The San Francisco call., 1897-11-11
line AND STAFF
come TO TERMS
Adjusting a Naval Feud
of Many Years
Standing.
Secretary Long Sees a Way to
Settle the Points in
Dispute.
Officers of Ugh Standing Selected
as Special Board of
Arbitration.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE R1GGs HOUSE

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. 10. !
The contention which has existed for
upward Of twenty-five years between the
line and staff of the navy is now in fair
way of being adjusted Secretary Long,
when he was in Congress. had occasion TO
look into the naval personnel in question
and became onvinced that the trouble
ought to be amicably settled. Therefore,
when he took possession of the Navy De-
partment his attention was called 10 this
question and he appointed special board
to attend to it composed Of seven line OIL
GERS Of long experience, with Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt as president. 1t was
the general belief in naval circles that
from the fact that there was an over
whelming majority OF line officers who
composed the board, it would be fatal on
the part of the engineers to try to secure
the actual rank, which has Deen the main
question involved between the two
branches OF the service.
The mem bers OF the board are officers OF
the highest standing in the line and staff:
Captain w. T. Sampson, captain OF the
battle-ship Iowa; CaptainA. S. Crownin-
shield, chiet OF the Bureau of Navigation;
Captain Robley D. Evans of the Light
house Boar l.; Captain Alexander Fl. Nc
Cormick, ordnance expert: Commander
Joseph n. Hemphill, Lieutenant-Com-
mander Richard Wainwright and Lieu
tenant Albert l.. Key, representing the
line, and Engineer-in- Chief George w.
Melville, Chief Engineer Charles W. Rae,
Chief Engineer George II. Kearney and
Passed Assistant Chief Engineer Walter
Mcfarland, representing the staff.
The basis OF the boards work, which
has been agreed to and which it is ex-
pected will solve The existing difficulties,
is a bill drawn by Professor Hollis. 1t has
been revised and amended by Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright and Lieutenant
Sharp. and is regarded as both fair TO line
and staff. 1t Is measure to move the
cause of friction in the personnel of the
navy and 20 promote its efficiency on
board ship and on shore.
Under the measure approved by the
board the engineer corps of the navy is
abolished in the main, and all its officers
transferred to the line with actual rank,
except a certain c.ass, which shall design
machinery. All officers formerly of the
the engineer corps, above certain grade
TO be determined are to peri duties
not yet determined until they retire.
None of them will be required 10 perform
sea service or be placed in charge of naval
stations o. serve "a chiefs of bureaus. All
former engineers, below grade TO be de-
termlned, are to De given an opportunity
to perfect themselves in the duties now
performed by line officers, so that they
may be fitted 10 command ships. They
will also do en- ineering work as well.
At the enc of ten years it is expected
that engineer officers taxing this course
ha fytlf, Co. ~
the grade they Will have attained by that
time. Line officers above certain rank are
not to be required 10 perform any engineer
ing work, but others below j. shall per-
iect them selves in the duties of engineers
so that they may be fitted to perform the
duties now exclusively conducted by en-.
gineers. BY this change of affairs both
engineer and line officers of certain
grades will be competent to perform
duties not now expected of both.
All the details OF The new measure have
not yet been formulated, but what re-
mains is unimportant, compared to the
provisions which have been approved. As
Secretary Long is understood 10 bave ap.
proved the proposed par, it is expected
that Congress Will adopt 1t at the coming
session.
There are number of bills before the
House Naval Committee relating to the
personnel controversy between the line
and the staff, none OF which, however,
has heretofore been able to secure
committee. But now that the leading
off GERS of both the line and staff have
unanimou ously agreed upon measure look
ing to the adiustmen OF differences which
have existed for many years the probabli-
ties are that the bill will be reported and
passed with little or no delay and thus
settle forever bitter controversy which
has existed tor quarter OF century.