The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-22
THE sTRAT[GIC BOARD
Rear Admiral Walker and Capt.
c. A. Goodrich Relieved.
ASSIGNED TO OTHER DUTIES
The Board Is Now Composed of Mr..
Roosevelt, Rear Admiral Sicard.
Capts. CrOwninshield and Barker
and COmmand ClOyer-Capt.
Goodrich 10 Command st. Louis.

Secretary Long has reorganiZed the
Naval Strategic Board. On account of
the important character of the duty
which this board has to perform, includ-
ing the preparation of plans of offense
and defense whose execution may result
in victory or defeat for the American
forces, great interest was manifested in
naval circles in the Secretary's action.
As reorganized the board will COM
prise these members:
Assistant Secretary Theodore Roosevelt,
president; Rear Admiral Montgomery ST.
card. naval adviser to Secretary Long;
Captain A. S. Crowninshield. chief of the
Bureau of Navigation Captain A. S. Bar
ker, and Command Richardson Glover,
chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Captain Barker and Commander Glover
will shortly be relieved from duty as
members of the board, Captain Barker
having been selected to command the
cruiser Newark, which will be placed in
commission at Norfolk next month, and
Commander Glover having been ordered
to hold himself in readiness to command
the gunboat Bancroft, which viii arrive
ton, where she has been undergoing re-
pairs and receiving an increase Of arma-
ment.
Secretary Long has urged Commander
Glover TO reconsider the request that
officer made TO be assigned to the Ban
croft, on the ground that his services
are so valuable in his present Office
that IL would be injurious to the inter-
ests OF the Government to spare him at
n1nnH@F Clover
il is his duty 10 go TO sea, and is deter
mined TO assume command of the Ban
croft next week.
The Bancroft will join the North At
lautic squadron and by reason Of heI
hardness and the ability and general
information in connection with the Span
ish navy possessed by her commanding
officer, she will he kept in close touch
with Capt. Sampson, the commandments
chief of the squadron during engage
ments which are expected to take place.
Rear Admiral J. G. Walker. retired,
who is relieved from duty as a member
of the Strategic Board, will probably be
retained on duty at the department in
an advisory character for the present
at least Assistant Secretary Roosevelt
has no intention Of relinquishing his
present office under three weeks at least
and that he will not go to the front un-
til the troops are on their way to Cuba.
The President and friends of the As
sistant Secretary propose TO take advant-
age OF his presence in Washington to
urge Linn to remain here, as they feel
that he is splendidly qualified TO I'LL the
office ne holds.
Mr.. Roosevelt's work has been one OF
preparation. and he has performed II to
the entire satisfaction Of the President
and the Secretary. IL the President and
Secretary Loong are able to prevail upon
Mr.. Roosevelt to remain. provision will
be made To give Rear Admiral Walker a
position which will be in keeping with his
rank.
Rear Admiral Sicard, who has been ap-
pointed Rear Admiral Walkers success
sor as a member of the board, was for
merly commander in chief of the North
Atlantic squadron. and is thoroughly
familiar with the plans Of the department
and with the situation as 1t exists at Key
West. His assignment therefore, is a
matter Of qualification In naval circles.
Captain &. \. Goodrich. who has been
relieved from duty as a member of the
board. has received orders to command
the St. Louis. which will shortly arrive
al Cramps yard to undergo conversion
into an auxiliary cruiser. Commander
Clover's successor on the board will be
the officer who will succeed him as chief
of the Office of Naval Intelligence. 1t Is
not proposed to assign anyone to succeed
either Captain Barker or Captain Good
rich.
Protection against 1-pounder projectiles
will be given to the four vessels of the
American line, and the four vessels of the
Morgan line. which will be converted in
to auxiliary cruisers. Chief Naval Con-
structor Hichborn has contracted with
the Carnegie Steel Company for the de-
livery without delay of 1,00o tons of nickel
steel in plates. ! IA inches thick. and so
manufactured that they can be doubled.
By this plan the chief constructor says
that each ship will be given nickel
steel belt over its vitals two and a half
inches in thickness. The Dixie, Yankee
Yosemite and Prairie which will be as
signed to the Northern patrol squadron,
will be given this protection and the st.
Louis, st. Paul, Harvard and Yale will
be similarly protected.