No. 31, page 345.-Brown powder for naval service-Department letter. No. 32, page 347.-United States Naval Hospital Corps-Memorandum. No. 33, page 351.-Regarding the Isham shell-Department letter. No. 34, page 353.—Harold D. Childs, to place on retired list (H. R. 22027)— No. 35, page 355.–Public lands reserved for naval purposes at Porto Rico- No. 36, page 361.-Relief of Lemuel Friend (H. R. 17677)-Department letter. No. 37, page 363.-Purchase of supplies-Department letter. No. 38, page 365.-Superintendent of teams, New York Navy-Yard-Depart- No. 39, page 367.—Increase of Navy-Letter from the President. No. 40, page 371.-Statement of W. S. Isham relative to outside explosions. No. 41, page 377.-Public works, Washington Navy-Yard-Department letter. No. 42, page 387.-Civil establishment, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, navy- No. 43, page 389.—Relief of James J. Mahegan (H. R. 13719)—Department No. 44, page 391.-Superintendent of teams, Bureau of Yards and Docks, navy- yard, New York-Department letter. No. 45, page 393.-Extension of time of making submarine-boat tests-Depart- No. 46, page 395.-Gunnery exercises, Bureau of Navigation-Department No. 47, page 397.-Smokeless powder-Department letter. No. 48, page 403.-Relief of Robert Lennan. No. 49, page 405.-Expenses, contingent, Navy-Department letter. No. 50, page 407.-Relief of John T. Smith (H. R. 22168)-Department letter. No. 51, page 409.-Reserve ammunition-Appropriation bill, change of lan- No. 52, page 411.-Civil establishment, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts (ap- propriation bill)-Department letter. No. 53, page 413.-Armor and armament (appropriation bill)-Department No. 54, page 415.-Relief of Kenneth McAlpine (H. R. 24420)-Department No. 55, page 419.-Relief of M. H. Plunkett (H. R. 22323). No. 56, page 421.-Retirement for physical disability-Department letter. No. 57, page 423.-Open purchases in Army and Navy-Department letter. No. 58, page 425.-Public works, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (appropria- No. 59, page 427.-Warrant officers appointed ensigns of the Navy-Depart- No. 60, page 429.-Ammunition and other supplies (appropriation bill)-De- No. 61, page 431.-Torpedoes and torpedo factory (appropriation bill)--- No. 62, page 439.-Recruiting (appropriation bill)-Department letter. No. 63, page 441.-Relief of Jabez Burchard (H. R. 22173)-Department letter. No. 64, page 443.-Purchase of land at navy-yard, Washington, D. C.— No. 65, page 445.-Ammunition and supplies for new ships (appropriation No. 66, page 447.—Public Works, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy No. 67, page 449.-Construction and machinery (appropriation bill)—Depart- No. 68, page 451.-Transportation of coal-Department letter. No. 69, page 463.-Appropriation bill-Bureau of Yards and Docks-Depart- No. 70, page 467.-Relief of Julius A. Kaiser (H. R. 24515)-Department letter. No. 71, page 469.—Transfer of property in Naval Observatory circle (S. 5873)— No. 72, page 471.-Relief of John H. Butman (H. R. 24893)-Department letter. No. 73, page 473.-Appointment of additional professor of mathematics (H. R. No. 74, page 475.-Authorizing Secretary of Navy to furnish metal for bell (H. J. Res. 236)-Department letter. No. 75, page 477.-Pay of mates (H. R. 8427)—Department letter. No. 76, page 479.-Authorizing Secretary of the Navy to continue to pay out of lump appropriations of the several bureaus of the Navy Department, classified civil-service employees-Department letter. No. 77, page 485.-Suggesting legislation in interest of Lewis Poessel and others-Department letter. No. 78, page 489.-Cost of repairs of iron or steel ships. No. 79, page 493.-Cost of improvements at the navy-yard, New York, necessitated by the building there of battle ship Connecticut-Department letter. [No. 1.] BUREAU OF NAVIGATION-STATEMENT OF REAR-ADMIRAL GEORGE A. CONVERSE. COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C., December 10, 1906. The committee met at 10.30 a. m., Hon. George E. Foss (chairman) in the chair. The CHAIRMAN. We start in with pay of the Navy, "Pay and allowances prescribed by law of officers on see duty." I see this year you have stricken out the next three words, officers on shore." Admiral CONVERSE. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. What is the reason for that? Admiral CONVERSE. The abolishing of the distinction or discrimination of 15 per cent less pay on shore makes the way on shore the same as the pay on sea duty, and that renders those words unnec essary. The CHAIRMAN. There seems to be no change, then, in last year's law until we get down to page 3, where the number of men is 37,500 instead of 34,500, an increase of 3,000. Admiral CONVERSE. That is what we asked for last year, but it was not granted. The CHAIRMAN. How are you in the matter of enlistments of men? Admiral CONVERSE. About 4,500 short now, just at present. But we have established more recruiting stations than we have had before, and the recruiting should begin to yield better results from this time on. The CHAIRMAN. Do you think you will need this full increase of 3,000 men this coming year? Admiral CONVERSE. That will depend very much on circumstances There are a great many causes which are influencing and retarding the increase, among which is desertion, just at the present time. First, you may say, is the prosperity of the country. The second is the law which requires all persons under 18 years of age presenting themselves for enlistment to produce a certificate of age or evidence other than their own statements that they are of the age required. Then there are the unfortunate reports that have been published in the papers in regard to mutinies, and so forth, on board ship-notably that recently on the Tennessee-absolutely without foundation, absolutely, but published in the South with very large headlines. Columns were devoted to it, and it has practically stopped enlistments there. Other causes have influenced or retarded enlistments. 3 We have here in my annual report the number of applicants we received in the various cities throughout the United States, the number that we rejected for various causes, the number that failed to present themselves for enlistment after having passed because many of them could not produce certificates of birth, and finally, the number that were accepted. We had altogether last year 40,918 applicants for enlistment, of whom we really enlisted only 13,418, rejecting the others for various causes-physical disability, undesirability, inability to produce a good record, etc. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. What was the number enlisted? Admiral CONVERSE. Thirteen thousand four hundred and eighteen. The CHAIRMAN. This is in your report? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes, sir. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. How many were discharged and deserted during the year? Admiral CONVERSE. The total number of discharges, retirements. and deaths was 8,701. Mr. KITCHIN. Can you tell how many were desertions? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes, sir. The total number of desertions was 3,998. The percentage of desertions based on the total number of men in the service was 9.04 per cent. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. Three thousand nine hundred and ninetyeight? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. Which made a little over 9 per cent? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes; 44,222 was the total number of men in the Navy. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. That was the total number of men in the Navy? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes. We had when we started in at the be- · ginning of the year 32,000, and we enlisted something like 13,000 additional men. We have to take into consideration all those new men who had an opportunity to desert. That is the way the percentage is worked out. The total number of men who enlisted during the year plus the number that we had at the beginning of the fiscal year was taken and the percentage of desertions figured out on that basis. The number of desertions is given in my report by ships and stations. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. You have not any of those reports here? Admiral CONVERSE. Yes; they have been sent to every member of the committee. Mr. KITCHIN. How many men are there in the Navy now? Admiral CONVERSE. About 32,000-a little over 32,000. We are lower just now than for some time on account of the withdrawing of two of our heavy ships from China and bringing them home with men whose terms of service have expired. The Ohio and the Wisconsin brought home 800 men each, and they have been discharged. Most of them were overtime, and the remainder were short-service men. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. I understood you-perhaps misunderstood you-that you had an authorization of 4,500 more men than you have enlisted. Admiral CONVERSE. Yes; more than we have got. Mr. LOUDENSLAGER. How would that make 32,000 in the service, then? |