Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-02-08
HOW UNCLE SAM STANDS TODAY IN NAVAL PREPAREDNESS
RY Z. NJ. KERRY.


NEW YORK, Feb. Slow long
will It take the United States Navy to
get ready. If the United States gets
into war?
How much OF a navy IL there that
can actually take the high seas and
maintain itself there continuously, II
war comes2
These are the questions flying
about the nation today
Here are the cold facts:
The navy has in commission today
Just 10 nrst-line dreadnaught battle
ships Of the latest design. To fiji out
the "hrst-line' of defense. the fleet
contains at present four Of tho best
OF the pre-dreadnaught ships.
As a screen" for this little fleet,
there are In commission IA cruisers
OF all types, and 3s destroyers fully
manned, while rs more destroyers
are in commission operating with re-
duced compliments OF men
For coast defense purposes-in-
GLIDING those in the Philippines. Ha-
wall, and the canal zone-there are
40 submarines in commission.
This, With certain necessary auxil-
larry vessels, comprise the active fleet
today
Eliminating certain OF the cruisers.
/ destroyers and older submarines Il IS
the ieet IN The Atlantic which is avail
able instantly
These vessels have practically full
crews. are in real active service. and
could sail at once on wireless orders
TO any point
What else Is aailabe?
J Forty-elght other lighting vessels
are "in commission IN reserve" with
one-half crews, and all equipment on
board except full stores.
} These include two frst-line dread
naughts, is pre-dreadnaughts, IT
cruisers OF all types and IL destroy
erB.
So far AZ sailing IA concerned,
these vessels could actually put to
sea within IS hours.
But-and II is a big but" Indeed
they would go TO sea sadly lacking
trained men to operate the machinery
and the guns.
II war Is declared. the President
will Immediately authorize increase
from $4,000 to $1,000 men, as provid-
ed In the last naval appropriation
bill.
In addition. there would be avail
able 636 officers and 7,706 men in the
! naval militia-partialiy trained men
who could 60 on shipboard at once
with some knowledge Of their duties.
/ II is estimated by Secretary OF Navy
Daniels that there are now IN this
country 10000 officers and men who
have been trained I'm the navy and
have gone into civil life.
A start has been made on the or
ganization OF a reserve, and II is es.
umated 5000 trained men OF this
class could be secured at once.
In addition TO the vessels "in com
mission" and in reserve there are
other vessels, Of smaller military
value. "in ordinary" that is TO say
with 5 to 10 per cent OF a full crew
and all equipment except full sup
plies.
Ships "in ordinary take abou
two weeks to make ready for sea, an,
as much longer as is necessary q
raise their crews TO fun strength
} The navy now has one cruiser. twl
destroyer three submarines and L
torpedo boats in ordinary.
In addition, there are three YER!
old second-line battleships. four cruz
sers. one submarine. and some auxil
iaries "out OF commission" Thes'
vessels would require months 10 make
ready for sea. and are or so small
military value as 20 be practically on
the navy list
Within a month. therefore, the ac-
tive fleet would contain, counting the
ships IN commission. In reserve and
in ordinary. at the present time 3S
battleships. OF the first and second
line, 80 cruisers OF all classes, 50 de-
stroyers, Al submarines, and 10 tor
pedo boats, counting only the real
lighting vessels OF the fleet.