The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-29
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To THE EDITOR or TEE suN-Sfr: II IL sur
prising that not one single voics hiss been raised
90 far in opposition TO the deal Just made by the
line and engineer Officers of the navy. Under
the plan Of the Reorganization Board the en-
gineers will become deck officers, and may be
assigned 10 perform duty on deck as we'll 40
In the engine room, and tho deck officers
are to DO made engineers in addition
TO their present occupation, and may DO
put In the engine room for duty. The
board has recommended many other things
which I shall not discuss hero, except one, which
I cannot help calling attention to, namely: That
q certain number of officers In the higher
grades DO retired each year. Not that they are
too old to perform further duty. or that their
service record 10 so meritorious and distin-
guished that q grateful country should care for
them for life. No: they are to DO saddled upon
the already overburdened pension roll for
no other reason than that those in the lower
grades may obtain their positions quickly, and
In a short time. too, be eligible for retirement.
Any marine engineer will tell you that II re.
quires all his time and the closest application
and study. In these days Of rapid progress. to
keep up with his profession. An honest deck
oflcer will tell you the same as regards his oc.
oupation. How. then, can tho board for tho re-
organization Of the personnel of tho navy make
man proficient in bothi Tho writer has per
sonally known naval officers who could figure,
to . fraction Of . pound. the lifting strength Of
Q seven-inch hawserlaid rope, but who. when
sixinch regularly made rope. II it be imposai.
bio for naval %ofdcers to matter all the practical
detail; sS Of their he'll. present present ealing; what yill II DO
navy: none q which Z over nins, years OLD; In
issta. She wa. moi. threo years s"Ss'f IN com oo&m MIS- lon
seiisr I%st. O fSirts.n Su yssS.. out %not A. sSip, thy
Chicago. with about eight years In commission,
4 having new boilers and engines put in. In
the Goyernmont from the sRipSuiid TsHepin Il vas as
found that her davits we're not strong enough 10
It was also discovered that her decks would not
stand the strain Of firing her ednch guns. Tho
Of other defects which had to DO remediod.
I give, these facts to show that IL the plans OF
this ship had been drawn by practical shin.
Government, instead OF naval Officers, and IL
practical men had superintendent her construc.
strengthen and tinker for six months. at an OK.
pense- of over $780, 600, after she had been ac-
cepted, from the builder. 1t is SO with all our
Naval officers are VIGOROUSLY incompetent
to perform = great many Of their most important
add the compllcated professio ,n' Of fI marine Msn ensi,
uScIinV 10 tuelr -hlTeNuV numerous duties.
Making q naval deck officer and an engineer
one profession is like uniting q LAWYER and ply
kind Of jack Of all trades and master Of none.
Taking the Ave higher grade s. the Naval Regis
ter for last year gives the following figures: Out
or about 80 per cent. This leaves 81 per cent.
on land In positions many of which should
have no connection with naval affairs. Why
increase the number of officers In those grades
when there is employment for only 80 per cent.
Of them Mt seal JOHN +, Potter.
BROOKLYN. Jan. oa.