Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-10
THE NEW COMMISSIONER OF NAVIGATION
WHAT WOULD BE A FARCE IF IT WERE NOT
DANGEROUS BLUsDER.

WAsHsGTos. Dec. The appointment
of Colonel" Charles B. Norton, of Augusta,
Me-. to be Commissioner If Navigation, an
nousced day or two ago. IL, perhaps, the
most fsgrantiy and shemeles.ly bad among
all the bad appointments of President Cieye-
land The Bursau Of Navigation was estab-
. lished in July, 1884 lis duties are onerous
and complex curing special and technl-
cal knowledge OF martins Lag and of COM
mercial affairs. All the duties relating TO the
registry OF vessels hitherto reposed other
bureaus Of the Treasury Department are
transfer ed to the Bureau of Navigation. The
Commissioner Of Navigation IS charged with
large Discretionary power and duties. The
Law prescribes that '-he shall investigate the
operation Of the laws relative to navigation
and annually report 20 the Secretary OF the
Treasury such particulars as NAV IN his Judg-
mrnt admit Of improvement or require
Amendment" The law further prescfihes
that 1.-THE Commissioner of Navigation stall
be charged with the supervision OF the laws
relating to the admeasurem mt OF vessels. the
assigning of signal letters thereto and de-iy
mating their official numbers; AMI on ALI
questions Of Interpretation growing out Of
the execution Of III laws relating to these
subjects and relating to the collection Of ton
when collected trroneously or illegally has
decision shall be final.
here are many other matters connected
With the Bureau of Navigation
which involve the safety Of human
life AMI Of properly, such
as prescribing rules for preventing collisions
of vessels, the respective rights and duties of
steam and sailing vessels IN passing at sea,
and so on, through many sections of the
Revised Statutes Of the United States When
the Bureau was estab ished IN 1884, Presi-
dent Arthur appointed Captain James Patten,
of Bath, Me-, ~ Commissioner. Mr.. Patten
is perhaps as well equipped for the duties of
this important Office as any man living He
has built ships, commanded ships, and owned
ships. He has besides been all his life
close student of the laws of navigation and of
commerce, and is the author of commercial
work entitled 1.-The Seaports Of the World"
which has given him name and fame 10 the
shipping circles of all countries He has
held the Office two years and his work has
been considered invaluable 10 the navigation
interests of the country. President Cleveland
has now turned Captain Patten out
be fore he could have an opportunity to serve
a single term in the bureau he has organized.
A Maine gentleman long in office here says
to the place should be regarded simply as a
farce, were it not tor the fact that laundering
in the discharge of the official duties may in
volve the safety OF human life. Merton has
never held any higher position than that of
clerk in country express Office and for
short time thar of clerk in the office of
weekly newspaper Hin is utterly uneducated
beyo"d the simple rudiments acquired in
common school In regard to navigation, H.
is ~ ignorant as man can be. and touching
m ltters of law he knows nothing whatever
"In fact" said this Maine Office holder,
''if you would baud Mor;on copy of the re
vised statutes OF the United States, he would
not BE- able, with the aid of an index. to find
the law on any subject | don't believe tina
he even knows there is such a book AS the
revised statutes."
The title OF Colonel" might suggest that
Morton had served in the war, but he never
did lie acquired the title from being on the
staff of Governor Garcelon, at the time o. the
Infamous attempt TO steal the Sta govern
ment IF Maine Morton has tor years, so the
Maine off holder says, been a representa-
tive of the worst 81 mrnts of the democratic
party, and his appointment to this responsible
place will be mnrlifying and Illuminating to
hp Il hla ,lnu,pprats ot