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19¢2.] | MARINE REVIEW AND MARINE RECORD. . require to be docked for thorough survey. Experts are aware that the form ofa ship afloat differs from that of the vessel as she lies on the keel. In the case of a 11,000 to 12,000-ton cruiser recently launched it was found that the ends had dropped from the level line to the extent of practically an inch while a specially watched seam in the center of the ship had opened and sub- sequently closed to the extent of 1/5 inch during the period of launching. Warship building being so much in evidence just now it may be of interest to give some notes from the programs of European nations. The French vote of 396,798,738 francs is about the same as in the current year; but there is economy in administration and a much-increased vote for ship building, especially in private yards. The Russian program includes a total expenditure of 104,417,791 roubles, more than in the current year, when a very good addition was made to expenditure. The ship building vote of £4,460,000 shows an augmentation of about £500,000 to carry forward the program of new ships, seven in the case of Russia. Of the smaller powers, Sweden proposes an armored cruiser, a sea-going torpedo boat destroyer, and three first-class and three second-class torpedo boats. 'The naval advisers of Sweden have put forward the view that the torpedo boat must be an important element in the defense of Sweden and Norway with their innum- erable bays. Of 'Spain it is announced that the minister of marine has introduced a measure which embodies radical re- forms in administration, and a new ship building program, in- cluding twelve large battleships and several high-speed cruisers The United States estimates amount to £16,485,300, which shows a considerable decrease. : An old and respected ship builder of the Clyde has passed to his rest this week in the person of Mr. William Simons, of William Simons & Co., Renfrew, near Glasgow. Following his father, who was a prominent ship builder in Greenock. Mr. William Simons obtained a practicay training in everything per- taining to ship building, and in 1860 he came to Renfrew as managing partner of works there. 'The excellence of the work turned out under his hands is proverbial, and amongst his own workmen the sharpness of his eye in detecting flaws was more feared than the inspector's visits. During his residénce in Ren- frew he tock a prominent part in public affairs, and was for many years a much respected member of the town council. The question of dock accommodation was a point strongly advocated by Mr. Simons. Mr. Simons's health, unfortunately broke down about 16 years ago, and shortly afterwards he completely severed his connection with Renfrew and with business. The firm ot William Simons & Co. have special renown as builders of dredges and special craft of a mechanical order. The combine between John Brown & Co., ship builders and steel makers, Glasgow and Sheffield, and Thomas Firth & Sons, steel makers and gun manufacturers, Sheffield, is being completed this week. 'The Brown company take seven-eighths of the share capital of the Firth company and give in exchange 90,000 of their own ordinary £1 shares and 24,000 of their preference £10 shares. The organization will be a very complete one for the building and arming of warships and high-class vessels. NAVY IS SHORT OF OFFICERS. Rear Admiral Henry C. Taylor, chief of the navigation bureau, in his first annual report presents an argument for an im- mediate increase in the number of line officers in the navy, to remedy a condition of affairs unparalleled in the history of the service and which cannot continue much longer, he declares, with- out the efficiency of the navy becoming affected. The need of officers, it seems, has made itself felt with increased force during the last vear, and Admiral Taylor says that if the government were suddenly called upon to man for war service all the vessels available it would be confronted with requirements impossible to meet. 'The mobilization of the great fleet for the West Indies maneuvers is pointed out by Admiral. Taylor as having brought this question to the fore. 'This condition, he says, is not due to any large number of officers being attached to ships now in ser- vice, but, on the contrary, he shows that United States vessels carry fewer officers than vessels of other navies. Admiral Taylor says that as the navy is unable to draw men from the small vessels of the merchant marine and as the num- ber of ships is increasing a large number of officers is required to drill recruits. 'Io this end he presents the following table show- ing the number of line officers, including midshipmen after gradu- ation, now required by the navy: : Total number of line officers, including midshipmen after graduation, required for vessels now, on navy list...... 1,206 For navy yard, inspection and court-martial duty, naval academy, recruiting, ordnance, equipment and engineer- ING Sic. ens cee So oe Lede e eee ete beet e eee nese ees 264 In transit to and from Stations. 27.20.05 36 70 Total 60 cs eels oo ee ei 1,540 Two per cent. -sick.....:.- Std ps bey css bene sec eras eee 30 Two per cent. on leave or waiting orders................. 30 Total. -soc5i3 Pe a a 1,600 The minimum number of line officers required to man a bat- tleship is: One commanding officer, one executive officer, one chief engineer, one navigating officer, six turret officers, two secondary battery officers, three power division officers, two as-. sistants to chief engineer; seventeen in all, including midshipmen. In order to make plain that this is the lowest possible estimate of officers actually needed on board battleships there is furnished the following statement of the number of officers actually placed on board ships of similar displacement by foreign powers; Eng- land (Barfleur), including midshipmen, thirty-three; France, (Bouvet), including 'midshipmen, twenty-six; Germany, (Kaiser Friederich III), midshipmen not included, twenty. : "It will be seen at a glance," says Admiral Taylor in re- ferring to this comparison, "that the estimate in the first case, which includes midshipmen, is at least 30 per cent. smaller than actual conditions now existing in other navies." ee The following table shows the number of line officers thought to be absolutely necessary for vessels now authorized by congress, but not completed: Lae oe Mame 7 eae oes 17 Des Moines 23.05; eee Georgia: so ae. 17 Chattanooga .¢7%, oe ee Pétinsylvania <6. 00 oe 17 ennesseéey = 02 Be es Rhode Island): 5.4.5 17 Washington', 05.5.3 15 HOumsiana (Pel gee ee 17 Atkansas 5 se cea California sss ee. ee 15 Nevada. es y Nebraska 922. Peres 15 Wyoming ...... ee, West Virginia. io.7. ; 15 Paducah ee 9 Maryland. 252.2; DIE aS Five submarines ...... 5 Colorado: oy 15 Cleveland io, 335°0 54) 12 South Dakota 207. 15 GalvestOn: ¢ 3075 4 Connecticut.) vac, 17 Tacoma: 2.8 cli ee Olio. Ue ea: 17 Plérida 2035 ee 7 Vingmniay le pee 17 Dubdue 25.4 Se 7 Missourl oct eee 17 Thirteen destroyers ... 39 New: Jetsey ) 17 Seven torpedo boats ... 14 St Lottis vie 12 Milwaukee (v.05) Ack 12 as Charleston <2 12 Total officers for which -- Denver oe eee 12 no provision is made. 498 This number (498) does not include the 25 per cent. allow- ance for sick leave and shore duty. With these added the total would be 623. The probable graduates from the naval academy by the highest estimate will be as follows during the next four Veaten | TOO3 8 Gk eee Re aoe 50 1000: gn ncr ere ee fe 1490 TOOASa Fa os eee 65 a a 1905) os ben Be eae 100 Fotal i363 a onk Admiral Taylor says: "The casualties last year among the line officers of the service, other than cadets of the naval academy, were forty, which for the next four years, without an increase in the number of officers in the service, would make a total of 160, which, added to 623, would give a total of the needs of the ser- vice for the above vessels, as far as naval increase in personnel is concerned, of 783. This number added to 577, the shortage which exists at the present time, will give 1,360. The graduates expected from the naval academy being but 355 during the next four years, the total deficit July 1, 1906, will be 1,005. 'This does not provide for officers required for the auxiliaries that would be added to the list of naval vessels upon hostilities being declared; for these purposes there should be added at least 200 more." It is recommended that the number of midshipmen at the naval academy be increased by allowing each senator and rep- resentative two appointments instead of one and a. midshipman from the District of Columbia and ten annually at large. Ad- miral Taylor also recommends that provision be made for two vice-admirals on the active list for duty as flag officers of the North Atlantic and Asiatic stations, where the heavier fighting ships are stationed. He also asks for legislation for the estab- lishment of a general staff with the control necessary to admin- ister more efficiently the affairs of the fleet. In the estimates for the next fiscal 'year $120,000 is asked for "gunnery exercises," which is ten times the usual amount, and Admiral Taylor asks that it be made immediately available, as pistol galleries are needed at all stations, rifle galleries at many others and ranges up to 1,000 yards at various points. As a result of close study of naval affairs from a strategical standpoint the general board of the navy, of' which Admiral Dewey is president, has decided upon an important plan for the division and distribution of the fleet. This plan, which will be carried into effect when the winter maneuvers in the West Indies are over, provides for the formation of two strong squadrons of armorclads, one for service in the far east and the other for ser- vice within the present limits of the North Atlantic squadron. All the available battleships will be withdrawn from the South Atlantic, the European and the Pacific stations and attached to one or the cther of the squadrons to be strengthened. It is un- derstood that the underlying motive of this new policy is the be- lief that in the event of hostilities between the United States and any foreign power the struggle will be mainly for the mas- tery of the Pacific, while it will be necessary to maintain a large force for home defense on the Atlantic coast.