The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-05-31
Plans Discussed to Place the De-
partment on a More Rad
icaI Basis.
Is OPPOSED BY CIVILIANS
The TASK Considered OF TOO Large
Magnitude Dewey 10 Be Head
OF Bureau Chiefs.

NEW YORN. May 5O.-Ihe Tribune
9 respondent at Washington, discussing
the appointment VI board 70 reform
lho organization Of the navy depart.
msnt. says;
! A thorough oyorhaullng system OF ma
val administration With the probable re-
Z suit NJ lis radical reorganization on a
business basis has been under coHaldsrGe
! ton for number Of years, provoking
warm discussion among tho officers, but
never meeting favor with the high civil.
tan authorities. who feared 20 under
take task of such magnitude.
An Invaluable reform IN the supply
system was introduced BY Secretary
whitney. and this was improved BY his
successors until that bureau secured the
dlsunction VI going through The war with
Spain without ryoklng an uncompli-
maniary criticism. But the jealosles OF
Tho other naval bureaus have recently
Increased and Secretary Long has at
last adopted n pan which Il IL hoped will
P'rult eventually IN discussing u remedy
for this serious condition. Following his
own method. which was 10 successful un-
der Assistant Secretary Rooseyclrs
guidance Of me details. IN harmonizlng
tho line and stan by the psrsonnel bill.
Secretary Long has delegated 90 Assists
ant Secretary Allen tho simpler problem
" saving the navy from vicious bu.
truurracy. To this end he has appointed
board os which Assistant Secretary
Alton II president The board h directed
90 review tho regulations relating TO the.
working bureaus OF the navy, those Of
ordnance. engineering construction.
equipment and yards and docks.
Ths regulations under consideration are
those defining the dut!sa Of the bureaus.
tho extent of their authority ahoat and
ashore and giving definition 10 the Limits
ot each with a view 90 nGing rcspons.-
biniy asd preventing duplication Of the
wirk
They have never given satisfaction 90
anyone. Matter which IN a business sor-
pora,lon would naturally De paced un-
der the jurisdiction OF a ship carpenter
have for various considerations bcccn as-
pigncd 10 steam litter and vice versa
The engineers have prutshled that the
should DO confined 20 hul!s
and cona,ruriora In turn have looked
upon dr docks az tools for the consiruc-
ton and repair OF ships. The civil en-
gancrrn have Always contcndcd that navy
yard plants under all the bureaus should
De- under single head and operated
economically from q central station,
Tho steam engine that drives a dynamo
belongs 90 ono b1rcau, It's foundation to |
another. the current TO another. and II /
a ven,iialtng fan is driven boy current it /
belongs to another. 4 new complication |
arose when the personnel law merged the P
engineers with the line, as u was taken ,
for granted that the engineering bureau /
would be- abolished and its work dlstrit-
Itrd.
Progressive bureau chiefs have invaria-
bly, reached out for all there was IN
,Lht. and rivalry was intended among /
some o. the bureaus as to which should
rave the Hons share Of the machinery
branch OF the navy. The Allen board Will
,avo 20 determine whether the engineers
AN b. spared, and perhaps that Is the
greatest question it has to answer The
board will also look into the merits Of
proposition TO give the constructors
control OF all shore work. leaving the
Inc officers exclusively for sea duty and
. counter proposition to conhne the con-
itrurtors sharply TO hulls alone, d,
The longest heads OF the navy profess
o believe that permanent board some.
what similar 10 the British admiralty
VIII be the outcome OF the investigation.
A scheme Is already maturing TO have
\dmiral Dewey permanently Installed at
he head Of the board with two sea.
golng rear admlrals to pass upon all mat.
crs affecting the fleet, to direct the bu-
'eaus In the design, building and repair.
ng " ships and to control under the
'ccretary's approval all matters OF de-
all In the navy,
The board will meet Friday, when all
he bureau chiefs are directed TO pre-
'ent written memoranda OF the changes
hey desire discussed A