New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-29
TIE LIFE.sAYING SERVICE.
REASONS WHY 1T sEJULD not BE TRANSFERRED
TO HE CONTROL OF THE NAVY DEPAETMENr
LEY IkLEGRAPm 10 IME rMIRuNG.l

REASONS WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE TRANSFERRED
TO THE CONTROL OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
fBr TELEGRAPH rHE rmBUSs.l
WASHINGTON. JAN 2s.-Neary all the heads Of
Treasury bureaus whose transfer 10 the Navy De-
partm ut was recommended by the present oec,e-
t.ry of the Navy, have submitted 10 the secretary
of the Treasury written arguments against tho
change. That CT the greatest public nterost Is tho
letter Of Mr. Kimball, sup penutcndent OF the Life
Saving Service After inumatmg that the only
reason for the proposal is the desire to provide for
id.e naval officers, Mr.. Kunbal refers to previous
attempt made transfer the service in 1878. There
was then, he says vague idea that the Lfe-Saylng
Service and the Navy were IN natural atni y IN AZ
much as both had dealings with the
The loss OF the luTon IL mentioned to illustrate the
essential difference between surfmen and sailors.
Had there among the sailors oi the Huron,
says Mr.. KimbalI n single surf fisherman from the
coast before them. he would have carried limo
from The vessel TO the shore, established commune
cation and saved every sOul on board. How surf
men on ship or shore would have done in such an
emergency was shown the ease of the sloop-of-
war Kansas at Greytown. Nicaragua, in April,
1872 where, after iour boats containing thirty
eight men had been successfully capslzed IN broad
daylight, and ordinary surf, in the endeavor
to land, the natives rode out in their
common boats through the breakers and
saved the remainder OF the crew.
In any country in the world, except in Russia, Mr..
KImball says, lif--savIng service had been civil
service In its inception. With the single exception
OF cork life-boat got up by an English naval ohl-
GER all the iir-saving appliances IN this and every
other country-liie-boat surl-bOat, nle-clr,
brreches buoy, wreck-gun, boat-carrage line
rocket coastou hight, aud everything eise-were In
vented or devised outslde OF the Navy rhe Nayy's
inspiration.
Mir Kimball further says:
The case has not: grown better, but worse.
since 1873, for the advOca"s OF thr transfer. Inc
Navy comes into court through its most sEiial,
Navy, who descants with earnest eoquence upon tao
mclaacIOiy ruin presented at his time ny navy ahats,
ana pleads for provinces OF the Cy Service TO
add to tns dllapdated empire. ~ nltst 1o con con,
careful nurture OF Congress- perfection OF rrgua-
ton and degree OF efficiency which have won for II the
respect and OF the country aud Of foreign ma
lions that Its work IL effected by an annual eApenll-
lesH than the frequent cost OF puthg engines lhto
single naval vessel tnat tile valor and seacrat Of s
make the seabOard rg after year win great
e1poits. THIS has been eireceI solely by civil;
aIs under civil management ana through the LABOR OF
ten years without tue slightest aid from single member
OF the military marine.
Several reasons against the changes were gwen as
decisive by Mr.. Kiuball Among them he asserts
that civil service should not be put under military
control, ana that the surimen would not submit To
naval discipline He also SAYS tnat tho transfer
would be Objectionable because 1t 10 absolutely es-
sen,Ial 10 the Success the f saving sys-
TEN thai the service should remain uuniluenced by
polItIcs in the choice of It's agents.
There are repOr,s also by Professor Hlgard, OF
the coast Survey; DIR. lamIlI on, SurgcoI-G"neral
of The Marine hospital Service; Mr.. clark. of the
| Revenue Marine aud Mr.. Dumont, upervislng In
spsct0r-C General oi Steamboats,. The later is
| pecially caustic at the eADense o1 the navy:
Among other things 10 suggcsls that 10 per cent of
| tine money now spent on naval affairs would be
| saved If ihe officers of the Steamboat Inspection
| Service we're put IN charge of them under the
direction of the secretary Of the Treasury. 10 IS
underatood that ali OF the reports will be sent to
Congress.