New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-18

hesated to In the late wehad shown TO them the
value OF heavy ana monitors and to-day while other
nations improving by our pcrience and building
heavy ironclads with immense rifle guns fast cruisers
and powerful rams, standing still or moving
backward Much Of tnis deterioration undoubtedly
due to the niudcIous irregular OF the approp1a
tons made. but the main fault lay in the want OF just
such fixed policy and system the Commission pro-
posed would he able to devise. Finally Capt Luce SAID
that the officers found great for encouragement IN
the fact that Committee OF Congress was ready TO
give s attention to the suggestions OF officers In the
Navy.
Commodore Guest, In remarks which he made sald
that there is and must he a radical error In the
administration Of any affairs or business which is based
upon directions emanang from great number OF hhe
pendent bureau officers ~ IL the In the navy
Especially Is this true when the experts III the business
have little voice in its administration He Has
raed this system by citing many instances in which the
present system of bureaus in the navy "ofk
badly and often rregnlaIy, and held that the
only remedy was To have responsioie
board Of officers Of high rank aud standing
whose authority should the Navy under the laws
He also called attention the trying position III when
officers often placed when called upon To z"
into battle with inferior snips, and dwclt upon the feei-
ing prevalent among naval officers that the people wonu
tolerate failure, and that officer must hght, what
ever character Of his ship might be, since any 0hef
course would hrirg disgrace lie believed that officers
Of our Navy would always do their very bst, no matter
what means might placed in their hands, but thougit
il great Injustice to expect them To hGh' Da'"eS
with inferior ships
In answer inquiry why naval vessels are not
equal those of other countries, Commander Chshmdh
SAID the explanation To be found III the fact mat
We had settled naval policy He believed that 80 long
az was customary TO retain single Constructor IN
charge of Bureau many years We should have mario"
ideas navy would fall far behind in the character
of vessels built.
Commander Marvin thought that one reason "hN our
vessels RE no; a. fast ~ those other nations our
retention of class OF engines and boilers no" con
dciuucd by almost all naval authorities elsewhere
CAPT Luce said that he had once been informed lla INC
expenditures the Navy urins the war hdd reached the
enormous sum Of 81 5000 OoOo Even II il had been
only 5000 600 600 he held that very much OF that sum
mil lat nave been sVe If a fixed ard md'"nd'nt p"'y
had been before tho war, and he urged that
no time should d. LOST i'm taking that We are never
caught again 81 holly uuptc pared FOR an emergency
The Committee submitted a NUMBER of questions 10
prominent officers the squadron. aud r. eiv" answers
from most OF tuCm Rear Admiral IL Roy sad that nc
had had opportunity al judging OF thc Niiue ana
efficiency for cryIcc of he eight sioops0fwr recently
constructed. TIcir speed had not, TO his khO"cuSe'
been tested lie considered policy Of building rone
Of tlcm o iron as greatly fault ana he looked upon ~
hishlv objectionable tine practice 10y which, under the
name of repairs, new vessels now constructed.
n rcgald to political interference with naval matters
in the yards lac said he perfectly ~dti'hcd that
II had been materially detrimental to the uSeinl ana
economical government oil the yards. shifu and Nalu-
anc servants OF country, who, III many INSTANCES
have ser, ed IN action well orrs who would really
br at great use, have b,ea unable Ia get employment
VIII e worthless persons. who III some cgses nave only
recently arrived ~ the country have been admitted Tor
political purposes A. FAR our cruising 'et-'ls are
concerned. hc said. have adopted IA Obsolete iyIe'
while for. IN la advance OF IL. oar mont
tor. ne considered very valuable for coast and harbor
de.curc.