The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-28
TRACY ISSUES AN ORDER.
NAVY DEPARTMENT BUSINESS
METHODS REoRGANIzED.


The Reasons for the Changes, and
Why They Were Not Made by Sec
retary Whitney-The Duties of the
Bureaus Outlined in a Synopsis.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-A sweeping gem
eral order was issued to-day by Secretary
Tracy, who ordered an entire re-organiza-
tion Of the business methods of the navy
department. Succinctly stated the secre-
taryIs reasons for making the order are as
follows: Up to this time the new equip
ments and new duties constantly arising
from the conditions of change incidental 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 department, often with no
better reason than the convenience of the
moment. The result has been confusion
and au exaggeration of the defects of the
bureau system. Duties which have no con-
nection have been placed together and those
naturally associated have been divorced,
Supply has.been complicated and expensive.
Electric lighting, for example, hes been
claimed by three bureaus. Training of
officers and men, apart from the independ-
ent establishment Of the naval academy,
has been divided between an equal number,
and there has been no Office to control and
detail the personnel as a whole. both officers
and men and to receive and transmit the
correspondence of the feet.
REALIZED BY WHITNEY.
Secretary Whitney realized the evils of
the system, and made an effort to change
them, but was obliged from the magni-
tude of the task and the paramount impor-
tance of concentrating his energies upon
the procurement of new ships and guns, to
abandon the task Secretary Tracy, how
ever, now says that the time is ripe for
further change, and he has accordingly
issued the new order. 1t ealarges the duties
of some of the bureaus, notably those of the
bureau of equipment, to which is at
tached nearly all the duties of supply,
heretofore belonging to the bureau of navi-
cation, and control of the photographic
and compass offices and naval observatory
To the constructing, manufacturing and
purchasing bureaus are assigned other
duties, grouping them systematically and
appropriately. Each bureau exercises con-
troll OF its shops, labor, superintendence,
acquisitions, accounts and appropriations,
and the limits of authority are well defined.
TILE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION.
The bureau of navigation loses its duties
Of supply and its control over several i'm
portant offices and becomes, under the i'm
mediate direction of the Secretary, an ex-
ecutive section for military matters,
and is charged with the training, discipline
and control of the personnel of the
fleet Finally, the chiefs of the bureau of
yards and docks, equipment, ordnance. con-
struction and repair and steam engineering,
eD-oDtcio, constitute the board for the de-
sign, construction and equipment of new
ships. Practically one effect of the order
will be to make the bureau of navigation
correspond to the adjutant generals office
in the war department in control of the
entire personnel of the organization.
THE TERMS OF THE ORDER.
The terms of tue order are as follows:
"The duties Of the bureau of navigation
shall comprise all that relates to the pro.
mitigation and enforcement of the Secre-
tary's orders to the feet and to the officers
of the navy; to the education of officers and
men, including the naval academy and
technical schools for officers Except the
torpedo school; the apprentice establish
ment and schools for the tech.
nical education of enlisted men; the
enlistment and discharge of all enlisted per.
sons, including appointed petty officers and
enlisted men. 1t shall have under its sole
control all rendezvous and receiving ships
and it shall provide transportation for all
enlisted persons and appointed petty Off
GERS. 1t shall establish the complement OF
the crews of all vessels in commission.
TO KEEP RECORDS.
''It shall keep records of the service of all
squadrons, ships, officers and men and pre-
pare annual naval register for publication.
1t shall have under its direction the Office of
naval intelligence and naval attaches
abroad, department library, libraries for
ships, aud the war records Office.
lit shall be charged with the enfor cement
OF laws, and authorized regulations, tactics,
signal codes and manuals Of service, and
the keeping of the same correct to date.
All questions with regard to discipline,
changes of regulations, tactics and manuals
shall be submitted to this bureau for its
action and recommendation.
1t shall prescribe the dress Of all officers
and men, and see that the regulations in
this respect are strictly enforced.
CHANGES OF OFFICERS.
"It shall receive and bring to the atten-
tion of the Secretary Of the Navy all appli-
cations from officers for service or change
OF service. 1t shall receive all reports OF
service performed by vessels, officers, OF
men; of all inspections of the same not of q
special nature, and Of all drills and exer-
cses.
I'm order to prevent the issuing of con.
AAStlHB iilSLT uCbIOus, Ill OIIlClhl cOlunuulCd-
tlons to vessels in commission, shall be first
submitted to the Secretary of the Navy
and forwarded through this bureau"
YARDS AND DOCKS.
To the bureau of yards and docks is as
signed all that relates to the construction
and maintenance Of docks, ships, buildings
within the navy yards, naval home, and
generally about the same duties as it now
discharges.
The bureau Of equipment and recruiting
loses the apprentice system and the enlist
ment of men, but gains the naYal obser-
vatory, nautical almanac, photographic and
compass offices, and electric light system.
In the case of the remaining bureaus, it
Is noticeable that all of them are to have
exclusive jurisdiction over the buildings
and plants assigned to their use in the navy
yards, after they have been constructed by
tne bureaus of yards and docks.
All of the bureaus are also empowered to
purchase such stores, tools, plant and ma
terlal as they may need.