Evening star., 1928-12-09
LACK OF CRUISERS
..DECR|EDBY WILBUR
Secretary's Report Declares
Tactical Training Hurt.
Wants More Officers.

their maintenance in the highest state
Of battle efficiency is seriously handi-
capped by the lack of cruisers. accord
ing to the annual report of Secretary
Curtis d. Wilbur Of the Navy Depart
'nlent. made public today. Lack of suf-
ficient officer and enlisted personnel to
meet the increasing demands of high
state of efficiency and the situation with
regard to surface vessels Is further ag-
Eravated by the increasing demands on
the service for personnel for the fast
growing aviation branch.
Calling particular attention to the
value of extended cruisers by the fleet.
Secretary Wilbur said that no more
valuable training of the units Of the
feet can be he'd than these, and he
adds. that the results of the scouting
urobleni conducted On the outward trip
to Hawaii during the year. as well as all
similar problems, brought out the I'M
rortance of cruisers for feet operations
and show how badly handicapped our
feet is by the shortage of this existing
type. Mr. Wilbur also points cut that
the detachment of a light cruiser divl-
sion from its regular station for urgent
duty in China so far reduced the already
small number of cruisers that II was
iniprac.ic icable to give this class OF vessel
proper tactical training.
Urges More Officers.
In order to correct the shortage in
officer personnel, Secretary Wilbur rec
cmmends that the Naval Academy De
uiaced on a statutory five-appolntment
basis instead of the four now prevailing
and which is limited by the approprla-
tions. Such resumption would not De
effective until 1888 in the output Oh
graduates and from that time thereon
should supply from rs to 100 ofncerS
ner year over the number resulting from
the four appointment basis.
The ratio of officers to enlisted men,
he saws, was fixed at 4 per cent by the
act of August 49,. 1916, in contempla
ton of the Navy then existing ana IN
prospect. In the meantime, conoltlons
have changed radically, ana the ratio
of 4 per cent no longer meets the needs
of the service. The rapid development
az. aviation, and the increased proper
tion Of. smaller vessels In the fleet,
combine to require materially greater
r1ercentaae of officers to men than did
tnA Navy in 1916 Further, new aux
tliary weapons have come into being
each recurring the services OF large
and constantly increasing number OF
officers. and similar demands have to
be met due to increases in number,
size, and complexity Of the older-type
weapons of the service. The author
iSAti ratio of line officers to enlisted
men should therefore be increased from
the present 4 to 6 per cent.
Mr.. Wilbur says that the Navy may
be operated in peace time with Q
shortage of personnel, but at q cost OF
either reducing the number OF vessels
in commission below that necessary for
the varied peace-tif1ie activities Of the
Navy, or Of reducing the personnel
Atoard the individual vessels below the
point where the efficiency of ships can
be properly maintained. A shortage,
requiring the reduction of vessels al.
lowahces of personnel below the point
Of eniciency exists during this current
fascal fear, and will increase in the
future unless adequate measures ara
taken to forestaIl it. This anticipates
increase is due in part to the COM
rnissicning of new vessels bit In large
part to the growing demand Of the
, air navy for personnel, which has II
five years increased from less thar
5000 to nearly 1900. while the tota
OeilcerS and men have decreased 1000
9 net loss to the surface navy Of 5000
AeSeEVe supplies Low.
The shortage of the reserve supply
Of powder for naval guns, due to the
Lake Denmark disaster, Is brought te
the attention OF the President by the
Secretary Of the Navy. who adds that
the funds available for the purchase
Afd manufacture OF powder are mot
xifnpleAt 70. replace the annual ex.
penditufe for target practice and rou-
tine test firing.
While in. an emergency, he says, the
naval powder factory at Indian Head,
Nd, could at little additional expense
! be I expanded to more than twice its
present capacity, 1t iss considered essen
tie1 to Preparedness that existing civil
IAN manufacturers Of smokeless powder
for naval guns be prepared to expand
tb&ir facilities and deliver powder in
Quantity In case Of war. This can be
accomplished by the award Of small
ANNUAL contracts to powder nianufac-
ftikers. which will permit them 10 sfre-
! tan their specially qualified personnel
and maintain, in operating condition
Without t1inaneaI loss that part Of their
plant that Is capable OF manufacturing
sMkya3 powder. - ~
= Setfstarys Wiibuf said that progress
IL heilie made: ii development o!
4 means sa yolCe fc6rn1nuni be
tween q disabled. submerged submarine
ana a surface shih. The apparatus
consists OF a transfnitter in 4 water
tight, shell surrounded by an electro.
magnet, all attached to several
fAthons of diving cable This is
dropped over the side of the rescue
AkAsel and upon touching any part OF
the submarine. will be held In place by
Mks ei6StFoKnagneb which viii s.be de-
5tHaed S0f sufictent strength to hold
itself ID place even With q weight Ct
several fathomS of cable.
Throughout the year, he says, ap-
proximately two-tfirds of the strength
OF the Marine Corps have been en-
ployed upon expeditionary, foreign OF
&44 duty outside of the United States
of these, the operations III Nicaragua
have been the most trying and weari-
some on officers and men. due in the
s most part to the primitive condition
! and the precipitous and dense char
'acter of the country TO be traversed In
subjugating the outlaws and bandits
sE1iere.
~ Taking up the matter Of enlisted per-
sonnel, Mr.. Wilbur says that the allow
Ances for ships and stations for the
Sfiscal year 1928 were inadequate. 1t IL
apparent, he continues, that new con-
.Strlction programs Invariably -neoessi.
tate increases of personnel to MAN the
ships when commissioned and that to
ef1odently provide for these acquire
) fnents the total numbers must be in.
creased during the fiscal year prior to
commissioning. Present methods oil
providing for personnel preclude al!
such provisions. and when new ships
5 are commissioned an already In
adequate distribution of personnel mus
be disrupted resulting in a greater in
:. adequacy throughout the feet and q
tnu,Ariy1o NJ afaciaucv