TABLE OF CONTENTS. Report of the Solicitor, 147-150. Report of the Judge-Advocate-General, 151–159. Report of Board of Visitors to the U. S. Naval Academy, 161–163. Bureau of Ordnance, report of Chief, 339–354. Bureau of Construction and Repair, report of Chief, 355-483. 3 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY XXX NAVY DEPARTMENT? SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the annual report of this department. The detailed operations and work of the different bureaus are not included in my report and may be found in the separate reports of the chiefs of the bureaus. NAVY DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION. In my last annual report your attention was not invited to the fact that the Navy Department organization, which you approved and which was put into effect on the 1st of December last, was, to a certain extent, the outcome of the final report of the commission on naval reorganization headed by Mr. Justice Moody, which report was submitted to the President on February 26, 1909. It is true that there are differences between the report of this commission and the organization which was adopted, but the general plan of Navy Department organization and the provision for the duties of the assistant secretary and the divisions of Naval Operations, Personnel, Inspection, and Material are the same. It is proper that this fact should be generally recognized, as well as the fact that the report of this commission has formed the basis of the changes made. RESULTS OF PRESENT ORGANIZATION. The present organization of the Navy Department (or so much as concerns the aids), which aimed to place at the disposition of the Secretary expert knowledge and information in order that he might keep in touch with what was going on, has now been in operation practically a year. In consequence, the business of the department has been expedited and the Secretary is, without question, better informed on the workings of the department than has been possible under any previous system. It may be recalled that my last annual report explained the grouping of the different bureaus of the Navy Department into divisions and the appointment of four aids, who were to keep informed as to the working of each division and supply the Secretary with the necessary expert advice on the duties coming under those divisions. 5 The aids have not had during the past year any executive authority and have not signed orders to the fleet nor to the bureaus of the Navy Department. No statutory change in the department has been made, except the provision in the last appropriation bill for temporarily abolishing the Bureau of Equipment for one year, and the consolidation of store accounts for two years in the deficiency bill, both taking effect July 1, 1910. WORK OF THE AIDS. The work accomplished and the improvements resulting from the advice of the aids has been exceedingly gratifying. The aid for operations, Rear-Admiral Wainwright, has worked out a reorganization of the battle-ship fleet and the torpedo vessels which has brought about markedly greater efficiency. It has also produced a more even amount of repair work at navy-yards. This is of importance as a greater economy ensues and it keeps a more uniform number of good workmen employed. The work of the General Board, War College, and Office of Naval Intelligence has been better coordinated, so that our war plans and strategic studies are up to date. On account of the aid for operations being a member of the General Board, the military advice and recommendations from the General Board and the fleet have been reconciled with the necessary limitations made by the technical bureaus. The aid for material, Captain Fletcher, has been of most assistance and value in scrutinizing requests for repairs on vessels with a view to determining whether the final military value will justify the expenditure. Where such repairs are of an extended nature, the subject is taken up with the General Board and the Division of Inspections to determine the necessity or advisability from a military point of view. There can be no doubt that this method is preventing useless and unwarranted expenditures which have been made in the past. The machinery provided by the present organization seems wholly to overcome and prevent the criticisms directed against the old board on construction, which, composed of bureau chiefs, passed on repairs, and on the designs of vessels prepared by themselves. As the board met infrequently and its members were busy with their bureau duties, delays resulted. Repairs to vessels were recommended which are now seen to have been without good reason. The question of what military value would result after repairs were made was too little considered, as the table herein showing repairs to the older vessels of the navy will demonstrate. The designs of our vessels were, under this system, subject justly to criticism because the ideas of the seagoing officers were not fully considered. As an illustration of how business has been expedited under the present organization, the following is interesting: The design of |