Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-14
THE NAVAL EEUD NEARING
CRISIS.

THE NAVAL EEUD NEARING A
CRISIS.
Unpleasant Relations Of Staff and Line
Officers.
AN OPEN BATTLE BEFORE CONGRESS rRoBABIE-
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS At THE NAVAL OBJ
: sKRvAToRY.
The feeling OF hostility and distrust which has
characterized the relations between the stan and
line officers Of the navy for so many years seems
now to be nearing another periodic eruption.
While this feeling Is continuous enough, and
while constant tits are in progress over minor
matters OF naval discipline and management, yet
1t Is only occasionally that matters reach such a
crisis that the din OF the warfare reaches the pub
lie ear. In fact naval officers Will say that the
enmity between the staff and the line has been
forgotten, and all sensible officers are willing TO
recognize the rights and functions OF both classes.
At the same time they will admit that there Is a
party composed OF the old fossils Of the navy,
AMI impetuous younger officers who try to STIR into
life
THE EMBERs OF THE OLD FEUD.
But In spite OF this disavowaI, 1t has been the
experience Of every Secretary OF the Navy, that
this feeling has by died out and II is a.
most daily experience for the head OF the navy
to find these factions arraigned against each
other in almost every detail in the management OF
the department affairs AS a rule, these little
battles are settled,and the warning factIons with
draw without eVoking public attention. and the
defeated party await The next opportunity IN the
fond hope or better success. Recently. however,
the line officers have been scoring one victory
after another, ana the c0mpiaints of the staff are
In consequence beginning to make themselves
heard outside OF naval circles. and 1t is the opinion
or those most familiar with naval administration
that point has been reached, when the patience
CT the sta If has ceased to he virtue, and that
AN OPEN BATTLE is INEVITABLE.
The history OF the staff for the time when the
pay corps was simply purser On board a man-of-
war; and the medical corps was a modest doctor
with the rank of first class seaman, Is but rep
ftfton OF these periodic eruptlons resulting usual
ly In an authoritative ruling to their rank and
duties, which freed them for the time at least from
the encroachment OF the line. Tie staff officers
Claim that at present they are suffering from
"ANNAPoLrs ACADEMY INFLUENCE"
which controls the management OF the navy. This
influence assumes as primal truth beyond dis
pute that every naval officer Is qualified for the
performance of any duty In the service, and all
that is necessary is that Ii an engineer or an
astronomer Is needed an officer should be detailed
for the duty. Those of the staff Officers who are
professional engineers or astronomers maintain
that mere ''detail" does not carry With 1t any
dispensatfon, either divine or human, comforting
upon an officer plenary learning in either OF these
departments On the other hand, the line officers
maintain that every naval officer fully versed in
his profession is competent to undertake. either I'm
person or under his direction, either OF these
branches or any other in the service. Upon this
issue the Two factions have been waging
BITTER FIGHT,
and the action OF the Secretary OF the Navy on
tne revised edition OF the navy regulations,
which he is now considering, viii probably lead
to an open quarrel 1t seems that there has been
no edition OF the regulations issued since 1876
and The staff claim that during the years that
heVe INTERVIEWED the line has succeeded in getting
number OF orders issued which fnfringed greatly
on their rights and functions. These orders are
Incorporated in the new regulations and hence
the stan are opposed to their adoption. The de-
lay In the approval OF the revised edition by the
Secretary is caused by the struggles OF these two
factions While the Issue upon this matter is re-
garded as one OF great Importance, it has not as
suned the proportions nor does it promise in its
present
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS AT THE NAVAL OBSERVATORY
indicates. In that peaceful and lonely retreat OF
science and malaria a storm is brewing which
gives promising Indications of turning into a
cyclone and dashtng itself against the doors OF
Congress with all the fury Of western blizzard
The line officers have during the past few months
since the death Of the former superintendent Ad-
mral Rodgers, been quietly carrying out their
Ideas, and the staff officers are greatly dsSati sled
ever since Lieut. Maury left the Naval Observatory
to GO with the south. The staff officers known as
professors OF mathematics have had charge OF the
work OF the Observatory. During the past few
months lieutenantS OF the navy have been placed
In charge OF the instruments, that OF the seven
instruments used In making observations but two
are stiii under the charge of the professors.
THE STAFF OFFICERS ARE VERY INDIGNANT
at what they regard as an infringement upon
their legitimate duties, and say that the profess
sional astronomers have always been In charge,
except during Lieut.. Maury's administration ex-
tending from 1852 to 1861; that the observations
taken during that time were, however found SO
Inaccurate that they were thrown away, and
there Is an hiatus OF these years in the records OF
the observatory. The staff officers do not. they
say, regard with favor the revival OF a system
which past experience demonstrates failure; but
they have to submit to superior
authority with the best possible grace.
and are probably willing to wait for time to
restore their rights The line officers maintain
that they are only taking into their hands the
direction of the observatory and have no intention
OF interfering with the work OF the professors
While ON the exterior all is peace, yet the pros
pect Is extremely stormy to those verSed in naval
Affairs. The entire difficulty will come before
Congress when the pending bill making appro-
pr1atl0n for new observatory is called for con-
sheraton The staff will oppose any appronria-
ton Tor the present, while there is prospect that
The erection OF the building will be under the
direction OF the line Officers. They claim that the
sclentlhc linen are the proper ones to superintend
the arrangement and erection Of a building where
tie details OF construction are OF so much import
ance IN carrying on the work OF the observatory
BUILDING ASs0CIATIONS.-A meeting OF gen.