A GRAVE SITUATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7536, 9 May 1903, Page 3

A GRAVE SITUATION.

DESERTIONS FROM THE AMERICAN NAVY.

Tn view of Admiral Dowey's boast that the United States has tho best Navy in the world, it is inreresting to rend tho following from the ban Francisco "Chronicle" : —

"Tho numerous desertions from the Kavy which aro being repeatedly recorded are ominous for tho future welfare of that service. Nearly 100 of the crews of the Government vessels stationed at tho Brooklyn Navy Yard are said to have dfesertcd within a few days.

"Tliiese frequent and numerous desertions point clearly to tho unpopularity of the Navy among seafaring1 men. This is happening at a time when we axe just entering on a, policy of creating a big and powerful Navy, costing a. vast sum of money. For a long time the Department lias complained of the difficulty of obtaining sailors to man tho .'-hips in commission. The service is nob attractive. Most of the recruits are obtained from the interior States, and not from those on the seaboard. Similar complaints of tdie scarcity of men aro made by tho British Admiralty. Voluntary enlistments fall short of .supplying crews for tho warships of England, as they arc doing in this country.

"Wo can gst officers ill plenrty and to spare. But without enlisted seamen to man the sliipy, and) to work the guns, a big Navy ■will be worse tluui useless. Wo arc thus cr.ou.thur, throvigh our ambition to enlarge tho Navy, a difficult problem to solve. Wo are already confronted with the question, Wliat aro wo going to do with its persoiuiol? If men will not enlist for t«:i service voluntarily .under present conditions, -what can be done to popularise the Navy to increase, enlistment)Y If the only way to popularise the service is to offer larger inducements to enlistment by increasing the pay, then tho country must prep:u'o itee'.'f for a. proportionate ir^creaso in tlio Navy appropriations, which arc already enormous, and which ■will grow bigger as tho new warships we are building are i>ut. into commission.

''Tho fciutation is, possibly, grave enough to cause us lo question the wisdom of the policy of building up a. largo Navy in imitiLtion of European maritimo nations, for wliicli. as a nation cultivating peace, vre have apparentil" no other use than that of putting it on exhibition and providing lucraUvo berths for a favoured fe'.r."