The sun., 1893-10-23
COMMODORE MELvILLns REPORT
A strons Flea for Courerrinr Actual Rank
on the EnRine err Of the Nrrr.

1
WASHINGTON. Oct 22.-An exception to the
ordinary run Of annual reports is that OF Com
modore George W. Melville. tho Arctic hero.
| Engineer-in. Chief OF the United Statos navy.
1t is in dealing with that feud of long stand
| ing between the officers OF the limo and the
! engineer corps over conferrinE actual rank
| on engineers that Comm odore Melville writes
most Interestingly. and he deals with tho sub
ject in language which. while respectful and
digniled. is not to bo misunderstood.
| Coming to the question OF comforting posi-
tive rank instead of the meaningless rela.
tive rank now held by members OF the engl-
| neer corps" says Commodore Melville. In in =
Producing the subject, " l earnestly trust that
the department will recommend to Congress
some measures looking toward this Just and
proper recognition OF the service performed by
| the officers OF this corps. Why officers devot.
| Ing their lives to the service. who have always
had certain portion Of the crew to organize.
| muster discipline. station. and drill In tho
! various mannuvres intended to make the ves-
sci efficient and destructive. and who from this
time on will have under their control from 70
to 10 per cent. OF the entire ships company.
should be denied recognition as military ele-
inent in fighting organization would bc In
comprehensive to any one not familiar with
the inside workings OF the navy"
In the naval battle OF the future. Commodore
Melville says ship will fight with her en-
Gnes as we'll as with her guns: the ram will be
amore dangerous weapon. and one more feared
than the battery. and IL her boilers or her en-
gines fail. the vessel will become drifting
mass. absolutely at the mercy OF the enemy.
Commodore Melville clinches his argument By
reference to the Victoria disaster. He says:
Let those who decry the engineers as non
combatants.' take homo the Lesson to be
l.. 4. -
not powder that there worked destruction. It
was steom: and IL such horror can occur In
peaceful manruyring. what might not happen
tho exact ccndons Of battle Tn iHsi by Hnan ae
sea out aSw me T6a
says London Engineering.
That the engineers are Influenced by sem
other feelings that distinguish men from
br1rtes. but sentimentr asks the Engineer
An increase In the number Of nglneer of1l-
eers Is earnestly recomm ended in the report
mon, and unless something is soon done
our our navy; pa now practically an gineerng one,
6, During the last fiscal year the Bureau OF
steam HiinGneSring sxpended SGl 1898 end
5IS remahins to It's credit. 81 tse 1s iormer
}orf Nsyy !sTa ss Isl ~ At League leland
Cal, :S6oi03 at the Fortsm out6 Yard. N. H. H.
and Sd. 100 at the Boston Yard.
Repairs to the cruiser Atlanta. which was SO
were reprimanded. and narrowly escaped
court martial. cost $26.00S for her boilers.
machinery. and other mechanical apparatus
alone. 1t will require 120 days from July 19
last to remedy her disgraceful condition and
flt her for sea.
The estimates submitted for tho fiscal year
ending June 30. 1906. aggregate S097.99U.
This sum includes. $075.OO0 for steam ma
chinery, stores, and incidentals, which ia 500
600 less than the appropriations for the cur
rent year.
Since the date OF Comm odore Melvle's last
annual report six new vessels have had
official trials and have satisfactorily fulfilled
contract requirements. except tho Monterey.
which Is somewhat short OF the required horse
power. But she was the only vessel whore the
contract called for given horse power. all the
others being speed" ships.