The San Francisco call., 1905-06-29
GREAT POWERS
FOR NAVY BOARD
Important Changes Made in
Regard to the Control OF
Sea Forces of the Nation
RULES FOR OFFICERS
Definite Regulations for
Assignment of Commands
and Titles i'm the Bureaus

WASHINGTON, June 2S.-Important
changes, which have been made in the
naval regulations by the Bureau OF
Navigation with the approval of the
President and Secretary of the Navy,
were made public at the Navy Depart
ment to-day. The general board OF
the navy is to have a membership o.
seven. as at present. with the admiral
of the navy at its head.
The duties of the board. as given, are
to devise measures and plans for the
effective preparation and maintenance
of the fleet for war: TO advise the Sec
retary of the Navy as to its disposition
and distribution, and of the reinforce
ments of ships, officers and men of the
navy and marine corps; to prepare and
submit to the Secretary plans of cam
paign. including cooperation with the
army, and the employment of all ele-
ments of naval defense, such plans TO
be constantly revised in accordance
with the latest information received. :. 1t
is also required to coordinate the work
OF the naval war college, office of naval
intelligence. and board of inspection
and survey, and to report on naval
operations. maneuvering, tactics, or
ganization. training and such other
subjects as the Secretary may lay be-
fore, it..
The wearing of swords aboard ship on
ordinary occasions has been practically
abolished by the. new regulations.
: The ships to which captains may be
ordered ia command are limited to bat
tleships and armored cruisers. while
commanders have had their duties
af1oat extended to the command of pro-
tected cruisers of the first rate. and
lieutenants are made eligible for the
command of destroyer or torpedo
f1otillas.
Articles defining. the rank and titles
of officers of the line and staff of the
navy have undergone revision.
I. New provisions made in this connec-
ton require that except when other
wise provided by law or regulation,
every commissioned officer of the navy
when designated by title shall be given
the title borne on the face of his COM
mission that indicates his office" and
that ali officers of the navy shall be
addressed officially by the titles pre-
scribed in the regulations.
The new regulations provide that an
officer below the rank. of rear admiral.
filing the Office of chief of bureau,
shall. while holding such office, have
the rank and, except when otherwise
provided by law or organization, ,he
title of rear admiral. They also pre-
scribe that the chiefs of the bureaus of
medicine and surgery, supplies and ac-
counts. steam engineering and con-
structfon and repair, while holding
these Offices, shall have respectively the
titles of surgeon general. paymaster
general. engineer in chief and chief
constructor "A staff officer serving as
chief of the Bureau of Docks and Yards
will retain his title in the corps TO
which he belongs, and the judge advo-
cata CaDera1 will have the rank and
title of captain in the navy or colonel
: in the marine corps. officers retiring
while serving as chiefs of bureaus or
as Judge advocates willretain the rank
and titles held while serving. Staff
officers on the retired list have the
titles appropriate to the corps from
which retired.