Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-15
MATHEMATic PROFESSORS
Proposition to Discontinue the Corps in the
Navy.
The secretnry's Observation-Disclosures
of Vigorous OpPosition to Pro-
posed LegislatiOn.

If the Recommendation of Secretary Long
Is followed by Congress. the corps of naval
professors of mathematics will in the near
future be disconti nued as a part of the
naval establishment He has recommended
that the statute authorizing the appoint
ment of professors of mathematics be so
amended that withc ut disturbing those
who how hold the Office. no further ap-
pcintments shall be made. In explanation
Of his plan for The practical abolition Of
the corps, Secretary Long prepared the fol-
lowing memorandum:
The Secretary's Memorandum.
1.-The reason for the creation of the Office
has passed away. These professors were,
at first, teachers of midshipmen on board
ship and were thus exposed to the dan
gers of service in var and at sea. They
were therefore properly pensioned by
place upon the retired list. Today their
name is largely a misnomer Under the
law, one is assignable to the teaching of
Ell hics and English studies, one of Spanish
and one of drawing. In fact, only one
teaches mathematics at the Naval Acad-
envy; several of them are on duty at the
naval observatory; two are librarians: one
is engaged in ordnance work. and another
in the bureau of yards ard docks. They
have no service at sea. and there is no
more reason why hereafter the retired list
should be open to a new appointee to the
work now done by this corps than to any
other employe in civil life.
eff this recommendation is adopted by
Congress 1t will be necessary to provide
for the appointment of astronomers at the
naval observatory, to take the places as
they shall become vacant of existing pro-
ft ssors of mathematics who now serve In
that capacity. There should be five astron-
these hereafter appointed should be suffl-
Gent to make up Tor the refusal to them
OF the privilege of retirement. and also to
secure men of high scientific attachments.
adequate to the demands Of one Of the
most capable observatories of the world.
AS the above astronomical corps Is now
full, no appointment under the new statute
proposed will be necessary till vacancy
occurs"
Grounds of Opposition.
As was to have been expected. the Sec
retary's plan does not meet with the uni
versa approval of the naval or congress
sional circles, and there are signs of Wig
orous opposition to the proposed legisla-
ton The following communication indi-
Gates some Of the grounds against the pro-
posed plan of reoragnizing the scientific
force at the Naval Observatory:
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The writer's attention was called few
days ago to a statement in one of the daily
papers to the effect that Secretary Long
in his naval estimates recommends the aDo-
lition of the corps Of professors OF mathe-
me tics in the navy. This is as 1t should be,
as far as the name of the corps and the
practice of filling vacancies in the same
are concerned. But why should the corps
itself be abolished. simply because 1t has
been a practice in late years to make 1t
convenient retiring quarters for line on1-
GERS, tired of sea duties, or because former
appointing powers saw fit to give COM
mission in the corps to teachers OF IAN
guages and some librarians, who evidently
were not professors of mathematics. Should
an institution, such as this, be declared
useless and superfluous. just because such
corps a misnomer? Why not change the
name to plain professors, make 1t a
corps of scientists, in which able civilians
could be commissioned In different scientinc
CAPACITIES, and do away with the per-
nicious practice of retiring young line Off
GERS into the same, thus creating sine
cures.
Secretary Long proposes that as vacan-
cies occur in the Naval Observatory they
should be filled by civilians who, as COM
pensation for lost privilege of retirement,
should receive adequate increase OF pay
Does Secretary Long really think that
this would be an inducement for able scien-
lists to apply for positions in the naval
service? Would this be compensation
also for the risk, however small. which the
frequent menaceS to the tenure OF the civil
positions might carry with them? He may
answer that scientists would have no cause
for apprehension, and he might ASK now
is it that so many eminent scientists oc-
cupy positions in other departments where
there is no privilege of retirement? 1 think
that can be answered very satisfactorily.
In other departments, whether they oc-
cupy positions as chief of bureaus or
divisions, or more inferior positions, they
work together tremendously and give ana
receive credit. where credit is due. Is this
the case in the navy, and would that pc
the case in the observatory, under the new
regime? l think not Then, as is the case
now a line officer would be in charge, but
now the professors undoubtedly get credit
for what they accomplish which certainly
would not be the case were they astrono-
with Navy Department practice, will at
once recognize this fact. And that such q
state of conditions would not tend to en-
courage the astronomers to original re-
,earch, 1 think will be evident to every
body.
1t almost looks as If the proposition in
lirectly emanated from some line officer,
and that it is the old story, Zine against
the staff" which takes expression here as
well as in the well-understood desire among
the line to get rid of the civil engineers;
in fact, everybody who cannot claim the
Naval Academy as alma mater.
Aside from the injury, which legislation
in this direction would work to the best
interests of the service. 1t is easy to see
what effect 1T would have in another
spect. Would not the well-known un-Amer-
lean tendency toward an aristocracy, which
already exists in the service, become much
stronger? 1t is, therefore, to be hoped
that If Congress acts in the matter it
would not abolish the CORPS but change
the name and thus make 1t include also
scientists in other branches of the service,
as well as offer inducements for outside
savants to enter the service.
HOMO sAPIENs.