The San Francisco call., 1896-08-03
THE COASTS NEW HARBOR
Applications of Naval Officers
Anxious to Serve on the
Commission.
Plans for Engineering, Construction
and Repair Shops al Puget
Sound

WASHINGTON, D. c.. Aug. 2.-The
Navy Department has received another
application from an officer of the naval
civil engineer corps for assignment to
duty on the Santa Monica commission.
This officer is Civil Engineer U. S. G.
White, who was relieved some time ago
from duty as construction engineer at the
Puget Sound naval station and placed on
waiting orders OH account, it is said. of
the work done on the new dock at that
place. He was subsequently given sick
leave, and upon recovery from his illness
was assigned to duty at the New York
Navy-yard, where he is now stationed.
Civil Engineer franklin c.: Prindle on
duty at the New York Navy-yard is also an
applicant for assignment to membership
on the commission.
These applications are on file in the
Bureau of Navigation and were presented
to the Secretary before his departure for
Alabama. The Secretary is expected to
return to Washington on Wednesday of
this week and will confer with Rear-Ad-
miral Ramsey in regard to the naval men,
ber OF the commission preliminary to SUBJ
mitting the officers name to the Presi-
dent. Rear-Admiral Ramsey declined the
appointment when it was rendered to him.
1t is expected that an officer of the line, in
all probability Commodore E. o. Mat
thews, will be.given the billet.
Commodore Matthews is at present
Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks.
He is well known on the Pacific Coast,
having served on the slope and having re-
Gently made several tours of inspection in
that section. 1t is understood that the
question OF appointing an engineer officer
was raised before the Seeretarv's departure
for Alabama. The secretary was then
considering the name of Civil Engineer
Endicott for the. assignment. 1t was
pointed out to Mr.. Herbert that it was
evidently the intention of the Senate to
have a line officer appointed to perform
his duty. as three civil engineers from
civil life are to be placed on the commits.
sion to take care of the technical work.
The action of the Sc nate committee in
suggesting the name of Admiral Walker
as member of the commission was also
brought to the attention of the Secretary
as an indication of Congress desire that a
line officer should be assigned to duty on
the commission. The Secretary said that
he thought after all it would be unwise to
appoint naval civil engineer as Naval
Com missioner, and has since been giving
his attention to the list of line officers
with view OF assigning one of them to
this duty.
A report has reached the Navy Depart
ment from Civil Engineer Richard G. Hol-
lyday, stationed at Puget Sound, stating
that the drydock at that point will be
completed within the next two weeks and
be ready for delivery TO the Government.
The board which tested the drydock when
it was reported completed some weeks ago
will inspect the dock upon its completion
and report whether or NOT its suggestions
as to alterations have been adopted. If
its report is favorable the dock will be ac-
cepted and the final payment of $4,000 on
the dock will be made to the contractors.
When the structure is finished it is ex-
pected that the battle-ship Oregon will be
ordered to Puget Sound to be docked.
Plans are being prepared in the Bureau
of Yards and Docks for shop to be To-
Gated at Puget Sound for the accommoda-
ton OF the Bureau of Construction and
Repair. Congress at its next session will
be asked to make an appropriation which
can be used to construct an engineering
shop.
An important board will assemble at the
Navy Department this week for thespur-
pose OF preparing plan for laying up in
reserve certain men-of-war which are in
commission on the North Atlantic coast.
The appointment of this board is pre-
liminary step in Secretary Herbert's plan
for the laying-up in ordinary of ships in
commission, which will be commenced
this fall.
The board is composed of Rear Admiral
John Walker, Chief Engineer David Smith
and Lieutenant H. NJ. Witzel. Besides
preparing this plan, the board is to recon-
mend the place where they shall be laid
up, the size of the crew necessary to keep
them in good order, and what ships shall
be so treated. 1t is expected that the
board will not confine itself to the North
Atlantic Squadron, but will consider sh ips
OF the Pacific Squadron as well. League
Island is the place which has been repeat
edly recommended as the place for laying
up ships on the North Atlantic coast.
Mare Island will, in all probability, be the
place where vessels on the Pacific Coast
will be kept in reserve.