Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-18
Treasury Department Now Prepar-
ing the Details.
new NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS
Its Operations Will Cover a Wide
Field.
OTHER BUREAU CHANGES

He Is now at Work
preparing the necessary details to bring all
its bureaus down to the laws as they will
go into effect July l, the beginning of the
fiscal year, which necessitates an extended
reorganization of portion of the clerical
force, due to increases and slight reduc-
tions, provisions for which are made in
the legislative bill
One of the most important changes In
the establishment will be due to the newly
created office Of standard weights and
measures, known officially as the national
bureau of standards, a new bureau which
Will come into existence on July / and re-
place the present office of construction of
standard weights and measures Congress
has by legislation provided for both Offices
This paradox is due to the fact that at
the time the national bureau of standards
was under consideration the legislative bill
was IN such a condition that it was neceS-
sary TO appropriate for both offices, fear
ing that one might fail. The department
mas ruled, however, that the appropriations
Tor the office of construction of standard
Welghts and measures shall lapse and the
appropriation for the national bureau of
standards shall be effective
A Wide Field of Operation.
The operations of this new bureau will
cover a wide field, and, it is believed, will
be beneficial to the commercial. mechani-
cal and scientific interests of the whole
country. 1t will carry on the work of the
bureau that it supersedes, and perform
work much wider in its scope 1t will ex-
erclse lts functions for the government of
the United States, for any state or munich
pal government within the United States
or any scientific society, educational insti-
tuition. firm corporation. or individual in
the United States, engaged in the MANN
n far
the use of Standards or standard measuring
instruments. 1t is to erect suitable
laboratory of fireproof construction for
Whicn congress has appropriated $3.50 600
II viii nave the custody of all the old STAN
dardS, compare standards used in scientific
Investigations engineering manufacturing
commerce and educational institutions with
the standards adopted or recognized by this
bureau, and when necessary it will con-
struct standards, solve problems which
aTlse In connection Herewith determine
physical constants. the properties of ma
teffals, when important to scientific or
manufacturing interests, which cannot he
OBTAINED of sufficient accuracy elsewhere
mere mas been some conflict betwean tfe
sclentlhc and practical interests. which the
bureau will undertake to remove and will
ann to avoid all possible delay in adiustin.
the dir1erenceS now existing and endeayor To
attain the utmost accuracy 1t will take
steps 10 ascertain the most pressing pra ctt-
cal needs of commerce and manufa cturers
in general
Electrical Profession Interested
II is believed at the department that the
electrical profession will be practically in
terested In two classes of standards-the
photometric and the electrical, and the
problems pertaining to each It will give
especial attention to a new standard for
lamps as, in the opinion of some the nres-
ent standard candle no longer satisfies the
modern requirements of accuracy and con-
stancy. 1t will extend further its re-
searches in the subject of electrical units
as that is considered to be of particular inn
portance to the electrical engineer. All the
electrical standards applicable to storage
batteries and long-distance transmission of
power will be carefully considered. The
equipment of the new bureau will occupy
the attention of scientists, which will in
clude apparatus for the verification of sci
entlfc standards, and, second, apparatus
for the comparison of commercial weights
and measures, in which the latest develop
ments will be brought into consideration.
Force of the Bureau.
There will be a director at $1,000 a year,
one physicist and one chemist al So, 500 each,
two assistant physicists or chemists at
s2'2oo, laboratory assistants and a secre-
tary at $1,000 year. The director Mr.. s.
w. Stratton of the Chicago University, has
been appointed by the President. The phy-
der the civil service rules under a proyt-
sion which provides for the special selec-
t1on of persons eminent in their profess
slons Two assistant physicists will be |
transferred from the old bureau The sec
retary Will be selected after a special ex-
by the civil service commission,
which will take place on June % |
Changes in Other Bureaus.
In other bureaus of the department there
Will be quite a number of changes, due to
legislation, notably in the office of the
treasurer of the United States, where there |
is to be an additional deputy assistant |
treasurer, one chief of division and eight |
expert counters.
There will be quite an increase of force in |
the office of the auditor for the Post Office
Department. 1t will have one new deputy |
auditor, five clerks at 81 800 five clerks at |
81 .200, five clerks at $1,000, five clerks at |
$500. and four messengers.
The Office of the auditor for the Nayv De-
partment has one new law clerk and one |
clerk at 81. 800 and so on with a number of
the other bureaus.
RECIPROCITY WITH NICARAGUA.