DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: 1. The bureau is pleased to note that the ten 3-inch (day firing) guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Vermont, at the record target practice of 1908, attained the high average score of 15.50 shots and 11.35 hits per gun per minute. 2. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. 3. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Major-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. Very respectfully, Capt. C. H. LYMAN, U. S. M. C., N. R. USHER, Acting Chief of Bureau. Commanding Officer U. S. S. Vermont. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: 1. The bureau is pleased to note that the three 6-pounder H. R. F. (day firing) guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Kentucky at the record target practice of 1908 attained the high average score of 14.75 shots and 8.98 hits per gun per minute. 2. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. 3. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Major-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. Very respectfully, N. R. USHER, Acting Chief of Bureau. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: 1. The bureau is pleased to note that the two 3-inch 50-caliber guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Pennsylvania, at the record target practice of 1907, attained the high average score of 14.01 shots and 10.39 hits per gun per minute. 2. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. 3. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. SIR: 1. The bureau is pleased to note that the two 6-pounder rapid-fire guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Illinois, at the record target practice of 1907, attained the high average score of 12.04 shots and 8.62 hits per gun per minute. 2. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. 3. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. Very respectfully, Capt. A. S. WILLIAMS, U. S. M. C., U. S. S. Illinois. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 6-pdr R. F. guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Raleigh, at the record target practice of 1906, attained the average of 12.67 shots and 9.98 hits per gun per minute, being the highest division score with this type of gun aboard the vessels competing for the cruiser trophy. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. Very respectfully, First Lieut. C. F. WILLIAMS, U. S. M. C., G. A. CONVERSE, Chief of Bureau. U. S. S. Raleigh. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 3-inch guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Colorado, at the record target practice of 1906, attained the high average of 12.80 shots and 9.80 hits per gun per minute. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as a division officer. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. Very respectfully, Capt. C. S. HATCH, U. S. M. C., G. A. CONVERSE, Chief of Bureau. U. S. S. Colorado. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 3-inch R. F. guns under your command attained, on record target practice, 1904, an average of 11 shots and 7.75 hits per gun per minute, which is higher than any other average 3-inch division score in the navy. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, G. A. CONVERse, Chief of Bureau. U. S. S. Newark. Second Lieut. D. W. BLAKE, U. S. M. C., DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau takes pleasure in noting the excellent score made by the 6-pdr. R. F. gun under your command on board the U. S. S. Monadnock, record target practice, 1905, namely, 17.50 shots and 10.50 hits per minute; also the score of the 3-pdr. R. F. gun under your command, namely, 15 shots and 10. 29 hits per minute; aiso the score of the 1-pdr. R. F. gun under your command, namely, 21.50 shots and 15.50 hits per minute. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, First Lieut. W. E. SMITH, U. S. M. C., U. S. S. Monadnock. 77013-09- -27 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 6-inch R. F. guns of the division under your command, U.S. S. Oregon, record target practice, 1905, attained the high average score of 9.13 shots and 6.13 hits per gun per minute. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, G. A. CONVERSE, Chief of Bureau. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 4-inch R. F. (Dir.-Bar.) guns of the division under your command, record target practice, 1905, made the high average scrore of 10.50 shots and 5.75 hits per gun per minute, being the highest score of any division with guns of that type. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, Capt. D. P. HALL, U. S. M. C., G. A. CONVERSE, Navy Yard, Mare Island, Cal DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the division of 1-pdr. R. F. guns under your command. U. S. S. Raleigh, record target practice, 1905, attained the highest score of all divisions composed of guns of similar type on board of vessels competing for the cruiser trophy, namely, 16.25 shots and 11.75 hits per gun per minute. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, First Lieut. J. W. WADLEIGH, U. S. M. C., Marine Barracks, Navy- Yard, New York, N. Y. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the score attained with 3-pdr. S. A. gun by the division under your command on the recent record target practice is higher than any other division score with a similar type of gun. The bureau commends your zeal and ability as a division officer and has transmitted a copy of this letter to the Brigadier-General Commandant U. S. Marine Corps, for file with your official record. Very respectfully, Capt. D. D. PORTER, U. S. M. C., U. S. S. Missouri. G. A. CONVERSE, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The bureau is pleased to note that the 6-inch R. F. (40 cal.) guns of the division under your command aboard the U. S. S. Wisconsin at the record target practice of 1906 attained the high average 8.62 shots and 6.51 hits per gun per minute. The bureau therefore commends the zeal and ability displayed in the discharge of your duties as division officer. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to the Brigadier-General Commandant, U. S. Marine Corps, to be placed on file with your record. SIR: The department has learned with much satisfaction of the efficient work done by the First Brigade of Marines under your command in the execution of the plans connected with the defense of Subig Bay, and especially that of mounting the guns on Grande Island. 2. The spirit displayed by the officers and men is in accord with the well-known esprit of the Marine Corps, to which the department has on previous occasions referred, and to which it now takes pleasure in inviting attention. 3. It is directed that you inform the officers and men under your command, who were employed upon this work, of the department's appreciation of their excellent services. V. H. METCALF, Very respectfully, The COMMANDING OFFICER, First Brigade of Marines, Manila, P. I. Secretary. (Through the Brigadier-General, Commandant, U. S. Marine Corps, Headquarters, Washington, D. C.) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, SIR: The department has noted with great satisfaction the most excellent work done by the team representing the Marine Corps in the shooting tournament recently held at Camp Perry, Ohio, and Sea Girt, N. J. The efficiency of a soldier is largely dependent upon his ability to shoot accurately, and the department, therefore, records its appreciation of the work done by this team, which has reflected great credit upon the corps and the service. The result is the more satisfactory when consideration is given to the fact that this team was selected from but a small quota of the corps on shore duty in the United States which was available for this purpose. You will communicate to the officers and enlisted men of the team the department's views as above expressed. V. H. METCALF, Very respectfully, U. S. Marine Corps. The MAJOR-GENERAL, COMMANDANT, Secretary. HEADQUARTERS U. S. MARINE CORPS, SIR: 1. This office is in receipt of a copy of a communication addressed to the Secretary of the Navy by the commander in chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, under date of March 29, 1908, in which the latter commends you very highly for the excellent work performed by you as fleet marine officer in the preparation of certain plans, recently forwarded by him to the department, and requests that a copy of his letter be placed on file with your record, which has been done. 2. In this connection the brigadier-general, commandant, desires to express to you his gratification in receiving such a letter as that above referred to, and his appreciation of the work performed by you as set forth therein. 3. A copy of this letter has also been filed with your record at these headquarters. Very respectfully, Maj. DION WILLIAMS, U. S. M. C., G. F. ELLIOTT, Brigadier-General Commandant. Fleet Marine Officer, U. S. Atlantic Fleet, U. S. S. Connecticut. (Through Bureau of Navigation.) Mr. PADGETT. Mr. Secretary, I would ask if you had submitted to you a paper or document prepared by General Elliott setting forth the reasons why the marines should not be removed from the ships, and if this is a copy of the letter [handing a paper to the witness]? If so, I will ask you to make it a part of the record. Secretary NEWBERRY. The last part of it seems to be copied from a newspaper. I can not say. I was not Secretary of the Navy then. Do you ask if he gave it to me personally? Mr. PADGETT. If you saw it or had it read to you. Secretary NEWBERRY. I never read it that I know of. General ELLIOTT. After the Executive had signed his order, you were in the room, and I handed the Executive this paper [indicating]. Secretary NEWBERRY. This one? General ELLIOTT. Yes; and I brought it away and handed it to you. That is all. You saw it; do you not remember? Secretary NEWBERRY. That is it. I saw it after the executive order was signed. Mr. PADGETT. I would just like to have it put in the record as part of the matter. (The paper referred to is as follows:) NOVEMBER 6, 1908. STATEMENT OF FACTS AND ARGUMENT PRESENTED BY THE MAJOR-GENERAL COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS, URGING THE DISAPPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PROPOSED REDUCTION OF THE STRENGTH OF AND ULTIMATE REMOVAL OF THE MARINE DETACHMENT FROM THE VESSELS OF THE NAVY. 1. It has been brought to the attention of the Commandant of the Marine Corps that there is a serious movement on foot to reduce the strength of the marine detachments on board vessels of the navy with the intention of ultimately removing said detachments therefrom. So far as is known to these headquarters, no argument is advanced for this contemplated move, and it is believed that no cogent reason therefor can be urged. It is therefore considered as another effort similar to those which have previously been made from time to time by a few officers of the navy, which have invariably failed because of the lack of sound arguments in support thereof, and because of the strong reasons which hitherto have been and which now can be advanced against the consummation of such a radical and unreasonable procedure. 2. The records of the department will show that the proposition which is now submitted for decision is not a new or novel one, and it is believed that, after serious consideration, the department will, in view of the action taken by previous Secretaries, as well as the present head of the department himself, and also in view of the fact that no new arguments in favor of the reduction or withdrawal of marines has been advanced, and of the further fact that a majority of the line officers of the navy have been and now are opposed to this movement, which has been advocated by only a small number of officers, reiterate the previous decisions which invariably have been against the reduction and withdrawal of the detachment of marines from vessels of the navy. 3. It should be remembered that provision for organizing the Marine Corps was made by Congress nearly one hundred and thirty-three years ago, and that ever since the navy has been in existence the marines, although a coordinate branch of the military forces of the Government, have been continuously a part and parcel of the naval service, serving |