Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-13
Organizing q Navy.
WHAT MIGHT PROVE OF ADVANTAGE TO THE NEW
SECRETARY.

SECRETARY.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
In an article relating to Samoan affairs in
Mondays STAR, is given an interesting account
of the rise of the German navy. One can
readily see that its growth was due entirely to
a system, thorough organization, a definite
naval policy. The rapid rise of the italian navy
is likewise due to a well-thought-out system,
which has brought that navy from the bottom
| to a good third. Owing to an utter lack of any
organization or system in our naval department
| and to a supine Indifference on the part of
Congress, our navy has reached the lowest
depths of degradation. Another factor is that
| the Office of the Secretary of the Navy has too
often been made the dumping-gr for willy
politicians, crooks or cranks. The New York
Times advises the President against ,cdsting
Mr.. Tracy on the Navysdepartment, and further
says that fifty men could do as well in that
place to one who could do as well as Attorney
General. This, take it. is about the general
opinion of the value of the naval secretaryship
A man who Is thought to possess some knowl-
edge Of craftsmanship is selected for the State
lawyer for Attorney General, but anybody
| seems to be good enough for the Navy depart
ment.
But our navy is now rising, and the country
is indebted to the Rodgers board, assembled by
order of Secretary Hunt, for the first definite
plans for q new navy.
II the present Secretary, who is just entering
upon the trifing duties Of organizing a navy
| worthy Of the United States, should see fit to
order another board, composed Of the bright
est minds in the navy, to inquire into the pres
ent and future needs for q navy, il might be Of
| vast assistance to him and to Congress when 1t
| meets again. Such a board could give all the
professional advice necessary, and Congress
could act as 1t saw at, and the country know ex-
| actly who was to be blamed or praised.
Il he oft hQ Ma hov
a STAFF, with flag officer at its head, and each
man carefully selected, which should have con-
troll Of the personnel and Daate-iel, and which
would direct the movements Of the fleets and
individual ships. It would be of great advantage
to the Secretary in assisting him to weigh the
| thousands Of technical points now brought to
him by each bureau chief for settlement. 1t
| would concentrate the knowledge Of affairs in
the office Of the Secretary, where it naturally
belongs, instead Of It's being scattered from
each bureau, tinged with the distinctive COL
oring Of that bureau without regard to what
| was going on in the next room.
The DEATH OF Mns. SrUART.-Mrs Sarah
Stuart, the wife Of Capt. VIM. E. Stuart, who
died at her residence, No. $40 f street south
west, yesterday morning, was well known in
South Washington, having been born and
| raised in that section. The funeral will take
place from st. Dominics church tomorrow
| morning at 10 o'clock.
CONCERT FOR GARFIELD HosPrrAL.-The lady
| managers Of Garfield hospital will give an anna
| teur concert at Vice-President Morton's house
on Scott circle on Friday evening at 80 o'clock.
Tickets may be had of the lady managers and
at the principal book stores.
| IL FAVOR OF WoMAN's SuFFRAaE.-A meeting
| of few Of the friends Of woman suffrage was
held last night in one Of the pariors Of the
Riggs house. The principal speaker was Mrs.
| Abigail Scott Duniway, OF Portland, Oregon,
| and she laid especial stress upon the statement
that the republican party was friendly to the
woman suffrage movement President Harri-
son. in his letter Of acceptance, she said. had
intimsted that he favored the idea of q woman's
| ballot. Senator Blair, Representative Her
mann. Mrs A. H. Mohl and Mrs. Sanford Cha
pin delivered brief addresses. Resolutions
were adopted thanking the republican Senator's
who voted to grant suffrage to women in the
new state OF Washington.
CHARLES SrEwARr's DOMESTIC TRouBLEs.-
Charles Stewart, the colored newspaper cor
respondent, who recently had his wife before
the Police Court on a charge Of assault. OF
| which she was acquitted, appeared before Judge
Miller yesterday and Was charged BY his wife
with making threats towards her. The young
woman tessined that the defendant follows her
from place to place and has several times
threatened TO blow her brains out. Last
| wednesday night after their trouble ON the
avenue, she said her husband followed her 70
the mouse where she was stopping aud hung
ABOUT snere until nearly o'clock In the morn
ing. She said that she began divorce proceed
ings last June. The case vas suspended.
A WuEe BILL ron DrvoRcR.-Ida Y. 81,
CLAN, nee Durity, BY Messrs. Jack Brown and
M. Lloyd, has fled bin for divorce from
W. w. 81 Clair They were married by Rev.
A. II: Ames, June 8, 1878, and she charges
oeseruon and asks 10 resume her maiden name.
MINNIE PALMA, the acknowledaed nry,
among comsdiennes Of to-day, returns 70 Wash.
ington next week, and appears Ct the National.
No one could be more welcome than she. ssNy
Brother's Sister, with Minnie = boy and girl,
WI % gwen the first four nights; my Sweet.
heart the rest Of the week New soues. dances,
costumes, and company Of unsufpassable
merit are concomitants OF the preeentsti ona
BOZ sheet Win open Thursday morning.
srnno ssoPExrxa" At rus PAxAu norAr.-
The twelfth annual opening Of prine fashions
commence tomorrow. The sosvsnirv Of -
occasion viii BE- found advertised elsewhere.