Evening star., 1896-12-07

from. These yards would seem to be suffi-
cient for the bulk Of such work as is likely
come upon the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
There should, however, be a navy yard at
some point on the gulf Where vessels cruis.
ing in southern waters can be repaired.
the theater Of a naval val, the @ repairing Of Of
ships at points accessible to the Gulf of
Mexico would be an abSelte necessity"
Some RecomM hda tions,
A general RECOMMENDATION is made for
the retirement of office etpNnd enlisted men
after thirty years serY4 under the Same
laws as govern retireH&5ts in the army.
Another recommendation is made for all
appropriation for the immediate purchas Sc
of powder. either in this country or abroad,
as at present a supply Ns sone of the great
est needs of the service With a good sun
ply ON hand, all the future powder of the
navy can be readily obtained in this coun-
try. but 1t will be criminal neglect says the
Secretary, to allow any time to pass with
out having enough on hand to supply the
Slips for any emergency. however great
1t, Is also recommended that provision le
made for dry dock at the Norfolk navy
yard of sufficient size to accommodate the
largest ships at an estimated cost of ST.
OOO,OU. Secretary Herbert says that the
department has used every effort to Ameri-
canize the enlisted force of the navy. and
that now y per cent of the enlisted r,en
are citizens and So per cent of the appren-
tfces are American-bor
Civil Service Rules Advocated.
In chapter advocating civil service rules
at navy yards the Secretary says:
IF there be any point at which the gov
errment of the United States is entitled
to the very best service that can be had.
where men should get work because they
are capable of doing 1t. and should retain
employment only because they discharge
pit hfn1l 10 ~,
yaros, where ships are built and repaired
that are to go forth on the high seas
freighted with precious lives and CARRYING
the flag that symbolizes the might and
majesty of cur country. There can be no
comparison between d navy yard system
that holds cut every inducement to good
conduct aid excellence in workmanship
and another in which a controlling con-
sdcration in the procurement cf work and
the retention of place is political influence.
Every naval officer whose duties have
brought him during the past six years in
contact with the laborers at our govern
ment yards will. l am sure, testify to the
imneasurable superiority of the present
over the old system. To the maintenance
and hettermant of this system l have de-
voted much of my time and thought dur
ing these four years, in the earnest hope
that the labors of Secretary Tracy in this
behalf supplemented by my own. will re-
suit In migrating it permanently in the
servic" OF the r2val establishment"
Among the strictly local matters treated
OF IN the report are the following:
Paving ON street East Side of
Building.
The department has heretofore called the
attention Of Congress to the fact that the
street on the est side Of the State War
and Navy Department building is unpaved,
and that III dry weather the dust arising
from 1t settles on and very much Injuries
the appearance of that side of the build
ing and at the same tine comes into the
offices of the department. is an injury to
the lilies. and an annoyance to the clerks
and others while in the discharge of their
duties.
TIE attention of the Commissioners Of
the District was called to tfiis matter about
eighteen months sincs= ANA they were re-
quested to pave the stneetj but 1t appeared
that this stree; vast Attt under their
charge, and that no fpartH of the general
appropriation fer improving and keeping
In repair the streets OF the city could be
used for this purpose -Cbhgress was a.
cording1y requested to.lmake direct ap-
preparation for that psrpose. and this rec
ommendation is hereby repeated.
-, Naval Obsersdtory Lands.
Under authority coufer,@d by a joint
resolution, approved August l., 1891. the
right of way for ,he, extension of Mas
sac1usetts avenue through the limits Of
the observatory Hsouaris" was granted by
the department. FTurthet' provisions of the
saiue act autnof7zins ehs establishment of
an observatory circle" tcolld not be car
rich out. iii esmuch as tfey2 conteIdplat ed
the purchase of certain, lands with the
pre- ceeds of the sale on others for which.
received which in the, opinion Of the de-
partment offered fair prices The matter
has accordingly beer postponed until such
time az there shale be an Improvement in
the real scate market. 'n'7
Additional OUTFIT for Naval oi,s.r
The large expenditures of the last ten
years in the erection and fitting I'D of the
new naval observatory render it expedient
that nothing should he spared to enable
1t to do work of corresponding char
&ctcr. Tire most important wants which
sun remain unsatisfied are a heliomet.r
ana an astronomical clock of the highest
Grass: For the latter vault must be pro-
vided in wh; n the clcck shall not be ex-
posed to changes of temperature Appro-
prfations ara recommended for these pur-
poses.
Rcc1nfminE Flats Of Eastern Brnuc,,
During the year 1875 there were 913 cases
OF malarial diseases returned from the
whole service. OF these, 213 cases, or near
ly one-fourth, occurred In Washington. d.
e., at the navy yard and marine headuuar-
ters AT the Washington yard all the sea-
men and 50 per cent of the marines were
ATTACKED. Inc type Of fever was severe
principally remittent and intermittent. run.
ming into the former tyne.
The fever prevailed chiefly during the
summer and autumn, and reports received
snow that apprentices transferred else
where, after exposure at the yard during
that time, suffered from attacks of the
disease.
The intensity and prevalence of this
trouble is indisputably due to the condi-
tion OF the Anacesda river. In 1892 the
channef Oil which the yard fronts was deep
ened and the mud thrown on the adjacent
hats. The usual tidal currents were also
interrupted by mud bars. This has re-
suited In large increase Of soil exposed at
low t'de to solar action In summer decom-
position doubtless proceeding even at high
water In very hot weather A board, ap-
pointed in May, 1895. to investigate in de-
tail the sanitary condition of the yard, re-
ported that While the causes of disease
originating within it's limits the yard)
nave been reduced to a minimum, 1t is,
nevertheless. subject to morbific climatic
influences incident to Its topographic en-
Vironnlent. especially to miasmatic emana-
tionS from the flats across the channel"
The board also expressed the opinion that
the LIABILITY to maarial poisoning of the
residents In the yard will not be removed
until the hats on the opposite shore have
been wholly reclaimed. :, .--. -'
1t Is undoubtedly true that the marked
increase of ma1ariaf diseases at this yard