Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-23
BIG PROBLEM TO
SUPPLY FLEET
Admiral Fiske Treats of Navy'S
Greatest Need in Article
in Sea Power"

Washington, June %. - The art,
the science, the tragedy of the work,
of the naval strategist, are detailed in
a human document by Rear Admiral
Bradley A. Fiske contributed to
Sea Power. the new magazine publish
ed in the interest of the Navy League.
the first issue of which appeared this
week. That the United States has no
agency in its navy department to
place its developing fleet nor lay out
possible campaigns is deplored by this
veteran of the sea who agrees with all
other experts that the most crying
need of the service is navy general
staff
"Of all the arts and sciences" he
says, ''the art and science that are
the oldest and the most important;
that have caused the greatest expendi-
lures of labor. blood and money. that
have been the immediate instruments
of more changes and greater changes
in the history of the world than any
other. are the art and the science of
strategy.
Needs Imagination
IA considerable degree of imagin-
alton is required" he continued, IAN
almost infinite patience. and a perfect
willingness to work indefinitely with
out any reasonable expectation of get
ting tangible results. more hope
less task can hardly be given any man
or body of men than that of working
out plans. general and detailed, day
after day for contingencies that will
probably never happen, and to guard
against dangers that will probably
never come; preparing tables, dia-
grams and schedules, which are al
most certainly doomed to rest forever
in the sepulcher of the confidential
files.
But no matter what plan is to be
followed, a detailed plan for every pro-
bate contingency must be prepared ;
and 1t must be elaborated in such de-
tail that it can be put into operation
instantly, when the fateful instant
comes; because the enemy will put his
plans into operation at the same time
1--WE do, and the one whose plans are
executed first will take long steps to-
ward victory.
The Tedious Job
THE most tedious part is the logis-
tic-the arrangements for supplying
the fleet on the way and in the distant
theater of operations with the neces-
sary provisions, equipment and am
munition, and, above all, the fuel. The
average superdreadnaught consumes
about 460 tons of coal per day at full
speed, and about 10S tons at 10 knots;
and coal or other fuel for all the
dreadnaughts, battle cruisers. cruisers
of various classes, scouts, destroyers,
subm arines, ships. aircraft of differ
ent kinds, hospital ships, ammunition
ships, transports, and the fuel ships
themselves, must be provided by
means that must not fail.
when the fateful instant comes
4 the final command to mobilize puts
into execution whichever of the plans
already made is to be followed; and
| for this reason it is clear that the var
ious plans must include all the var
ious orders that must be signed for
carrying it into effect, including the
particular word or phrase that directs
the execution of that particular set oi
plans.
1t is the story that the final order tc
the British navy in the early part oi
August. 1914, was the word Go" Al
the units went together Immediately
Understandings. unitedly; and the
greatest machine the world has eyel
alton at full speed. No such stipend
Gus feat, physically considered, hac
ever been done before.
The Work of the strategist in war il
arduous, pressing, definite and excit
ing; and results are apt to follow deci
sions quickly. He plays the creates
and oldest game the world has known
with the most elaborate instruments
and for the largest stakes. In mos
wars. the antagonists have been 81
nearly equal in point of personnel anc
materials that the result has seemed t.
be decided by the relative degrees o
skill of the strategists on both sides
This has been the verdict of history
and victorious commanders in al
times and in all lands have achieve,
rare glories and been crowded will
higher honors, than any other man."