The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-01-10
PROPOSED NAVAL REFORMS.

organization.
PROPOSED NAVAL REFORMS.
Whoever considers Mr.. Secretary
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 a method for accomplishing his
bebterments, 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
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-
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
promotion the very fittest to be secured
can be indicted into their places.
In other words, Mr.. Roosevelt would
do away with the seniority system Of
advancement, and thus not confine abi-
ity to the less important ranks until old
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 neeessitate the
additional outlay of a few hundreds of
thousands is conceded. But half a 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. To
that end he would have a Naval Board
erected which is to provide for the
transfer of the engineers to the line,
and the creation Of a 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 our
navy is the lack of engineers, and of
branch as Well as for thorough train
ing N the art Of handling the machinery
Of the great ships of war of these days.
These men, as a matter of course, must
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 construction
engineers now represent the very high
est order of men known to any navy
for technical ability, and that they are
altogether too few IN number. But the
men who are to handle the enginery of
war need not be constructors, whose
duties lie most largely in study, re-
search and application, while cruisers
and battleship engineers must be men
of almost equal ability, but capable of
vigorous activity in time of trial, UNI
derstanding thoroughly all about fight
ing machinery, and having the motive
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 also
in the line category, but there is not
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-
lutions an accidentally breaks EN-
said Uncle Ehen, "ain't nigh as bad