Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-23
NAVAL LEGISLATION
OF DEEP INTEREST
TO ANNAPOLIS FOLK
Number OF Graduates Turned Out BY
Academy Far Short OF
Requirements

Adpts A1dtllS k@ddlIfSs ~dIlthS CAtSi Vi
the bureau of navigation of the Navy
department. who a few years ago was
stationed at the Naval Academy. ap-
peared before the naval committee of
the House of Representatives recently,
and gave some interesting data and ex-
pressed his views relative TO proposed
personnel legislation. This legislation
has close relaxation with Secretary
Daniels estimate of 21S,050 officers
and men who are to compose the naval
establishment after July 20, 1920. Ii
also bears directly on the settlement
of the question of how new officers are
to be furnished, a matter which
touches the Naval Academy and An
napolis so closely.
Under the tables, the personnel di-
vision calls for 1881 officers 10 that
number of enlisted men. In the regu-
lar establishment of the navy there are
but 2,553 officers, graduates of the Ma
val Academy or promoted after ex-
animation and recommendation from
the ranks. Under the law. as it stands
at present, with a total authorized
strength of 1877 ,4S5 in the regular es-
tablishment the navy is entitled to a
commissioned strength of 5,499 off,
GERS; and, as Annapolis is turning out
graduates at the rate of only about
five hundred a year, the required Of
ficers are not coming from that source.
There seem to be but two courses pos
sible- either cut down the number of
enlisted men or appoint officers on the
parament staff from some of the many
officers who have proved their worth
in the present emergency. Inasmuch
as the authorized total strength of en-
listed men is not enough to man the
ships that should he kept in commits
sion, ii will not do to cut down the
number of officers below the authoriz-
ed 5,499; but congress will have to en-
act legislation to authorize their re-
tention.
The main question that is raised is
that of increasing the authorized
strength of the navy above the pres
ent number-137,4S ASS. The expense of
such an increase is heavy and should
not be imposed without careful con-
|sideration, and it is quite certain that
as sort of cheeseparing policy thous-
ands of the men now in the navy would
in event of call in the next few years
be again available, but that is hardly
a fair way to look at the question, for
there is no reason why they should be
called second time to duty.
The strength of a navy is meas
ured by the number and efficiency of
its personnel quite as much as by the
number and quality of the vessels that
they are called upon to put into action.
1t is known now that, after providing
officers and gunners for the armed
merchantmen, destroyers, patrol boats
and other vessels put in operation at
the outset of the war, the personnel of
the battle fleet was so weakened that
it could not have gone into action, and
was complete demonstration of the
principle that the undermining of the
navy is false economy. Good manage
ment requires either that the ships be
not constructed or that the crews be
provided to keep them in good condi-
tion and to man them fully in case of
war
Speculation as to the size of the fleet
to be maintained is a waste of time,
but it seems not unreasonable that
none of its war vessels should be dis
posed of, and 1t is known that many
vessels are to be completed and turned
over to the navy from various ship
yards along the coasts. In the present
unsettled state of world politics big
navy may not be necessary, but there
is always chance of there being a
call for it and it would be sad not to
have it in case of need. The general
board, whose reports are usually not
considered except as a basis for the
desirable, without regard to financial
conditions. calls for great increase
in the number of war vessels and a
corresponding increase in the per-
sonnet