The times., 1897-05-09
ALL READY FOR ROOSEVELT
Assistant Secretary Found Moth
ing Amiss at the Navy Yard.
HIS TOUR OF INSPECTION
He Examined All of the Depart
ments, But Was Particularly In
terested in the System, MANAGE
ment and Governing Rules of the
Labor Employment Board.

Tie drums rolled, the trumpets bEired,
and the guns doomed as Assistant Secre-
tary OF the Navy Roosevelt yesterday after
noon entered the Washing gton navy yard, ON
his first tour of inspection in bis official
capacity. He was accompanied by Capt.
Samson, chief of the Bureau of Ordnance,
Navy Department, and Lieut. Sharp, naval
aid To the Secretary. Liked up on the
right OF the arched entrance to the yard
was the guard. and on the left, Just beyond
the entrance, was formed Il company of
marines, sixteen front double rank, well
sized, well set up, and well drilled in
the new manual of arms, under camrnand
of the officer of the day, Lieut.. f. z.
Cole
TIE visitors were met by Commander C.
s.. Norton, commandment of the yarti, and
the following officers: Commander o'Neil,
DR. Marmion, Lieut. Moore, Lieut.. Badger,
Lieut. Nicholson, Lieut. Greene, and En-
Sign Williams. After the usual official
compliments the visitors, accompanied by
Coninlandant Norton, Commander oNei,
who is in charge OF the gun foundry, a
Times reporter, ana an imma culate, though
somewhat obese and venerable orderly,
started on the tour OF inspection
The Assistant Secretary in the course
OF his conversation stated that he
hoped To inspect many OF the yards OF the
country Il wish to see the gun shop
first he said.
The gun shop was, therefore, first Wis
ited and Commander O'Neil essayed TO efl-
tighten the honorable Secretary into the
mysteries of gun making. immediately
within the entrance vas a huge thirteen
inch gun in which Secretary Roosevelt
seerned much interested. Commander
o We'll explained 70 him that this. the larg-
est piece of ordnance used in the country,
was forty feet long, sixty-eiSht tons in
weight, used 550-pound charge OF pow
der ard would hurl a projeetiie weighing
l,100 pounds thirteen or fourteen miles.
missile from this gun, Capt. 0'Neil stat
ed, could smash any armoT afloat'
The movement of the giant travelling
cranes was then shown. These wonderful
ma chimes raise 110 tons of weight and
move them from point To point as though
q cork.
The mechanism of a four-inch breech-
loading gun was next explained to tie
Secretary and be amused himself with
an Investigation of it by opening and clos
ing the breech.
From the gun shop the party visited the
gus carriage shop, the breech mechanism
shop, the foundry and board of labor en-
lloyIne Mt, In the order named
In the labor-empIny yment board room,
Secretary RooSeveis seemed to take es
Decial delight in investigating the system,
and governing rules OF the
,rfice. At his request, the meaning Of
class a. applicants and class b. ap-
,licants was explained to him, and he
vas informed that the former class en-
)raced veterans of The Army and Navy
and former employees of tie board who
iesired employment, and the latter con-
aimed names of applicants who had had
leithcr military service nor yard ex-
,erience, hat who had mechanical skill.
Class b it was explained, stood prac-
-icaily no chance of appointment
The ex-Ciyii Service Commissioner then
nat the young ensign IN charge and the
officers present through a most thorough
The Naval powers that
Je were, however, evidently ell-informed
rs to the idiosyncrasies and inquistiye
nature or the Secretary, and the aforesaid
ensign passed very crelitahle examina-
ton. Only once was he found wanting
He had explained that applicants were
numbered a S applications were received,
lnd thus taken up when a vacancy &C
cured or labor was needed. Veterans were
given first choice and former yard en-
1lCyeS second choice. Suppose said the
Secretary, -four applicants were to appear
n the office at once How would you then
The ensign was silent.
= have you had no such trouble?''
''Never, since have been here" replied
5he ensign.
How long have you been heTe?" querfed
the Secretary
Il only relieved my predecessor today:
but was here for five months last year" "
And then the idea took possession Of
The Times man, that the sagacious sea-
man, had detailed for duty in the office
hat day, an ensign, who was particularly
we'll informed on the yard regulations
The Secretary further wished to have
, statement showing what percentage Of
men, who were on the rolls on March Il,
1898, were on the rolls ON March 4,
1897, and he was promised the report
within forty-eight hours.
After some further examination and
questions, the Secretary and his party
started for the gate; the company and
.uard turned out to do honor and salute;
he Ron. Theodore declined an invitation
If the commandant to run into his home
md have something" and Immediately
fterward he and his party entered an
HI. IL.