This html article is produced from an uncorrected text file through optical character recognition. Prior to 1940 articles all text has been corrected, but from 1940 to the present most still remain uncorrected. Artifacts of the scans are misspellings, out-of-context footnotes and sidebars, and other inconsistencies. Adjacent to each text file is a PDF of the article, which accurately and fully conveys the content as it appeared in the issue. The uncorrected text files have been included to enhance the searchability of our content, on our site and in search engines, for our membership, the research community and media organizations. We are working now to provide clean text files for the entire collection.
SECRETARY'S NOTES
The Board of Control having decided to publish Monthly the Proceedings of the United States Naval Insti- Institute tute monthly, has ordered the issue of the first Proceedings number in that form for January i, 1917. The amount of material to be published in each issue willl not be greatly increased, the object of the change being to place timely articles and the War Notes before members and subscribers at more frequent intervals, and nearer the dates to which they refer.
Examination of our files shows that sixty - A Note to two per cent of all line officers of the service Regular Members are members of the Naval Institute. While this might seem creditable, conversion to the Naval Academy scale gives but a bare 2.50 as the mark they receive in the subject “ Support of the Institute,” when there is no valid reason why they should not “ star.”
If it is granted that the Institute is fulfilling—even to a slight degree—its object of advancing professional, literary and scientific knowledge in the navy, then it must also be granted that the obligation of every one in the service to become an active supporting member is undeniable.
I he reason then that the Institute needs all the support the service can give is a more weighty one for becoming a member than is the consideration of individual benefit received from the receipt of the Proceedings and Institute publications.
Inspection of the Secretary’s Annual Report, which follows the notes, will reveal that the Institute, under its present membership dues, can never hope to become absolutely self-supporting; and, with the inception of the monthly issue of the Proceedings, the annual deficit will become greater unless the membership is largelv increased. The growth of the Institute in the past two years has been rapid, but this increase should be but the forerunner of the great expansion which the members of tire Institute themselves should bring about. Advertising and letter writing have their place, but there is nothing so persuasive as.the spoken word, nothing so clinching as an ocular demonstration, nothing so convincing as the recommendation of a friend.
The Institute is not a technical, line-officer’s journal; it is the medium for the expression of service thought and opinion. There is not room in the Proceedings for the mere technical details and design of ordnance and engineering equipment; for the intricacies of general storekeeping; for the instructions for marking clothing or the conduct of Swedish exercises; for the minute particulars of surgical operations; or for a personal and social column.
The Institute aims to present material which is for the general interest and education of every one in the naval service, the militia, the reserve and the body of civilians interested in the service. The Institute’s increased support then must come from the following sources:
The commissioned personnel of the navy and marine corps as regular members,
The enlisted men of the regular service, who may become subscribers, the subscription being the same as dues for members,
The coast guard, naval militia and naval reserve, members of which may become associate members, and
Civilians interested in naval subjects, the development and expansion of the naval service, who may become associate members.
Members are, therefore, earnestly urged to lend an active hand towards the expansion of the Institute:
(a) First of all in bringing the benefits of membership before those entitled to become members, and then in recommending the Proceedings to such of their friends as are interested in the navy.
(h) In giving the Institute the benefit of articles, professional notes, experiences and illustrations, and in recommending that others do so.
(c) In making use of the book department of the Institute, and in suggesting its use as well as the use of the information bureau to inquirers.
r
(d) In patronizing the advertisers who show their interest in the Institute and the service by helping to carry the former; in mentioning the Institute in answering advertisements; and in recommending the Institute to advertisers.
Frankness and candor can he used in appealing for support for the Institute, because it is not in any way a money-making concern or one used to further the interests of a few. The Institute is as mutual a concern as is a Wardroom mess, and the Board of Control may be trusted to insure that any profits the Institute may make will go back into the business of furnishing information and professional and historical knowledge to members and subscribers at minimum cost.
The present regular membership includes about 1900 commissioned officers of the navy and marine corps; there remain in the service eligible, but not members, the following:
Line .................................................................................................... 800
Staff ................................................................................................... 600
Marine Officers ...................................................................... 30°
Commissioned Warrant Officers....................................................... 55°
A total of............................................................................................ 2250
who should he members. The task which the present membership should set for itself is to secure 1000 additional regular members and 1000 associate members and subscribers during the coming year. This can easily he accomplished if each member secures one more.
It is believed that the scope of usefulness of the Suggestions Proceedings to members of the Institute can be Invited increased and all members are invited to assist in this work. Should any topic occur to you on which you think an article could well be written, or on which you would like to read one, send such topic to the Secretary and Treasurer, together with such explanation or comment as may appear desirable in order that the intent of the suggestion may be clearly understood. The Institute is desirous of obtaining good “ sea yarns ” for publication. It is hoped that any one who can spin such a yarn will submit it.
Announcement is made that “ Steam Tur- Book bines,” a Treatise covering U. S. Naval Prac-
Announcements tice, by Lieut. Commander G. J. Meyers, U. S.
Navy, will be ready in December. A detailed inventory of the contents of this book appears in the Institute’s Hook List. This announcement is of importance in that “ Steam Turbines ” is the only published work covering completely the installations and practice of the U. S Navy. This book will fill a long-felt want among all marine engineers and, especially among those interested in the U. S. Navy’s installations. It was written for use as a text-book at the U. S. Naval Academy, and is recommended for the same use in colleges and universities. Inspection of its table of contents will show that the treatment of the subject is remarkably complete; the number, excellence, and size of the numerous drawings and plates accompanying the text bear additional testimony to the care with which the book has been prepared and to its completeness of treatment.
The attention of divisional officers of the service is called to the value for general instructional purposes of “ Physiology, First Aid, and Naval Hygiene,” by Doctor R. G. Heiner, U. S. Navy. Inspection of its table of contents will reveal its possibilities towards the upbuilding of physical and moral character. It is a book that should be available for the use of every person in the naval service.
Authors of articles submitted are urged to Illustrations furnish with their manuscript any illustrations lliey may have in their possession for such articles. The Institute will gladly co-operate in obtaining such illustrations as may be suggested by authors.
Original photographs of objects and events which may be of interest to our readers are also desired, and members who have opportunities to obtain such photographs are requested to secure them for the Institute.
The Institute offers its services as a “ Bureau Bureau of of Information ” on professional questions and Information will endeavor to obtain replies from the best qualified sources. Those “ Questions and Answers ” which are suitable for purposes of general information, will appear in the Proceedings. It is suggested that knotty questions
which come up in professional examinations for promotion may well be submitted to this department.
In the review of “ Preparedness,” by Captain Corrections Henry J. Reilly, in our September-October number, the main office of the publishers, Daughaday and Company was in error mentioned as in Philadelphia instead of Chicago.
The word “ not ” in the third line from the bottom of page 1645, Whole Number 165, Vol. 42 should be struck out.
Since September 15, 1916, 4 life, 49 regulat Membership and 4T associate members have joined the Institute.
T,1 , The roster of the Officials of the Naval Insti-
NC'n«v • fCtC *ule ^or ^ie ^car October, 1916-October, 1917.
CiB S is published in this number.
Whole Nos. 145, 146, 147, 149 and 155 of the ProNotice ceedings (March, 1913, June, 1913, September, 1913, January-February, 1914, and January-February, 1915) are exhausted; there are so many calls for single copies of these numbers that the Institute offers to pay for copies thereof returned in good condition at the rate of 25 cents per copy.
Members, especially those on the retired list, and Address of civilians are urged to keep the Secretary and Treas- Members urer informed of the address to which Proceedings are to be sent, and thus insure their receipt.
The Institute Book Department will supply any Book obtainable book, of any kind, at retail price, postage Department prepaid. The trouble saved the purchaser through having one source, of supply for all books, should be considered. The cost will not be greater and sometimes less than when obtained from dealers. Bills will be rendered upon delivery of books.
I he annual dues for 1917 become payable on Annual Dues January 1, 1917. It is suggested that clues be paid in lump sums covering a period of two to five years; this method of payment has advantages for members as well as for the Institute and is practiced by a number of mem- hers, both regular and associate. Response to this notice will save the Institute a considerable sum in stationery and postage.
Members and subscribers are urged to notify Non-receipt of the Secretary and Treasurer promptly of the Proceedings non-receipt of Proceedings, in order that tracers may be started. The issue is completed by the ioth of the even numbered month.
The attention of authors of articles is called to Reprints of the fact that the cost to them of reprints other than Articles the usual number furnished, can be greatly reduced if the reprints are struck off while the article is in press. They are requested to notify the Secretary and Treasurer of the number of reprints desired when the article is submitted. Twenty copies of reprints are furnished authors free of charge.
Notice to The discount newsdealers is now io per cent,
Newsdealers ‘nstead °f die 25 Per cent heretofore allowed on subscriptions.
Annapolis, Mil, November 15, 1916.