The Daily Alaska empire., 1930-10-25
NAVY DAY.

Monday October 27 will be the hundred and thirty-second anniversary of the passage of the law establishing the Navy Department with Sec retary of the Navy to bs member of the Presi- dents Cabinet, at it's head Prior to that time such navy as we had was under the War Department. Just the year before three of the most famous of all American naval vessels had been placed in commits sion the frgates Constitution Constellation and United States" The legislation authorizing them, adopted in l794 provided for the construction of six frigates but conditions obtaining when the law was passed having changed, it decided that three would suffice for the time. October 27, the birthday of the Navy was long observed in spas modic fashion as Navy Day.
 The birthday of former President Roosevelt oc- cured on october 27 and he being such a stanch believer in the efficacy of strong navy in general and the efficiency of the American Navy particu- lary Navy Day has also been tied up with his name by the Naval League.
 Lieut. Oliver H Briggs, Assistant District Com munication Officer, stationed at Mile Seven, Cor dova, in letter to The Empire calling attention to Navy Day, offered the following regarding the work of the United States Navy in Alaska
 The prime. mission of the Navy is to insure peace The many minor missions assigned all lead to this prime mission We of the Navy in Alaska have mission, the establishing and maintaining of an efficient communication service part of that far flung service that keeps the Fleet mobile, furnishes navigational, Photographic and meteorological aids to the mariner, succor to the shpwrecked and distressed, and par tcularly in Alaska furnishes between vessels at sea and points ashore rapid inter- course.
 The Navy has established seven radio stations in Alaska: Sitka, Cordova, Kodiak Dutch Harbor and St. Paul radio traffic stations and Soapstone Point and Cape
 
 addition St. Paul, of the Pribiloffs, also maintains radio compass station. Each of these stations sector of the Alaskan coast, and reaches into inaccessible points during the cannery season, gather ing and forwarding communications.
 These stations, forming the Alaska Sec tion, 18th Naval District, are under immed- fate command of ,the Assistant District Communication Officer, with Cordova as Sec tion Headquarters Each station is under command of a Chief Radioman. A total of @ men these stations providing con- tinuous service throughout the day year in and year out. The Navy sleeps We in the service of the public every hour watching and safeguarding the shipping to and from Alaska, endeavorng to create sense of safety, to furnish that safety
 With the work of traffic stations most Alaskans aware. AS they travel the coasts they from time to time have mes sages they desire to forward to friends business representatives. The work of the radio compass stations is not so well known except to those who go down to the sea in ships" You may have wondered at the unerring way the ship has found it's way in to Cordova from St. Elias around Cape Hinchinbrook or hit the hole at Cape Spencer in stormy foggy weather. Ask the Captain, the Pilot the ships radio operator and he will tell you of the un- erring work of the Navys compass stations in giving the ship by of it's extremely fs.x5or rNpcitin at any given moment
 Another and important service furnished by the Navy's radio in Alaska is the gath ering and forwarding of the communications of other departments of the Government. This traffic is approximately 25 per cent. of the total volume. This amounts to considerable sum, saved to the Government.