The navy.

I approve the recommendations of the General Board for the increase of the Navy, calling especial attention to the need of additional destroyers and colliers, and above all, of the four battleships.  It is desirable to complete as soon as possible a squadron of eight battleships of the best existing type.  The North Dakota, Delaware, Florida, and Utah will form the first division of this squadron.  The four vessels proposed will form the second division.  It will be an improvement on the first, the ships being of the heavy, single caliber, all big gun type.  All the vessels should have the same tactical qualities—­that is, speed and turning circle—­and as near as possible these tactical qualities should be the same as in the four vessels before named now being built.

I most earnestly recommend that the General Board be by law turned into a General Staff.  There is literally no excuse whatever for continuing the present bureau organization of the Navy.  The Navy should be treated as a purely military organization, and everything should be subordinated to the one object of securing military efficiency.  Such military efficiency can only be guaranteed in time of war if there is the most thorough previous preparation in time of peace—­a preparation, I may add, which will in all probability prevent any need of war.  The Secretary must be supreme, and he should have as his official advisers a body of line officers who should themselves have the power to pass upon and coordinate all the work and all the proposals of the several bureaus.  A system of promotion by merit, either by selection or by exclusion, or by both processes, should be introduced.  It is out of the question, if the present principle of promotion by mere seniority is kept, to expect to get the best results from the higher officers.  Our men come too old, and stay for too short a time, in the high command positions.

Two hospital ships should be provided.  The actual experience of the hospital ship with the fleet in the Pacific has shown the invaluable work which such a ship does, and has also proved that it is well to have it kept under the command of a medical officer.  As was to be expected, all of the anticipations of trouble from such a command have proved completely baseless.  It is as absurd to put a hospital ship under a line officer as it would be to put a hospital on shore under such a command.  This ought to have been realized before, and there is no excuse for failure to realize it now.

Nothing better for the Navy from every standpoint has ever occurred than the cruise of the battle fleet around the world.  The improvement of the ships in every way has been extraordinary, and they have gained far more experience in battle tactics than they would have gained if they had stayed in the Atlantic waters.  The American people have cause for profound gratification, both in view of the excellent condition of the fleet as shown by this cruise, and in view