The National tribune., 1889-07-04
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOings at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
RroRaANrz1Ne THE - prrARTMENr.

DDS of administration OF the Navy Department
than has been known 10 that branch Of the ser
vice since the bureau system was established
fully fifty years ago.
For many wears past each succeeding Score
tary Of the Navy has been hampered in hii
administration by the arrogant claims OF the
several Chiefs of Bureau TO absolutely control
IN certain matters. aud when a Secretary has
rebelled against the petty official tyranny OF
las own subordinates, outside influence ha'
been called in 20 head of his efforts to reform
matters.
Only few years ago. n Secretary of the Navy
was bluntiy told by Chief Of Bureau. when
the Secretary directed the detail of a certain
officer to specified ship: "Oh, he can't bC
detailed to that ship. I've promised her &c
another man."
Mr.. Chandler when Secretary, made strong
efforts 10 create 3 new order Of things; but he
found his subordinates too strong in outside
influence, and he gave the matter up in angry
despair.
Mr. WhitRey saw thBongh the trouble, and
formulated plan Of reorganization which
would enable him TO be Secretary OF the Navy
IN fact well name. but he WAS headed of
and forced TO 60 10 Congress to ask for author ty
70 do the thing Secretary Tracy has now done,
and which he was then fully entitled under
the statutes 20 do.
Under the new order of things the Chief Of
the Bureau of Navigation will not virtually
command the Navy, but will be an adiutaBt to
the Secretary Of the Navy. and he will lose his
absurd jurisdiction over such important work
as that Of the photographic Office and the
Naval Observatory; but, reasonably, such
Idjutant he acquires supervision over the per-
l0nnel Of the service. in addition 10 the detail
md movements Of officers, that places ali of the
unlisted force under his Office. instead Of the
Bureau Of Equipment as heretofore.
The Bureau Of Equipment becomes an Office
10 supervise the equipment Of vessels; TO fur
ash sails and cordage, standing and running
iFging but drops the keeping of the rolls of
hips crews, and the authority for enlistment
md discharge Of men before the mast. Here
ofore it was within the auihority-assumed,
ather than fegalized-of the Chief Of the Ba-
eau Of Equipment 10 order the discharge Of
my enlisted man in tho Navy or authorize an
enlistment
The purchases hencefOrth will he made by
fhe corps Of officers commissioned and bonded
o make payments. and they will no longer be
made by half dozen bureaus. no one Of which
Knew or cared 10 know what the oIher was
inylnE. Under the old system the Bureau Of
steam Engineering might have thousands of
iOus Of coal stored 1t convenient places. or have
hundreds Of tons on board vessel in commits
nOn Tor active service. but not a bashel or
bound Of it could be had for the ships galley
o prepare the rations for all hands. The Pay
master at a station or on board ship might De
N-nHI1-lnA VI 3OAA AlAEI roll OF AlEHk cam
10 sell the men Cor duck suits but not one
Yard Of il could be turned over to make jib
or quarter boat.
On each ship in commission in the Navy the
present system requires separate sets OF &C
touDts for Pay; Small Stores; Equipment:
hedical Stores; Ordnance and Steam Engineer
ne. Under Secretary Tracy's wise order only
ihree returns viii be made-Paymaster's Sur
Eeon's and Ordnance Officers.
The Bureau Of Ordnance is not affected At all
znder this order, aud very little change comes
10 the Bureau Of Steam Engineering or 30 that
d the Yards and Docks, except that the latter
given control Of the building and repairs OF
AZ structures ia navy yards. instead Of, as
heretofore. letting Ordnance. Equipment En-
Tineering and Construction each construct and
Equip its own buildings
II Capt Gnstavus A Fox had been far sight
ID enough ia the days Of the rebellion TO have
advised Secretary Welles 10 such q step as this
IL is not rash 70 venture the assertion that the
Expense OF the construction aud maintenance
Of the Navy during that war would have been
AZ least one-tenth less
One other bureau sails serenelv along as IN
Affected by the new order Of Affairs as the Ord
nance and viii continue 10 fight yellow Jack
and queil malarial attacks as heretofore; but
when the surgeon-General buys quinibe aud
lalAp he must call upon his staff brother of the
Pay Corps 10 pay put the funds
The Secretary Of the Navy has done wisely
Inn thus demanding that be. and not his nreau
bubOrdinates. shall dominate In the admins
trztion Of the Navy, and it may be that here
titer tbe Secretary may have some standing in
the opinion Of the Navy.
PRESIDENT HARREs0x's VACATION.
The President and Mrs. Harrison will suend
Tie Fourth Of July % Woodstock Conn the
guests Of Ar. Henry G. Bowen, the proprietor
Of the New York gHdepcAdelt and there take
part IN the patriotic picnic which that gentle
man annually holds in that pleasant New Eng
lAnG village. The journey commenced at 3.45
y M on tuesday. over the Baltimore d Poto-
mac Road, and The return trip will be entered
upon Friday evening. the party planning 70
reach Washington Saturday morning. Mrs.
Mckee reached Deer Park. Nd. on Thursday,
hna D. preparing the cottage Of Ex-senator
Davis, winch has been placed Al the disposal Of
the President, FOR the occupation Of the family
who Will arrive there on Saturday. The Presi
cent wiil be at the Park Sunday, Monday, aud
possibly Tuesday. During the Summer Gen.
Harrison Aill leave Washington on Friday
afternoons, and viii remain at tie Park satur
Gays sundays aud Mondays, the family re-
LnaiuiBR there continually.
WHO WILL 1T BEf
The promotion o. Gen. J. c. Kelton 20 be
AaJHtant General gave q boost upward ali
thTough TIE corps. Lieut-COl. George ID.
Auggies becomes Colonel; Mai IT, C. Cgrbiu
becomes Northumberland, aud there Il a
vacancy at the bottom Of the list Of Majors
Quite number Of Captains whose place In
their own branches IL SO far down the list
that the MAJORS leaves can only be seen dimly
through The distance Of years, have their ewes
turned auxioUsiy toward Secretary Proetor
)n hopes Of seeing him bcelOn them 10 s,fne
up higher" The story goes that he has said
That Tie selection viii cone from the line
which u true, viii shut out all the Quarter
AiAaiefs, totnmissarics, Engineers, aud Ord
nance Onoers In the Pay, Inspector and
Judge Advocate Corps there are no officers
unoer Major. The three line Captains who.
ior one reason or another, are thought 10 stand
TIE best chance. are Vim. L. Dougherty. Ist
Int s~sisfd &. kellogg. 9th Cav, and John
% BouIke 81 Cav. DoHgherty Is a " raukcr.D
VINO enlisted IN the lst InG IN 1860, aud got his
commission 10 1853 lie stands Seth On the
lisi ~ Infantry Captains. Kellogg went out
lh lsjl az private in the 9th NJ. Y. became
Captain aud breYet Colonel, and entered the
Regular Army IN 1866 As a Second Lieutenant
ln tie 18TH Inf He stands 10Th on the LIST al
cavalry Captains. BOgTke was q private in the
11th ia. Cav. from Aug % 1862 10 Julv
1850, and then entered West Point from which
he graduated IN 1863, the 18th In class az
81. lie stands 9th on the list Of CAPTAINS Of
Cavalry
lsince the above was In type. all the predic-
lions Of the Wiseacres have been csnfoundcd
by the appointment Of Capt Arthur Macarthur
grr OF the 18th Inf The new Major Is 4 Son ~
Judge Macarthur, Of this city, and was born IN
Massachusetts,, June 2. Is45. He entered the
S4ih Wis. Aug. n, 1862 as Adjutant. Ills
regiment was assigned 10 Grensel's Brigade. of