The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-08
Rare Admiral Robson Play
ing at Soldiers. cSfS
IAN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The Dual Secretary in Conference with
the Chiefs Of Bureaus.
HOURS AT THE WAR OFFICE
How the Salty Minister Of Marine Transacta
Buinem-Judge Holt, General Townsend,
Surgeon General Barnes and
Admiral Case.

Surgeon General Barnes and
Admiral Case
fo1s - ~
{> WASHINGTON. April Q, 1873.
May the service united ne'cr sever.
SO warbed that plump and joviai mariner, Rear
Admiral Robson, morning or two ago. as lie
gayly traversed the narrow distance between the
Navy Department and the War ONCE Coming
from the former, he was about to enter the latter
as the above-quoted strain from an old and well.
worn sea ballad was borne from his lips by gentle
Spring zephyrs to the ears OF those about the door,
General Belknap, that heroic sized and visaged
son OF Mars, has gone westward with gallant Phil
Sheridan to inspect the latter's rough riders In
Northern Texas and on the Rio Grande; and as the
Attorney General has ruled that brave Tecumseh
Sherman is precluded by law from doing anything
useful in civil way, now that his sword is con-
demned to idleness, the whole burden OF govern.
ing the land and naval forces has fallen upon the
broad and shapely shoulders OF the Secretary OF
the Navy. Thus. again, after legal separation OF
seventy-fve years. duration, is the spectacle
offered Of united SERVICE" so far as concerns
the fountain head Of administration.
robson AT ARMY HEADQUARTERS.
On the particular morning above mentioned the
genial Minister had for that one day disposed OF
the naval destinies OF great nation by referring
them all to his alter ego, Admiral Case. for report
and opinion, both to be rendered on the day follow
ing, and was on his way, fresh and eager, to the
kindred department. to deal more directly with
questions which, because they were new and short
lived offered greater attraction to study and wider
fields for the play of original and unfettered ge-
MUS Before proceeding upstairs to the Minis
terIal sanctum he sought on the lower floor the
unpretending single room that Is made to support
the pretentious title OF Headquarters of the
Army but, early as it was In the official day,
Sherman, to whom secretary or shorthand writer
would be q hindranCe, had already read
and answered his daily average OF twenty or
thirty letters, and, escaping from confinement,
was taking ''all out OF doors" into his lungs and
measuring the capacous pave by hasty strides
toward the Capitol perhaps to develop new
thought into useful maxim, by following 1t up IN
Mr.. Spofords big library. Mr.. Robson, therefore,
stepped across The hallway to the room of Adjutant
General Townsend, gentleman, In person and
surroundings, intensely suggestive OF all that is
prm and proper, formal and decorous in bureau
cratic life. Here the chilliness of the official
atmosphere soon proved too much for the joyous
and worldly minded Secretary, accustomed, so to
speak, to the "comforts OF homer in the dim and
drowsy old Navy Department. His flight was has
tened, tOO by the impending recital of some alb
struse point OF military etiquette that arose during
the Florida war, and which, though happily settled
ut the time, after much official tribulation and
labor, was unhappiy recalled from the grave of the
adjutantal memory by chance coincidence of the
present time. 1t was against snch ghostly resur-
recti0ns that the Saxon-bearded Beknap had 80
often to raise the fervid invocation, "Good Lord,
deliver usp' and while wringing his brother Secre-
tarys hand on the breaking up of the last Cabinet
MOI ttny haf hta rtu RI inono
he had whispered in his ear hasty caution against
humping on the twin rocks OF Ir.m
CUSTOM" AND "PRECEDENT,n
as laid down in Townsends charts, while cruising
in company with the Adjutant General. So the
al interim Secretary OF War sought the room
above, wherein, after dropping anchor by the sec
retarial desk, he dropped his hand upon the knob
OF the cabell, placed in echel0n upon the right
flank OF Scott's Military Dictionary, with its left
slightly refused" as laid down in Upton and
Jomini. Answering the summons came colored
messenger, very model OF department, whose
cunning but not audacious fingers have in their day
tweaked the noses Of Presidents who gave free-
dom to whole races of bondmen, Ministers OF State
who organized the gigantic resources Of rich and
Industrious nation and Generals who conquered q
giant confederation or sovereign States, while @
hand sa e aaa
these connecting links OF past and present history
occurred the following conoquy:-
SECRETARY PRO TEN. Qmpressively) Orderly, I'm
here.
ORDERLY (non.committedly)-Y sir.
SECRETARY PRO TEM-Orderly is there O one In
attendance In the ante-room2
OkDERLY-Yes. sir; several chiefs ofburcaus.
SECRETARY PRO rEM.-wel, show them in. one at
time, and orderly, in order Of RANK.
The orderly, taking the last command az apply
ing to intellectual rank and, at all events, giving
doubt, ushered in the Chief OF Engineers, General
Humphreys, quiet, seft-spoken and modest man,
Met to his 70 81 match
scholar and gentleman. with apparent aim.
a plan OF certain notifications OF the forts of New
YORK harbor demanded by the changed conditions
Deers sitting at New By
and requiring the nominal approval of the Secre
tary OF war, as keeper OF the military chest. The
lace OF the dd interim War Minister lights up with
pleasure; at the very threshold OF his new duties
he has come upon familiar topic. In o friendly
phreys that he has been over the whole subject OF
sea coast defence with Case and the other boys
thinks and they think with him. that ali the money
now spending upon forts Is dead waste, and might
better be applied to the building OF sub-aqneous
torpedo boats, which, under the management Of
the navy, have solved
THE PROBLEM OF HARBoR DEFENCE.
Only the shadow OF q smile came upon the fea-
lures OF the man OF science as the man OF words
went on but none the less cruelty, because Kindly,
did he demoiish the AIRY and aqueous theories OF
it were among the possibilities or the future that
tine torpedo boats should, from their watery
graves, automatically blow the Citations and
certalntics that the coneentrc and cross
ere OF heavy guns nom casemates OF stone, pro-
earthen parapets would be needed to perform the
preliminary offices OF hospitality. He ceuld have
added, bat refrained nom adding, through cour-
tesy, That by the time the heavy guns, with the
auxiliary aid OF channel distractions and floating
tOrpedoes operated from land, mad ended with the
tOrDed0
be useful In clearing the wreck for the benent OF
peaceful navigation.
Confronted by two sides OF an open question, the
Secretary pro tenn falls back with his baqueous
torpedo squadron, giving New York the benefit Of
temporary provision OF defense by allowing her
seacoast f0rtincati0ns to stand. General Ham,
nlreYs haWa himself tn the autar daar he Secra-