The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-11-17
NAVY NOT READY
FOR A CONFLICT
OWING TO LACK OF SEASONED
ENGINEERS, SHIPS ARE NOT IN
SHAPE TO WIN VICTORIES.

WASHINGTON, November 2.-Rear-
Admiral Charles w. Rae, engineer in
chief Of the United States Navy in his
annual report calls attention to "the
critical condition of engineering in the
navy" and points to the explosion on
the Bennington i'm san Diego harbor
which, he says, most forcibly empha-
sizes the necessity of serious and i'm
mediate attention. Speaking of the
operations of the personnel bill, which
merges the corps of engineers into the
line of the navy, he says a corps of
specialists was virtually abolished and
their duties transferred to the line.
As all midshipmen at the academy had
been given excellent personal instruc-
ton in engineering he adds, no eXa-
mination other than that required for
promotion is demanded of them for
qualifying for the performance of the
joint duties imposed by the personnel
act. The intent, however, he con-
tinues, was that they should be ordered
at once to the performance of engineer
duty in subordinate capacities as assist
ants of the older engineer officers.
owing to the absence of specific
instructions in the personnel bill,
combined with powerful adverse in
huences within the department." he
continues, ''for three years absolutely
nothing was done by the younger line
officers in acquiring engineering ex-
perience, and later owing to the large
number of ships kept i'm commission
and the scarcity of officers, but little
in that direction was accomplished.
80 few officers of the line are TAX
ing up engineering seriousll that the
situation is becoming alarming" says
the engineer-in-chief and he adds:
Were the country suddenly plunged
into war the navy would find itself in
no condition to win battles. AS neces-
sary as good craftsmanship is the
ability to carry our guns to the firing
line and to keep them there amid the
havoc created by modern ordnance,
and this will never be done with anna
tours in charge of the machinery
That line officers can become good
engineers has already been proved;
but they must have experience to be-
come so, and that experience must be
acquired in subordinate positions. No
young officer out of the academy but Il
short time, who would not be given
charge of the deck except under the
supervision of senior officer, should
be placed in charge of the engine de-
partment of a ship, as has been done.
Engineering logically belongs to the
line, and the line should be made to
perform that duty earnestly"
Admiral Rae submits plan for
quickly supplying the Navy with
body of efficient engineers" which
provides that all the younger officers
must be given engineering duty and
be made to realize their responsibility,
the duty to be performed first in
subordinate capacity and examinations
to be strict with engineering, ranking
workmanship, gunnery and navigation.
Further, the plan provides for a num-
Der of engineering specialists i'm the
line, whose duty at sea and on shore
shall be engineering, such offic rs not
to perform sea duty after reaching the
grade of commander.
one in every ten above the rank of
Lieutenant, junior grade, is suggested
as the number of such officers re-
quired, and it is proposed that such
officers be recruited from the foot of
the list of Lieutenants, the officers so
selected to be given a course i'm higher
maTtne engineering for ht least a
year. This plan, it is explained would
give a body of engineering specialists
as follows: Two Rear-Admirals, seven
Captains, eleven Commanders, twenty
nine enant-Commanders and
thirty-four Lieutenants. of which num-
Der siNty-two would be available for
sea duty.
Admiral Rae says the bureau is OPP
posed to the formation of separate
corps of engineers in the Navy sim
liar to that abolished by the personnel
act Legislation increasing the num-
Der of warrant machinists is recon-
mended, and it is proposed that they
be given the right to quarters accord
ing to rank and warrant officers of the
line. Other changes i'm the ratings Of
the engineer force are recommended.
For the navy yard at Mare nsand
appropriations are requested for the
construction of a foundry, smithies,
boiler shops, coppersmith shop, pat
tern shop and administration build
| ings. The commandant at the Mare
Island yard is quoted as saying the
present boiler shop there is a menace
to the safety of some of the boiler
makers.
| ASGHAAIAAAAAA