.; Key West and Pensacola, Fla.; New Orleans,
La.; Guantanamo, Cuba; Culebra and San Juan, Porto Rico; Honolulu, H.I.;
Cavite, P.I.; Tutuila, Samoa; and Island of Guam, in the Ladrones
Islands. The floating dock Dewey, having a lifting capacity of 18,500
gross tons with a free-board of 2 ft., was stationed in the Philippine
Islands in 1906.

Besides these, there are important naval stations established for
special purposes, which in some cases are also available for ports of
supply and for repairs. These are: the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Md., for the instruction of naval cadets; the training stations at
Newport, R.I., and Yerba Buena Island, Cal., for the instruction of
apprentices; the proving ground at Indian Head, Md., on the Potomac
river, where all government-built ordnance is tested; the War College at
Newport, R.I., for the instruction of officers; the torpedo station at
Newport, for the instruction of officers and men in torpedoes,
electricity and submarine diving; the naval observatory at Washington;
and the marine post at Sitka, Alaska. Coaling depots have been
established at Honolulu, Pago Pago, Samoan Islands, and at Manila, P.I.
Naval hospitals are located at the Portsmouth, Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, Washington, Norfolk and Mare Island yards; at Las Animas,
Colo.; at Newport, R.I.; Canacao, P.I.; Sitka, Alaska; and Yokohama,
Japan.

The commandant of a navy yard and station, who is usually a
rear-admiral, is its commander-in-chief. His official assistants are
called heads of departments. The captain of the yard, who is next in
succession to command, has general charge of the water front and the
ships moored there, and of the police of the navy yard; it is his duty
to keep the commandant informed as to the nature and efficiency of all
work in progress. The equipment officer has charge of anchors, chains,
rigging, sails and the electric generating plant. The other heads of
departments are the ordnance officer, the naval constructor, the
engineering officer, the general storekeeper, the paymaster of the yard,
the surgeon and the civil engineer. The clerks and draughtsmen employed
by these officers are appointed under civil service rules, and their
employment is continuous so long as funds are available. The foremen are
selected by competitive examination, and their number is fixed. In the
employment of mechanics and labourers, veterans are given preference,
after which follow persons previously e