The record-union., 1898-01-10
PROPOSED NAVAL REFORMS.


PROPOSED NAVAL REFORMS.
Whoever considers Mr. Secretary
Roosevelt's plan for betterment of the
commanding forces in our navy must
approve tat least in the main-if he
has any understanding Of the situation
Mr.. Roosevelt has not completely for
INFLATED method for accomplishing his
betHerments but whatever is worth
achieving will develop a way to the
end In brief, it is claimed by the AS
sistant Secretary that under our pres
emit system the young man in the navy
has not sufficient show. His chances
for distinguishing himself are very linn
tied in times of peace, and no one wants
war simply for the purpose Of develop
ing heroes.
The young officer, as things now are.
must wait until he has passed middle
age before he can even hope for mate
rial promotion. Then, with great ra-
pidity he is rushed through the upper
grades and a few barely reach the
honors in time to be retired. The Sec
rotary would have some means de-
vised by which those men in the navy
least likely to develop special or high
ability may be retired on half pay, or
placed in a reserve, so that they may
be called upon whenever needed by
their country. He would then have the
officers developing high capacity ad-
vanced as rapidly as may be, in order
that we may create commanders, Cap
tains and other high grade naval Of
ficers from classes Of men in their
prime As these go up the ladder of
can be indicted into their places.
In other words, Mr.. Roosevelt would
do away with the seniority system of
advancement, and thus not confine abil-
age comes on and the man becomes less
capacitated for active work. Just how
this is to be accomplished is not very
clear, but that it would necesstate the
thousands is conceded. But half MILL
ion in that direction will not be be-
grudged by the people to secure such
results as are looked forward to.
But in another branch of betterment
Mr.. Roosevelt is perfectly clear as to
means. He would separate radically
the seamanship duty in the navy from
that other duty which the modern war
ship has pushed to the front, namely
the engineering arm of the service. TIC
that end he would have Naval Board
erected which is to provide for the
transfer of the engineers to the line
and the creation Of corps of warrant
officers to do sailor duty" or the
greater portion Of it now incumbent
upon officers generally.
To this end the surplus from the Ma
val Academy can be taken care of by
incorporation into this new corps, while
the engineers will confine themselves
wholly to the technique of their branch
of the service. Thus we would have
several distinct branches of the service
rendered necessary by abandonment OF
| the old sailing and wooden craft. There
would be the constructing, the fighting
the seamanship and the sea- engineer-
ing orders Of officers, the whole working
| together in harmony.
Some time ago it was pointed out in
these columns that the chief complaint
among naval experts concerning oul
navy is the lack of engineers, and OF
stimulation for men to enter thai
branch as well as for thorough train
ing IN the art Of handling the machinery
of the great ships of war of these days
| These men, as a matter of course, mus'
| be instructed IN the construction Of
these mighty engines, but not techni-
cally so, for the sea- going and the con.
structing engineering arms of the navy
must be kept distinct.
| 1t is said that our naval constructor
engineers now represent the very high
est order of men known TO any navy
for technical ability, and that they ar,
altogether TOO rev IN NUMBER But ms
men who are to handle the enginery o.
war need not be constructors, whose
duties lie most largely in study, re
search and application, while cruiser.
and hattleship engineers must be me1
Of almost equal ability. but capable o
vigorous activity in time OF trial. un
derstanding thoroughly all about fight
ing machinery, and having the motiv,
power Of the ships at their fingers ends
so to speak.
Why, then, should not these sea
| going engineers be officers OF the line
Mr.. Roosevelt's plan includes the plac
| ing OF the constructing engineers ais
in the line category. but there is no
seen any special need for so doing
They are land men, and their duties
seldom pass them beyond shore.
-
DE man dat makes New Year reso
buttons an accidentally breaks 'em,
said Uncle Eshen s.aiu,t nigh as bal