San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 2s. lSs

ness methods of the navy department
The secretary's reasons for maxim.
the order can be briefly stated. Up to
this time new equipments and new
duties constantly arising from the
conditions of change incident to the
replacement of the old wooden vessels
with new ships and modern guns,
have been assigned here and there to
the several bureaus of the depart
ment, oftener with no better rea-
son than the convenience of
the moment, The result has
been confusion and. an exaggera-
ton of the defects of the bureau sys-
tenn. Duties which have no connec-
ton have been placed together, and
those naturally associated have been
divorced. Supply has been compli-
Gated and expensive. Electric light
| ing, for example, has been claimed by
three bureaus. The training of Off
GERS and men, apart from the indie
pendent establishment of the naval
academy, has been divided between
an equal number. And there has
been no officer to control and detail
the personnel, as whole, both officers
and men, and to receive and transmit
the correspondence of the fleet.
Secretary Whitney realized the
evils of the system and made an effort
to change them, but was obliged,
from the magnitude of the task and
the paramount importance of concen-
trating his energies upon the procure
nient of new ships and guns, to aban-
don the task. Secretary Tracy, how
ever, now says that the time is ripe |
for further change, and has accord |
ingly issued the new order.
After this week the Enterprise, one |
of the smallest vessels in the Ameri-
can navy, will be the sole representa-
tive of the United States now cruising
in European waters. Commodore
McCalla, who commands her, is also
the commander of the station. Tues
day telegram was received at the
Navy Department from Rear Admiral
Greer, to the effect that he would
relinquish the command of the Euro
pean station, and return with the
members of his personal staff to New
York by the steamer, leaving Havre
on the Goth inst, and that the Ian
caster, his flagship, would sail from
Leghorn for New York on the 18th
instant.
Rear Admiral Greer's tour of duty
will expire in month or so, and in
the interim the European station
will propably be without a flagship.
The Lancaster's boilers are in a bad
and she will be obliged to
proceed home under sail. The Chica-
60 will relieve the Lancaster and the
opinion is expressed that Commander
Walker, now chief of the bureau of
will 60 as fleet admit
raj.
The Navy Department has received
a model of the old line-of- battle sail
ing ship Pennsylvania, of 12O guns,
presented to the Department by the
will of the widow of the late Capt.
John Waters, by whom it was design
ed. Secretary Tracy has given the
model prominent position in his
office by the side of the model of the
great armored cruiser Maine, and the
two together form an instructive OBJ
ect lesson in the progress of naval
In her day the Pennsylvania was
the most formidable vessel in the
navy, and her sides fairly bristle
with her l20 guns projecting from her
portfolios on her three gun decks.
She necessarily stood high out of the
water and carried an immense spread
If canvass. In striking contrast with
ler is the Maine, sitting low in the
water, her bow curved outward be-
ow the load line into a ram and
tilted with a tube through which to ,
aunch tOrpedOes, and instead of the :
Dristling rows of guns there are the
,wo revolving steel turrets, each con-
aiming two ten inch guns and less
han a dozen smaller rifles and rapid {
ire guns. The two models attract '
much attention from naval officers
md visitors at the department. I
When Mr.. Edward Clark, architect :
If the Capitol some years ago, had :
inished his drawings for the now !
learly completed marble terraces and
approaches Oh the west, north and
Outh sides of the Capitol, it was
Ound that an old elm tree, with its {
vide spreading roots, entirely filled G
he entrance to the approach on the r
outh end. Year after year the tree
though it was obviously >
lCt only in the way, was of no use to l
my body, was not a thing of beauty, r
nd it long ago began to show signs f
II decay. People who happened to .
otice it wondered why it had been .
eft when all other trees so near the i,
japitol had been cut down long ago. :
Now the reason is given by Mr.. y
lark. When it was evident that the !,
rec must be cut down Simon Gamer I
N, then senator from Pennsylvania,
went to Mr.. Clark and +
sked that the tree should be left I'M
ouched during his life. He had
AIKEN a liking to il he said and WAC L