Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-21
THE NAVAL ENGINEER CORPS.
Commander Melville Strongly Recon-.
menda That Ii Be Reorganized

Commander Melville Strongly Recon-.
mends That Ii BE Reorganized.
Commander Melville engineer-in-chief Of the
navy, makes out q strong case in his annual re-
| port In arguing for a reorganization of the en-
gineer corps upon a basis more appropriate to
tho modern condition Of naval science. He
| says;
| 10 10 with regret that have to report that
matters are now in still worse condition than
they we're year ago. and that troubles tina.
were mentioned as likely to occur are already
apparent, for the number of engineer officers
nov in tho service is not sufficient for the
rterpr performance Of the duties required of
ihem, The number Of engineer officers is now
ih Of whom four have not had the proper en-
s'neer education and two at least did not wish
~ es appointed in the engineer corps.
rus CRUISERS NEED MORE ENGINEERS.
| When my last report was published but one
! sh'r, The Yorktown. with modern machinery
had been commissioned. Since then three
| e,hers-the baltimore, Charleston and Phila-
| de1phia-have been placed in regular service.
each with one or two less engineer officers than
| they should have for safety and efficiency. and
| less than they would have if the corps was
| sufficiently large to permit the proper detail,
| but still more than will be possible when the
number IN the corps has been reduced to tho
1 ltSsai Lilnlt OF ltU. AS naQ Deen fOreseen. the
worry and anxiety undergone by these officers
| III their endeavors to keep things going and in
order with the insufficient number of trained
men at their disposal has proved too much for
some OF them and they are breaking down. A
policy which leads to such results can only be
productive Of disaster to the service.
We not only need q very much larger num-
Der OF officers In the engineer corps. but also
need a very much better course of instruction
for the young men who are each year APP
into . ia sd 4l,.k
educated engineer officers are not needed for
sea duty; that practical mechanics can do the
duty just as well. Such statements can only be
made by the assurance of ignorance.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CORPS IN BATTLE.
There is still another and very important
point that is generally overlooked when con-
sldering the engineer corps Of the navy, and
that is that they are part of the military Or
ganlZatlon and second to none in importance.
In the naval battle of the future the engineer
staff will have difficult and important part to
perform. and if there is failure in the engine
room no amount of skill and bravery on the
bridge may suffice to avert disaster. Celebrity
OF movement has decided many a navy battle
and Will decide many MORE and the celebrity of
movement Of modern ship depends directly
on the skill of her engineer officers.
He Endorses the Butler bill. designed to re-
model the corps. Among his recommendations
is that the enlisted men of the corps should be
given a course of training in order to quiet the
numerous complaints that constantly being
received of their insufficient numbers and in
competency. AS to the defects in steel cast
ings furnished the department the chief says:
The truth OF the matter is that the manu-
facturers have not kept pace with the demands
OF the consumers, and unless there is a very
great improvement In the making of steel cast
ings, and in a very short time return to cast
iron Will be inevitable, since it is evident that
the only reason for using the more expensive
material is that the weight of the parts may be
decreased in the proportion of its greater
strength.
ESTIMATES FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
The report gives the estimates for the next
fiscal year as follows: Steam machinery.
100000, an increase of $4,000; salaries,
$1,000; civil establishment S13, 800; increase
of the navy, "A, $50. 9i6 (this on account of ma
chlnery for the new ships); plant at the Nor
folk navy yard, $40 2o5; experimental purposes,
SIS, 900.
Commander Melville recommend, that the
Boston navy yard be again used general re-
pair station; also, that wing be built to the ma
chime shop of the New York yard and the COM
pletlon OF the shops OF the League Island yard.
be says: With the new type of machinery
being introduced in the navy the facilities pos
sessed by the government at Portsmouth, New
York and Norfolk will soon be found INSULT
clent and IN case OF an emergency entirely mad
equate. For this reason he urges the extern
sion OF the League Island facilities.
Cardinal Gibbons Sues fo- Damages.
Cardinal Gibbons has served papers ON Hva-
cinthe Archibald Ringrose of Yale University,
summoning him to appear in the federal court
of the eastern district of Maryland on January
rs. next, to answer in a suit for damages, pre-
sumably on a charge of libel. Mr. Ringrose's
book, The Poor Mans Priest" which is the
life and endorsement of DIR. McGlynn, is dedi-
aotn to
without the cardinals consent. The cardinal
has also communicated with the publishers in
New Haven restraining the use of his name in
connection with the book. Mr.. Ringrose is a
COMMUNICATE of the Catholic Church and has
a brother priest.