The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-03

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RsraIatlon ana discipline ofihe Navy.
II. suggested that ths UnItsd States
Could Not no Better Than 70 Follow ths
Eagii,h systsm, au that country Has
] HAD Larger R1psrluneo thHR any Othir
Power.
WASHINGTON Oct, 2-Now that ;
question has arisen as to the best meth
Cd Of providing an eficIent system Of
transportation by sea for the army, z
may be Of interest to note what the view
of the navy department has been ail
along In this matter. The attention Of
the department was called by Admiral
Sampson at an early stage to the defects
of the transport system as revealed In
the departure from Tampa Of the Shat
ter expedition, and the delays in the
landing at Daiquiri. Cuba The action
Of the navy department at this time is
shown by the following memorandum,
prepared by Captain Dickens, who was
at the time acting as chief of the navi-
CATION bureau. in the temporary absence
OF Captain Crowninshield:
"Burean Of Navigation, July 20.
Memorandum for chief bureau Of nav
igatioD:
slr:LTae following cablegram was re-
ceiyed to-day from Rear Admiral Will
lam II. Sampson, U. s. N, commanding
North Atlantic feet:
an view Of the close relations of the
army and navy which must exist in
such operations as the present, and to
avoid friction, specihc regulations gov
ernlng the combined action of the two
services are necessary. would rec
omme1d the adoption at once OF the
English regulations on this subject, In
Guiding transport service, which exist
In full detail. Their experience has
been far larger than that of any other
power, and think their methods would
be perfectly adaptable to ourselves. II
| their regulations for combined action
are not in the department, 1 would sug-
gest asking for them at once, through
our naval attache."
In looking up the information covering
the subject of the above cablegram, l
am not able to ind in the office Of the
naval intelllsanSe.pny publication teiat-
ing to the regulations covering the eom-
blned action Of the two services. In
consequence of this / would suggest
that a cablegram be at once sent
to our naval attache at London to for
ward these regulations to the depart
ment, II possible to do 90.
From the Queens Regulations and
Admiralty Instructions for the Cow
ernment of Her Matesty's Naval Ser
vice." 1t is evident that the transport
service IS in charge of the naval branch
of their government. on page 47s, un-
der chapter 90. article 1858. 1t states as
follows:
whenever any of her majesty's land
forces shall be embarked as passengers
In any of her mnjesty's ships, the OIL
GERS and soldiers, from the time OF em-
barkation, shall strictly observe the
laws and regulations established for
the government and discipline of her
majestys navy, and for these purposes
shall be under the command Of the COM
manding officer Of the ship, as well as of
the senior naval officer present; and all
military officers and other persons under
the equivalent rank of captain, r. N,
taking passage, and all military officers
in actual command Tor the time being
of any of the troops embarked, through
whom orders to the troops (given by the
officer Of the watch) are required to
pass, shall be under the command of
the officers of the watch"
This shows cOncluslyely, think, that
the transport service Is entirely in the
hands of the naval establishment. This
article Is followed by several others,
giving detailed instructions.
In advance of receiving the reguln-
tlons covering the combined action of
the two forces. It might be good plan
after due consultation and arrange
ment with the war department, to make
beginning, by following the English
regulations as far as they apply to
transport service, as they could in all
probability be made easily adaptable
to our service. and also for the reason,
as Admiral Sampson states, that the
English experience has been far larger
than that of any other power. Their
J regulations covering these matters are,
of course, the result of experience and
of many active operations, covering a
long period of years, and for that reason
alone would, think, be safe to follow.
and which, of course could be modified
from time to time when applied to our
service, as experience might dictate.
Very respectfully,
F. W. DICKENS,
Assistant Chief OF Bureau.
Caroline lIlSkSI ITOyt Dead.
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