Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-01
THE UNITED STATES NAV
ny FREDERIC j. HAskIN

I 600. 900. An initial Al
/ s?l 900 900 WAS made Il
! atruction os these new
I total naval appropria ION
I 100000. 600 The 1916 al
tptalcd s3S1.0oooV0; tho
/ subcommittee has raised
/ provision FOR the next hsc
| SJ3l 900. 900
Under the new program, ~
made for the types most need
, naNy--thc battle cruisers an
cruisers. which combine hig
with great gun power. VIII
/ breadnought type tho boating
! the sea. relies OH guns rather
| speed. the battle cruiser makes q
! tive knots and carries guns OF
calibcr The vessels under const
ton before the passage OF the nd
act are being rushed to conpletf
Three of the big batticshps are W
on the way to completion, 60 to 20 u
cent Of the construction havi"s bee
finished. and special appropriations o.
sl50,000.o0O have been included fory
speeding up the work.
More Men Are Authorized.
The enlisted force OF the navy totals
at present 1858 men. Under the new
act. there is provision for an inn
mediate authorized enlisted strength
OF $500 men and 5000 apprentice sea-
nen In emergency the President may
I Increase the authorized strength to
$1,000 men. With the usual proportion
OF apprentice scamcn added, the act
provides for a total Of $4,000 men
Congress has met the ideas OF the
naval experts quite closely in this
matter, for the preliminary estimates
OF tho bureau OF Navigation called for
. a total Of $4,000 men to meet present
needs. although recommending that
or 10 per cent be added for working
surplus.
The question OF nndng officers for
the new vessels. including even those
authorized aud building before the act
of August - Was passed, has come in
Tor considera bic attention. Under the
new program. about $500 active Inns
officers would he needed upon its com
plction. july L. 1921. The need sill
probably arise sooner, now that all
construction is being rushed. At pres
cnt the number Of officers in active
/ service is a little over 1000. Making
a allowance for tho yearly increase due
IL Iraduations from the Naval Acad-
einy. there viii be shortage OF 1900
officers when the building program, s
completed. Action ,s being taken to
meet the need by increasing the APP
pointmcnts to the academy at Annapo-
lis. Already tho entering first class is
the largest In tho history OF the
academy. comprising more than half
OF the total enrolment Further steps
will probably he taken. as they ought.
70 provide officers. There is some talk
OF es,a blishinS second naval academy
perhaps on the Pacific Coast.
Many Are Native born.
The $500 men Of tho navy. said .td-
mtral Dewey. arc the equals of any
naval force, man for man. II is a
I striking fact that very high pcrccn-
taCc Of these arc native born Amer
leans. OF the enlisted men, o. per
cent arc native born. OF the foreign
born per cent. the Philippine Islands
furnish tho larGos, proportion. After
/ tho 'h linntDCg
! pirc. There arc 49, men OF German
birth among the $500. ireland and
sweden ar. tho only two countries cI- ,
ccpt Germany who have contributed
more than 100 men horn OH their soil
TO tho American navy, Tho pro
pond.raucc Of the native born ~ over
"hct>"!nE - gratifying degree.
especially in view OF the high eli
cheney ~ tho force. sixteen States
furnish So per cen, ~ tho enlisted men.
New York. PENNSYLVANIA and Massa-
chusetts leading California ana Texas.
in tho WcS': Virginia. Georgia and
North carolina in the South arc the
heaviest contributors IN their respoc-
Besides the active enlisted person
rci. tn" resources 81 tho navy include
the naval militia. numbering 10000 Of
hccrs and mon. total which shows ..
l" per cent increase last year. Tho
naval act provides for force knowa
as IN" National Naval Volunteers, men
qualified rhysicaily and professionally,
for use in emergency, Practically the
entire naval m,litia !pe"tcd to vol
unteer in the Ma volunteers Tho
naval act also ted the naval re-
serve force. 10 embrace officers and men
formerly in the navy now in civil
life. officers and men Of the merchant
marine and other civilians qualified 10
serve III" navy in time OF need 1t
( IL estimated that there are more than
10000 men IN the country now in civil
life who have at ono time or another
served in tho navy
Tho present emergency has done
( much TO call attention 10 the needs Of
the navy. BY awakening the country
!" tho necessity for an ADEQUATE and
comprehensive naval program, con-
sistcn,ly carried out. and to the need
for sufficient appropriations made with
out skimp,uS. the crisis has been Of
real service 70 the United states We
have laid the framework for future
navy that viii he commensurate with
our Importance AS world power
Rut il looking forward to that navy it
should not bc forgotten that we al
ready have a formidable navy that is
highly trained efficient. with a stain
/ less record from Paul Jones to Dewey.
ready and able 20 get the utmost out
OF the lighting machines that the ma
ton has provided.