The Greenville times., 1888-04-14
River Communication.
.DIroR GREENvII1.E TIMES:

Lear SIT observe Inal you nave
reproduced in yOurissue of March Slst
an interview with me by reporter
of the Memphis Avalanche. | only
notice the fact to say that the lurid
character of the expressions aseribed
to me was due to the imaginative
powers of the reporter; though l do
regard the transfer of Captain Leach
from the Mississippi river to other
work as grave misfortune in its i'm
mediate consequences to the river i'm
provement interests, and a still more
serious evil as showing the infexible
adherence of the War Department to
an exceedingly faulty system in the
regulation of the Engineer service.
1t is very true, Us you have suggest
ed, that many opportunities may and
do arise in which an exchange of po-
sitions between engineers in different
localities, for various minor reasons,
is admissible, and may be effected
without detriment to the service. But
to make this fundamental principle
of general system of regulation, the
periodical shifting about of all the In
dividuals in the Engineer corps, with
out any discrimination as to the needs
and character of the various works,
carries absurdity on its face to any one
who is at all familiar with the duties
and functions of engineers.
The system of internal improve
ments by the general government has
assumed large proportions and is
yearly increasing in magnitude and
Importance. The large expenditures
of money required as well as the i'm
mense interests involved, directly and
indirectly, demand for it weightier
consideration than to be made mere
parade ground for the exercise of army
discipline. The obstinacy of the Chief
of Engineers in refusing to consider
the applications of numerous men of
influence in the Nations counsels for
revocation of the Leach order, merely
upon the ground that 1t would neces-
state the changing Of various other
similar orders, shows how far the ma
terial interests of the country are
made subservient to mere questions Of
army discipline.
In the efforts of the general govern.
ment to prosecute successfully the pub
lie works of the Nation, it has become
proverbial, the small extent of the gooG
accomplished as compared with the
time and money expended. This il
due mainly to two principal causes
the greater of which is insufficient ap
preparations; the other, while of lesser
weight, is by no means Insignificant
the failure Of the government to util
ize in rational way the capabilities
which undoubtedly exist in its Engi
neer corps.
The application of military engineer
to works of civil character presents
an apparent anomaly, but II is certainl,
wise economy to thus employ the larg,
corps of able government engineers
If it were done, not upon the basis o.
a military field, where matters of dis
cipline outweigh every other consider
alton, but with a view to the mos
available use, for the objects sought
of the military engineers for civil pur
poses in times of peace.
To this end particular engineer
should be selected for particular char
acter of works with ON eye to tn,
special fitness of the individual foi
that class of work, by experience OIL
otherwise; and certainly experience
that most important factor in the ap
plication of engineering science to any
class of work, should be the controlling
guide in such selection. But, as il
everywhere'sc seen, the very axioms Of
civil engineering are reversed ant
overturned in the system by which the
army engineers arc regulated in theil
conduct of civil works If the gov
ernment engineers are to continue il
control of the works of internal i'm
provement this abuse cries loudly fol
reform. Very respectfully,
7. G. DABNEy.