During peace times every navy is maintained on a “peace basis”; only such ships and other material being kept in full commission, and only such a number of officers and enlisted men being actively employed, as the appropriations allotted by the government permit.  Those ships and other material that are not actually in commission are maintained in reserve, a condition of partial readiness, of which several degrees are recognized, in which a reduced number of officers and men are kept on board, and the various structures and apparatus are kept in as high a degree of readiness as circumstances will permit.  In order to man in time of war these vessels in reserve, and insure a sufficient personnel in the active fleet, a “naval reserve” is organized in each country, composed of officers and men who have had experience in the regular navy.  They are compelled to undergo a specific amount of training each year, to keep themselves in readiness at all times to answer the call for active service on short notice, and to maintain such communication with the government as will make it easy to locate any man at any moment.

The act of getting ready, the passing from a state of peace to a state of readiness for fighting, is called “mobilization.”  Mobilization plans are an important element in war plans, but the details of any mobilization plan are of such a confidential nature that it would not be proper to discuss them in public print.  There can be no impropriety, however, in making the general statement that in all navies the endeavor is made to keep the mobilization plans continually up to date, and to have them prepared in such detail that every officer and enlisted man in active service, the retired list, the naval reserve, and the naval militia, will become instantly available for a predetermined duty, and that every shore station and every necessary vessel will be ready to take part.  The plans prescribe methods in very great detail whereby the ships and other vessels in reserve can be quickly put into commission with full crews of officers and men, all their various equipments, fuel, and ammunition put on board, and the vessels themselves sent out to sea to join the fleet.  In addition, plans are made whereby certain auxiliaries can be fitted out at once and put into commission—­such as supply ships, ammunition ships, transports, colliers, mine ships, hospital ships, etc.  The mass of detailed plans, orders, and instructions is stupendous and bewildering.  Years of study, trial, and rectification are required to get them into such condition that the plans can be put into immediate and effective use when war breaks out.  The work must be done, however, and with the utmost thoroughness, before war breaks out; otherwise it will never be done, if an active enemy is about, because he will strike at once—­and then it will be too late.