been taken ffte-I
years ago. and added that the Who'll,
world knew that the United States hat
NO Tested war plans.
Europe's Gunners Rest.
As to %gunners," he said. referrini
"what has been regarded as he rid'
" The American navy, 1.-THE news tina
Neps coming in OF achievements In Ion,
aahse Trims by European ships show
mat while We are as good In gun
huy as We have ever been our com
.a.4'ofs have accomplished feats greate
nan any that We have even attempted
This is destructive criticism, som
mAy say, True, but has destructiv
thucsm no constructive value? Yes
"cause until destructive criticism point
" iaults constructiveness will not b
seq and remedies will not be applied.
AN responding to the toast THE Presi
wy secretary Daniels said
woodrow Wilson has won a place /
ne UNITY OF Presidents who i~ncarnat
satehce' have a passion for peace an
,sa0ody the true American spirit. Fror
we cay he entered the White Hous
~ul ms hour no day has passed whe
tdkn rGgnnnEtIslltt.. an - -o.s ,-a
-m more heavily than upon any Pres
wi, since Lincoln.
IN this day OF national need for
.'ohg man at the helm America rest
,,eohhlence that Woodrow Wilson ha
SeNe1 The mantle OF Washington