The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-07-29
THE DISASTER
ON THE BENNINGTON. :
New Orleans States.
s pa : ! : Z.


According to the talk in Washington
there is something rotten IN Den
mark and this time Denmark happens
to be the navy. Secretary Bonapar1e
has promised the country, however,
that in the Investigation of the disas-
ter on the gunboat Bennington thers
will be no whitewashing of anybody.
but the utmost thoroughness VIII pc
exercised in the inquiry as 10 the
causes Of the boiler explosion which
resulted in the killing and Woundlns
OF more than one-half the crew OF that
vessel II is the first time that sucn
an accident has occurred on a vessel
of the United States navy, and appa-
rently the officials are unable to ac-
count for it. This seems strange IN
view of the fact that as Tar back as
eight months ago. as shown by the
records of the navy department, the
feet engineer of the Pacific squadron
reported the boilers of the Bennington
to be defective anG in need OF general
repairs. 1t is evident that If any re-
pairs were made at all they were the
merest patchwork, and that somebody
is responsible for the disaster. In
commenting on the matter the Phila-
delphia Record says:
The shocking disaster ON the gun
boat Bennington has brought out inti-
nations in well-informed quarters here
that others of the older vessels of the
navy will be found, on Investigation, to
/ have badly worn if not actually defect
! i've, machinery and boilers that re
quire speedy replacing If the vessels
are to be continued in commission.
That the state of affairs exists IS said
/ to be known to the department. but it
has not been remedied, for the reason
that the officials have been adverse to
asking congress for money to make
needed repairs to the older vessels
While the appropriations for providing
great new vessels of the most modern
types remain at the enormous figures
OF the last few years.
Much plain talk has been heard at
Washington since the accident occur
red and among other things it is said
/ that there has been a scramble among
naval officers for assignment to the
newer vessels that the inspection OF
the old and half-obsolete ships is per-
functory, and that the policy of the
navy department has been to secure
large appropriations for new ships,
rather than expend huge sums in re-
pairs to old ones. If this has been
the policy anai necessary repairs were
neglected in order to keep down ex-
penditures there is no reason to doubt
that all the facts will be brought out
by the investigation which Secretary
Bonaparte has ordered.
The belief exists that there has been
a sad deterioration in the efficiency
OF the engineer corps OF the navy since
the amalgamation of the line and staff
under the Roosevelt naval personnel
act which provides that every naval
officer must be an "all.roundp man OF
the highest grade; that the engineer
must know his engines and boilers as
well as the, best engineer. and must
also be able TO go on the quarterback
as commander of the ship, must know
international law, must be a nayigat-
ing officer, an expert in scientific gun.
merry ana also a diplomat. But every
body who has any cdmnlon sense
knows that 1t is impossible that the
average naval officer can reach a high.
degree Of skill in all these specialized
professions. He is bound to be def
Gent in some of the branches. The
personnel bill was passed by congress
TO relieve the engineer officers with
the result that the engineering branch
OF the service has suffered. The aver
age naval officer prefers to pace the
quarterback and wave his cap to wife
or sweetheart, to order the firing Of
cannon in response to salutes to hts
snip and entertain visitors at home
and abroad, than to be cooped IN he
low deck directing the running of en-
gines and watching hot boilers. This
anty Is lodged and shirked as much
as possible. hence it is asserted thai
the gravest responsibilities in the en-
CINE rooms are thrown upon the war
rant maehinists. 1t follows that tbe
engineering department is becoming
iaulty; and it may be expected that
this Is a matter that Secretary Bona.
parte will take up and work on unfil
he has greatly improved existing CON.
ditions. There is no reason whatever
to doubt that the affairs of the navy
are in need of thorougb invest;.va4;,,.