is not only to invite, but to insure, disaster and disgrace.  To improvise crews at the outbreak of a war, so far as the serious fighting craft are concerned, is absolutely hopeless.  If the officers and men are not thoroughly skilled in, and have not been thoroughly trained to, their duties, it would be far better to keep the ships in port during hostilities than to send them against a formidable opponent, for the result could only be that they would be either sunk or captured.  The marksmanship of our navy is now on the whole in a gratifying condition, and there has been a great improvement in fleet practice.  We need additional seamen; we need a large store of reserve guns; we need sufficient money for ample target practice, ample practice of every kind at sea.  We should substitute for comparatively inefficient types—­the old third-class battleship Texas, the single-turreted monitors above mentioned, and, indeed, all the monitors and some of the old cruisers—­efficient, modern seagoing vessels.  Seagoing torpedo-boat destroyers should be substituted for some of the smaller torpedo boats.  During the present Congress there need be no additions to the aggregate number of units of the navy.  Our navy, though very small relatively to the navies of other nations, is for the present sufficient in point of numbers for our needs, and while we must constantly strive to make its efficiency higher, there need be no additions to the total of ships now built and building, save in the way of substitution as above outlined.  I recommend the report of the Secretary of the Navy to the careful consideration of the Congress, especially with a view to the legislation therein advocated.

During the past year evidence has accumulated to confirm the expressions contained in my last two annual messages as to the importance of revising by appropriate legislation our system of naturalizing aliens.  I appointed last March a commission to make a careful examination of our naturalization laws, and to suggest appropriate measures to avoid the notorious abuses resulting from the improvident of unlawful granting of citizenship.  This commission, composed of an officer of the Department of State, of the Department of Justice, and of the Department of Commerce and Labor, has discharged the duty imposed upon it, and has submitted a report, which will be transmitted to the Congress for its consideration, and, I hope, for its favor, able action.

The distinguishing recommendations of the commission are: 

First—­A Federal Bureau of Naturalization, to be established in the Department of Commerce and Labor, to supervise the administration of the naturalization laws and to receive returns of naturalizations pending and accomplished.

Second—­Uniformity of naturalization certificates, fees to be charged, and procedure.

Third—­More exacting qualifications for citizenship.

Fourth—­The preliminary declaration of intention to be abolished and no alien to be naturalized until at least ninety days after the filing of his petition.