The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-06-28
Reorganizing the NAVY Department.


WASHINGTON, June 21.--By a sweeping
general order issued to-day Secretary
Tracy has directed an entire reorganization
of the business methods of the navy depart
ment. Up to this time tie new equipments
and new duties constantly arising from the
change incident to the replacement of the
old wooden vessels with rev ships and
modern guns have been ASS ned here to
several bureaus Of the department, often
with no better reason than thesconvenience
of the moment. The result has been
confusion and an exaggaration of
the defects of the bureau system. Duties
which have no connection have been placed
together and those naturally connected
have been separated. Secretary Whitney
recognized these evils and made an effort
to change them, bat was obliged from the
magnitude OF the task and the paramount
Importance of centering all his attention on
the new ships and guns, to abandon the
task. Secretary Tracy, however, says the
time is now ripe for further change, and
has accordingly issued the new order
H3It enlargeS the duties of some of the
| bureaus, notably those of the bureau of
equipment, to which are attributed all the
duties of supply belonging heretofore to
the bureau OF navigation, and the control
of the photographic and compass offices
and naval observations. To the construct
ing, manufacturing and purchasing
bureaus are assigned the. other duties of
grouping them systematically and APP
propriately. Each bureau exercises con
troll OF It's shops, labor attendance, requisi-
tions, accounts and appropriations.
The limits of authority are well defined.
The bureau of navigation loses its duties of
supply and control over several important
officers and comes under the immediate
direction of the secretary and executive for
military matters and is charged with the
training, discipline and control of the per-
sonnet OF the fleet. Finally, the chiefs Of
| yards, docks, equipment, ordinance, con
| StruchOn, repair on steam engineering,
eX-officio, constitute board for the design,
construction and equipment of the new
ships. Practically, the one effect of the
order will be to make the bureau of navi-
CATION correspond to the Acknowledgements
office IN the war departmental the control of
the entire personnel of the organization.
The terms of the order are as follows:
The duties of the bureau of navigation
shall compromise all that relates to the pro-
mitigation and enforcement of the secre-
tary's orders to the fleet and to the officers
of the navy; to the education of the officers
and men, including the naval academy and
technical schools for officers, except the
torpedo school, apprentice establishment
ctlll SCuOOlS 1OI GLlt GCCHulCtll Oh
enlisted men; the enlistment and discharge
of all persons, including appointed petty
officers for general and special service, and
for the preparation of estimates for the
pay of all officers and enlisted men.
1t shall have under its sole control all
rendezvous and receiving ships; it shall
provide transportation for enlisted persons
and appointed petty officers.
1t shall establish the complement of the
| f.a11 seals IN,
1t shall keep a record of the services of
the squadrons, ships, officers, men, and
prepare an annual naval register for pub
LEGATION.
1t shall have under it's direction the Office
of naval intelligence and naval attaches
abroad the department library; libraries
for ships and war records office.
1t shall be charged with the enforcement
of the laws and authorized regulations,
tactics, signal codes and manuals of ser
vice. and the keepingiof the same correct
TO date.
All questions with regard, to discipline,
changes, regulations, tactics and manual
shall be submitted to the bureau for
action and recommendation.
1t shall prescribe the dress of all officers
and men, and see that the regulations in
this respect are strictly enforced.
1t shall receive and bring to the attention
VI IIO oOSAOeoAJ al oPPlASdtlpuo AAOAA Jill
GERS in the service for change of service.
1t shall receive all reports of service per
formed by vessels, officers or men, of all
inspections of the same not of special
nature, and of all duties and exercises.
In order to prevent the issuing of con
fiicting instructions, official communica-
tons to vessels in commission shall be first
submitted to the secretary of the navy and
forwarded through the bureau.
To the bureau of yards and docks is as
signed all that relates TO the construction
and maintenance of docks, ships building
within the navy yards, naval homes, and
generally about the same duties it now dis
charges.
The bureau Of equipment and recruiting
looses the apprentice system and the en-
listment Of men, but gains the naval obser-
vatory, nautical almanac, Topographic
and compass offices and electric light sys-
TEN.
In the case of the remaining bureaus il is