The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-05
OUR NAVAL ENGINEERS.



WASHINGTON. May 4.-saiis as the motive
power OF war ships have had their day At best
they are retained only as an auxiliary. for Geo.
nomical cruising. where speed 10 OF no conse-
ouence. or In case Of o breakdown in the en-
gnes. Even for these purposes they are moro
and more discarded. particularly on battle
ships and armored craft In general. Many OF
tho newer ships carry only military masts,
which have no yards for canvas and are cm-
ployed only for observation and for batteries
OF machine guns In the tops. Those vessels de-
pend wholly on steam.
The stoker. In such q state Of things, fills to
large extont the place once occupied By the
sailor. The men who make the ship 90 are not
those who haul away on the sheets but those
who shovel coal into the furnaces. Tho engi-
neer officers. who keep the steam giant at work
down below tho water line. are also OF the
highest consequence to the navy: and with the
increase In the engine power OF our war ships
1t has become necessary to see that there are
enough OF these officers for their duties.
About ten years ago. just before the prac-
teal beginning OF the new steel fleet. Congress
provided for the reduction Of the personnel Of
the navy. In consequence Of tho great reduc-
ton In the number OF vessels since tho close
OF the civil war. Tho maximum for tho on
gineer corps was 1xed ct ITO officers. to be
reached By gradual diminuton through chs.
ualty. But OF late years. as this number hos
been approached. the feeling is that the proc
ess should not 60 on. Even year and a holt
ago. when there were still 2O2 officers in the
corps. Chief Engineer Melville protested In
strong terms against any further dminution.
He declared that some Of the officers were
breaking down from overwork and from
worry. Secretary Tracy also declared that
there were then already not enough engineer
officers for ordinary purposes. while new ves-
sells were coming forward. and "unless
sufficient force is provided. the safety Of the
ships will be endangered"
Chief Engineer Melville now sounds the
alarm again. declaring that the steady de-
creaee in numbers may lead to "a serious
break down on some Of our vessels. The oGi-
cers q the Engineer Corps can 60 no further
argument is that the modern I'm naval On CINE Is
wonderfully complex apparatus. every part OF
Whsre Ss be and that
strain ss for fsaI 9i accidents. Secretary Tracy
our new vessels ali that Is most advanced in in
high. pressure z, machinery and then to provide
Two remedies have been under considera.
1aa e 9ns a biz which has A.
1901: This will allow slight Increases BY APP
polntments to az such vacancies rs may have
s' IN isiks
and accordingly a bill now pending would add
But 1t Is highly probable that no very great
increase will be granted. Perhaps hereafter q
measure Of this sort may be adopted; but, as
IS well known. the vessels for long time have
new ones have taken their places In the re-
cent hearing before the House Naval Com
mittee Mr.. Herbert was Understood to init
mate that the committee would favor the bill
for checking the decrease but not the plan for
making an increase
In that hearing also there was Testimony
~ IhSs Commodore Ramsay. Chief Of the Bureau
sive: that one engineer for the small vessels
and one chief and three assistants for tho
large ones. would be .sufi cient with an allow
ance OF seventy-hve for shore duty; The con-
R29sal to give. the engineers positive rank.
This aroused the line. which pointed out that
this rank Is not conferred anywhere among the
leading naval powers. except in France. where
gineers. but not to those that preside over and
run the machinery Of vessels in service. Tho
engineers. on the other hand. ask for tho en-
recsVe. in ne she 0Ma
stS MI. 9btilssrs enjoy such privileges.
nothing to do with the main question here
spoken OF. 1t Is probable that the decrease in
the numbers Of tho engineer officers will be
At another session. ALSO II not at the
crensing those numbers. so that there will not
be an undue share Of work and worry falling
on those who are engaged in sea service.