New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
in detail Why this increase is

showing in detail Why this increase il
necessary.
The correspondence revealed that new
warships are being turned out faster
than they can be manned with che pres
ent limited personnel, and that, should
there be a change of naval tactics and
the nation be forced to defensive in
stead of an offensive fight, the navy
would be seriously handicapped In
handling the fleet against an enemy.
Wants Rear Admirals
Admiral Palmer said in his letter
that a shortage of officers of higher
grade should be made up, pointing out
operating in the war zone without a
designated commander other than the
British officer, Admiral Bayley The
submarine Chaser force in foreign
waters is commanded by captain, the
admiral said, whereas there should be
at least one rear admiral and prefer
ably two for this force.
The two American divisions of ar
mored cruisers also are without q flag
officer and there is no flag officer for
the division of super r-dreadnaughts
which will be added to the navy within
year. Admiral Palmer also pointed
out that the admirals and vice lad
mirals in command of American fleets
should nave rear admirals as chiefs Of
staff.
Merely to man our feet properly
and to make our war organization eff
cient," Adm.xal Palmcr's letter said
I'VE must have Immediately twenty
seven additional rear admirals, and
by July 1, 1919, six more, in addition
to those we have now"
42,146 Men Needed
Admiral Palmer said that specifically
42,146 men will be needed to man the
warships which will be turned out dur
ing the next fiscal year ending July l..
1919. This force he divided as follows:
For battleships, 4,400; destroyers,
29,992; patrol boats, $500; sea-going
tugs, 3,7G5; submarines. 1925; feet
fuel ships, 1,070; gunboats, ammuni-
tion ships, etc, 553.
On last April he wrote S3,475 men
were required for the permanent navy,
as follows:
On battleships, 33,4se; cruisers and
monitors, 1880; gunboats, 3,22S; de-
stroyers and torpedo boats, 1924; sup
ply vessels, 5,304; naval transports and
hospital ships, 2,506; tugs, yards, sta
tions, hospitals, radio stations, 5000;
submarines and tenders, 5037.
With force Of 131 ,4S5 men he esti-
mated that there must be a surplus
over those actually on duty of 1884 to
replace men wounded, on sick or regu-
lar leave
War Data Suppressed
Admiral Palmer disclosed interesting
data as to the number of American
destroyers operating in the war zone
and those to be sent next year. to-
gether with the number of submarine
chasers now overseas or soon to go,
but>several hours after the correspond
ence had been made public Mr.. Pad
Committee, through the Committee on
Public Information, asked newspapers
not to publish these details.
In his letter pointing out the neces-
sity for the increased personnel Ad-
miral Benson said the navy was handi-
capped by lack of sufficient officers
and that it could not operate success
fully with less than the ,485 en-
listed personnel requested of Congress.
Regardless of when the war ends"
Admiral Benson's letter said, "the
world is going to be in perturbed
state for years to cdne There are
many questions which will arise out
of this war in which we are of neces-
sity vitally interested.
Navy Must Have Men.
'1n order to be in position to assert
our rights as a people and to insist
upon the adoption at the peace confer
ence of the principles for which we
entered into the war, navy comparable
with our Importance is the first essen
tial. Ships alone cannot make navy
We must have ships, and Congress has
recognized this and appropriated ac.
cordingly. 1t is equally as essential
that we have the men to man these
ships and the officers of all grades
sufficient to insure the efficiency of the
whole. We have not the required mum
Der of men at the present time, moi
have we the officers.''
The naval appropriation bill will be
reported to the House Monday by it.
conferrees for instructions as to Senat,
amendments which the House manager
refused to accept. 1t is expected tha
the House will vote on these amend
ments the coming week.