PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE ADMIRAL DAVID D. PORTER, U. S. NAVY, 1873 REAR ADMIRAL JOHN L. WORDEN, U. S. Navy, 1874 REAR ADMIRAL C. R. P. RODGERS, U. S. Navy, JAN. 1875-JAN. 1878 REAR ADMIRAL EDWARD SIMPSON, U. S. NAVY, Oct. 1885-Oct. 1887 1911 Copyright by International Film Service. FLAGSHIP OF THE PACIFIC FLEET, THE U S. S "NEW MEXICO," IN THE MIRAFLORES LOCKS, READY TO PASS INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. PROMOTION AND NATURAL SELECTION I It is necessary to have a clear understanding of the duties and functions of the commissioned personnel of the navy in order to form an intelligent opinion on promotion. These functions have been undergoing steady alteration in keeping with the rapid development of mechanical devices in all branches of the naval service. It is proposed to discuss generally the functions of the commissioned personnel which result from modern conditions, in order to establish the basis for the system of promotion and selection advocated in this article. The United States Navy, built upon the principle that the best defence lies in a vigorous offensive, is, therefore, an offensive military organization. The personnel for such an organization should primarily be fighters, but the commissioned personnel necessarily have other duties as well. A most important duty--an essential duty-is to perfect the organization and the matériel so that the navy will be prepared to fight successfully when war comes. A navy, much more than an army, is an organization of slow development. Years are required to design and build a battleship, and months are required to train a recruit to be of material value as a member of its crew. A vital mistake in design, once incorporated into the fabric of a ship, can seldom be corrected, and, because of the cost and time involved, the defective ship cannot be discarded, but must be employed as a unit of the fleet. |