The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-10-23
DESERT|ONS FROM NAVY
FEWER SINCE WAR GAME
Bureau of Navigation Con-
cludes Its Inquiry.

The Bureau of Navigation of the Navy
Department has completed an investiga
ton of the complaints that SO much dis
satisfaction existed among the officers
and men of the North Atlantic squadron
that the efficiency OF the squadron had
been injured.
That there was something radically
wrong with the enlisted personnel had
been demonstrated for some time by the
reports of assertions. which for many
months past had shown an alarming in
crease. While the bureau officials are
unwilling to admit that they discovered
that the complaints were justified they
announce that there has been great
improvement in the matter of assertions
and that the percentage of enlisted men
who took French leave in their first
shore libert! after the army and navy
war game Of last month was smaller
even than it was in the more easy going
days before the Spanish American war;
when the enlisted strength was not one
half what it is now and there was COM
paratively little hard work to do.
Bureau officials assert that their in
vestigation shows that since the war
game greater state of cheerfulness ex-
that officers and men acknowledge that
there has been great gain in efficiency
from the hard work of the summer
No General Cause for Suicides.
At one time naval officers on duty in
the Navy Department were of the opin-
ion that the recent suicides of officers
sE the squadron were due to some gen
eral cause. but they are now satisfied
that the causes were individual in each
case of self-destruction and were apart
from the life on shipboard Undoubtedly,
however there has been great deal of
dissatisfaction among the officers and
enlisted men for nearly year
After the return of the squadron from
its visit to the West Indies last winter
the assertions grew to alarming proper
tions.
According to what is said in the Navi-
CATION Bureau, the improved conditions
the war game and the various vessels
went to navy yards on the Atlantic
coast. There have been many rumors
that the officers OF the squadron were
quite as displeased with the conditions
as were the men under their command,
but in no case has 1t been asserted that |
this displeasure was caused by the ex-
al- b,r ;a1, -.
war practice made necessary Owing to
the reticence of officials of the Navy |
Department. it is practically impossible |
TO secure any information as to the ma
ture of the general cause or causes |
which were said to have produced I'M
happiness in the fleet.
Shore Leave Curtailed.
Since the United States navy was es-
ablished it has been customary to give
liberty at least one day in the week to
he enlisted men of ships at home ports.
This rule worked exceedingly well. The
nen were willing to perform their duties
o the best of their ability and with
.heerfuiness throughout the week il
hey had before them the prospect of
lelhS peTlultteu u 30 dSIuTe DIT TIE eHu. !
1 is understood, however, that the in
estigation disclosed that this rule has
lot been observed in the North Atlantic
quadron, that there was no cessation
# routine with considerable additional
uties and consequent loss of sleep en-
allied by the squadron exercises, and
hat the men became surly over the
1, |
hipboard with the shore in sight A ]
reat many greenhorns have been en-
sted in the service recently, and these.
is said, found the life SO entirely
from what they expected that
lany of them deserted at the first OPP I
ortunitv. Another cause of dissatisfac- !
ion, according to report, was that the l
len were frequently called on to per-
1rm duties at the meal hour which {
Ould have been performed just as well '
t some subsequent time.