New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-18
NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.
Ne7c Engineer an Chief, Paymastcr
General and Marine COmmGndGnt.
rFsov rHr TRIBUNE srgEar.I

x,,.s.e-.o,, lime IL Three Of the biggest
fights made for appointments under the Nav
Department ended to-day in the selection 81
Captain Charles W. Rae. chief engineer TO 10
engineer in chief and chief Of the Bureau NJ
steam Engineering. Pay Director Henry T. +
Harris to he paymaster general and cnlef 81
the Bureau Of supplies and Accounts. and Colo
mel George r. Elliot. Of the marine corps. 70 ne
brigadier general eomrnandant OF marines.
For these .hree places the rivalry has beer
keen and numerous candidates have conducted
lively campaigns. covering. In the case Of the
bureau chiefs period OF twelve months Ct
more The selections were not a surprise To the
service. beyond The fact that almost any selec-
ton from anong dozen officers would have
created as little surprise.
Back Of the marine corps appointment has
been the fight for the place on the part Of Some
Of the STAFF officers Of that branch OF the ser
wee hitherto regarded as ineligible TO the Office
Colonel Elliot was ordered to Washington some
mo1ths ago by General Haywood, who urged him
upon The President as his own successor at the
head of the corps
The campaign for the place Of Paymastsr
General has lasted two years. and several OF the
candidates were regarded as standing better
chance Of appointment than Mr.. Harris. who
won in the end. He was backed by Senator
PIatt of New-York who came TO Washington
on Saturday to clinch the appointment The
New-York influence Offset the friendship which
had backed one or two Of the other candidates.
particularly Pay Inspector John A Mudd. who
has been in Washington the general in
spector of the pay corps. and who was recon-
rnended for the place by Secretary Moody.
In the selection of an engineer officer to sue
coed Rear Admiral George W. Melville. the
members of the Naval General Board have been
disappointed in pet project They have been
urging the selection Of a line officer for engt-
neer in chief Mr. Rae mad the support OF Sen
ator Eugene Haze of Maine, and Of the naval
engineers Mr.. Hale's influence in the Senate as
chairman of the Naval Committee made IL
necessary for the members Of the General Board
to abandon the fight especially as the board de
sired to retain Mr.. Hale's friendship for the
General Staff scheme. The appointment Of an
engineer in chief comes none too soon, since II
was part of the plan of the General Board to
abolish the board of construction. and Mr. Rae'S
selection adds the stability Of the depart
mental board composed Of bureau chiefs
Captain Charles FFhfteside Rae is the first
graduate of the Naval Academy TO become head
of the Bureau of Steam Engineering. all the
other chiefs Of this bureau since the Civil War
having been appointed from civil life he IS a
native of Connecticut and was appointed to the
Academy from New-York in 1S66. He Is re-
garded as an officer of marked ability.
Paw Director Henry Tudor BrOWneu Harris Is
also a native Of Connecticut, and an appointee
TO the service from New-York, entering II n
1864 He Is now duty at the League Island
Navy Yard
later in the Philippines, together with an al
round good record, won Lieutenant Coionri
George r Elliott his appointment as command
ant of the Marine Corps. He Is a nauVe or
Alabama but was appointed to the service from
New-York in 1870 He now commands 1ne
Marine Barracks at Norfolk