New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-13
d LETTER RROM GIDEON WELLES.
HE oRrrrcrsBs SECRETARY RoDEsox's REPORT

HE CRITICIsEs SECRETARY RoBEsON'S REPORT.
The Hon. Gideon Wees, late Secretary of
the Navy publishes O letter in The Hartford C0urant,
addressed O. the Hon. George Robson his successor
He replies q, Iength to the paragraph In the latters
official report relating 10 tho Announcements OF officers
Secretary Robson says that Board OF Admirals, OF
which Admiral Fsrragut President, was convened
In 1905 the Secretary Of the Navy 70 report names for
advancement under the act Of April 81. 1874. Inc ad-
yancenents afterward made irrespective OF the
Board, and much dissatisfaction was the result ~ IS
recommended that the Department be authorized TO
aPpHnt board OF high officers TO examine the com
piafnh nado Mr.. Welles says that the paragraph Is
pervelon Of facts and betrays an absence OF norma
on on the subject The Board alluded to was formed TO
not obligatory. Furthermore, Mr. Robson had never
seen the report he speaks Of afterward shown aud
contents OF paper he had never seen. When
search was made for it in tho Department,
published statement that he had carried ii away with
him to Hartford. BY what authority" he says, =" DO
Of the action az BOard 1t was Of course mpossibe
to make selections for promotion which would be eat
rank and others to be superseded The duty OF tho
rotary was an unpleasant one The report IN question
reduced the rank OF onehaf tho naval officers This could
not be satisfactory TO the navy at large" but It
inevitable Mr. Weiles went through she entire naval
each Individual case AS the responsibility" he says,
twas with me. acted on my own convictions in con
standing" Leaving this point, which called out the
letter. Mr. Wees crcises one or Two other portions OF
VI Il
previous administration OF the Navy Department one
OF these points the claim OF the amounJ OF economical
work accomplished in repairing and changng vessels,
as compared with the old system He fails to state,
however. says Mr.. Welles the amount OF money
used in making those " economical changes and re-
pairs" The writer then usttes his own action at some
length showing the tendency OF Congress TO curall
naval expenses much, and quoting from his own re-
ports warning OF the necessity OF appropriations Tor
keeping the vessels in good shape. Congress was Kept
fully informed Of the deterioration gong on REFERRING
the saving fuel mentioned IN the last report MI
Welles says: In order to ascertain how this Immense
and promised saving fuel is to be elected u Will Do
necessary know how much coal Is consumed per an
mum, and at what cost In my report, December leoi
estimates for coal for the then ensuing year were Tor
$4,000 tuns. The following year, December 1865, the
estimates for the next ensuing year were $4,000 tuns
consumption Of about $1,000 tuns or an average OF 500
tuns per steamerthe estimate Of the Equipment Bureau
met the wants OF the service under the old system
as you term it, At S. which Is sometimes paid, the cost
for 80 900 tunsa years cOusumptonwOuld DO sl50OOO
This the total required for coal for steamers an
nually in time OF peace; and from this amount, In con-
sequence OF having given full sail power aud having
'rergged the steamers at great expense, you pledge
Yourself and declare 10 be shown by figures, that
YOU will mako a saving Of moro than s2,OO00OO per an
mum in the single item Of coal alone, Us CONSUMED
under the old sy stemP"