Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 October 1898 — NAVY IN NEED OF MORE MEN. [ARTICLE]

NAVY IN NEED OF MORE MEN.

Department Wants to Re-Establish the Foreign Stations. The Navy Department is hampered in its desire to re-establish the foreign naval stations by the limited number of fullterm men in the service. The enlisted force now includes about 8,000 men, who enlisted for the war only, and it is necessary to keep them on the North Atlantic or home station on account of the probability that peace will soon be officially declared, and they will be entitled to their discharge papers. Nearly all of the 12,500 long-term men of the regular navy are with Dewey’s fleet or on battleships of the North Atlantic station. It will be necessary to place some of the armored vessels out of commission if the ships are sent to foreign stations, and the department wants to keep all battleships and armored cruisers in active service.