The San Francisco call., 1904-08-08
Kaleidoscope
SHIFTS IN NAVY
DEPARTMENT

Some remarkable changes and shift
ing about among the bureaus of the
Navy Department have taken place
within the past year and the Board Of
Construction as q consequence is
whom have hitherto had anything
TO do with determining upon the
general or detailed designs Of
ships 70 be built. This viii natural
" result in delaying new construction,
as the new members viii require time
70 formulate and present their ideas
and finally agree upon some COM
promise design. The first vacancy was
made when Engineer in Chief George
Wallace Melville. chief Of the Bureau
Of Steam Engineering since August 9,
1887, was retired August s, 1908, and
was succeeded by Captain Charles
Whiteside Rae. Next followed Captain
Royal Bird Bradford. chief Of the Bu-
reau of Equipment since Decem ber Is,
1897, who resigned October II, 1908, and
went TO sea in command Of the battle
ship Illinois. Bradford was succeeded
by Captain Albert George Converse
on October 81. 1908. Chief Constructor
BowIes suddenly resigned as chief Of
the Bureau Of Construction, which Of
fee he had held since March 4, 1901,
and MS place was filed by Naval Con-
struct0r Washington Lee Caps Cap
tain Charles O'Nell. chief OF the Bu-
reau of Ordnance since June l, 1897,
was retired March 10 1904. and Cap
tain Converse reIinQuishiug the Office
Of chief Of the Bureau Ct Equipment,
succeeded Neil. while Captain Henry
Newman 5Ianney was appointed TO the
Office vacated by Captain Converse
Fefs
through the death. on July 26 last. OF
Rear Admiral Henry Clay Taylor,
chief Of the Bureau OF Navigation.
Captain Converse was promoted 10 the
vacancy on August 1. and Commander
Newton EIiphaIet Mason viii succeed
Captain Converse as chief Of the Bu-
reau of Ordnance.
FURTHER COMPLICATIONS.
To still further complicate matters,
Secretary William Henry Moody re-
signed July l. and was succeeded by
Paul Morton and Captain Samuel c..
I.emly. Judge advocate general of the
navy since June 3. 1892 Was finally
retired June ;. 1904. and succeeded by
Commander William Henry BeehIer,
an ackuOwfed=ed expert on COM
passes. chronometers and kindred
matters. but unknown in the legal
profession. The only high official re-
naming in the department. barring
those who have nothing 10 do with
Shaping naval plans and the design.
armament and construction Of ships,
is Assistant Secretary Charles II.
Darling. who has manifested a good
knowledge Of naval matters IN general.
He is however. not tayOrIte with
the Washington branch of the navy
The present condition Of the Navy De-
partment is certainly a most remark
"a trrr~,.-o1aI rrad ona
sistant Secretary Darling and other
permanent employees in the several
bureaus VIII have considerable extra
work on their hands for some time
What must strike the person un-
familiar with notions prevailing in the
navy is the assumed adaptability and
fitness of officers. ranking not lower
than commanders. to fill the position
or chief Of any bureau SUCH, how
ever, is the custom in the navy, which
has become a fixed fact. limited only
by such safeguards as United States
statutes prescribe. Up to 1853 the
/ design and construction of ships was
under the control Of captains of the
navy, the naval constructors being
subordinate and having no rank. Since
then the chief Of the Bureau Of Con-
struction has been a naval construc-
tor The Bureau of Yards and Docks
was likewise under the control of a
navy captain until April 4, 1898, when
the law was changed and civil en-
gineer was appointed chief Of that
bureau. The bureau chiefships open
to the officers Of the line have thus
been narrowed down to those of navi-
CATION, equipment. ordnance and
steam engineering. The corps of engi-
neers having ceased to exist as a dis
tInct and special branch in the navy.
any officer above the grade of Iieuten-
ant commander may be appointed
chief of the Bureau Of Steam Enzi-
neering. In the navy rank and knowI-
edge are synonyms.
CASE OF CAPTAIN CONVERSE.
The case of Captain Converse is a