Evening star., 1905-11-03
NEED or ENGINEERS
Present Critical Condition Of
the Navy.
WERE WAR TO COME
WE WOULD BE IN NO CONDITION
TO WIN BATTLES.
Admiral Rae Submits a Plan for Quick
ly Supplying Body Of Ell
Client Officers


Rear Admiral Charles W. Rae. engineer
in-chief of the United States navy. in his
annual report calls attention Ito the criti-
cal condition of engineering in the navy"
and points to the explosion on the gunboat
Bennington. In San Diego harbor, which. lie
says. most forcibly emphasizes the neces-
sity OF serious and immediate attention.
Speaking of the operations OF the personnel
bill which merged the corps of engineers
into the line of the navy. he says a whole
corps of specialists was virtually abolished
and their duties transferred to the line.
Lack Of Engineering Knowledge.
owing to the absence of~speciflc in
structions in the personnel BILL combined
with powerful adverse influences within The
department. he continues. "for three years
absolutely nothing was done by the younger
line officers in acquiring engineering expe-
rience: and later, owing to the large num-
ber OF ships kept in commission and he
scarcity of officers. but little In that direc-
ton was accomplished
But for the avsils bility of certain retired
naval officers. the bureau the report says.
would experience great difficulty in finding
omeers Tor the various responsible positions.
both on shore and at sea. so few officers
OF the line are taking up engineering Sc
rlousiy that the situation is becoming alarm
ing, says the engineer-in-chie and he
adds:
Were the country suddenly plunged in
war the navy would find itself In no condi-
ton to win battles. As necessary as good
craftsmanship is the ability to carry our
guns to the firing line and to keep them
there amidst the havoc created by modern
ordnance. and this will never be done with
amateurs In charge of the machinery That
line officers can become good engineers has
already been proved. but they must have
experience to become so: and that expe-
rience must be acquired in. subordinate po-
envy but short time, who would not be
given charge of the deck except under the
supervision of a senior officer, should be
placed In charge OF the engineer depart
ment or ship. as has been done Engi-
neering logically belongs to the line and
the line should be made to perform that
duty earnestly"
Admiral Rae's Plan.
Admiral Rae submits a plan for quickly
supplying the navy with body of efficient
engineers. which provides that all the
young officers must be given engineering
duty. and be made to realize their respon-
sibility, the duty to be performed first in
subordinate capacity, and examinations
to be strict, with engineering ranking with
seamanship, gunnery and navigation.
further, the plan provides for a number
OF engineering specialists in the line, whose
duty at sea and on shore shall be engineer
ing such or1cers not to perform duty
after reaching the grade of commander.
One in every ten above the rank of lieuten-
ant Gun.or grade) is suggested as the num-
Der of such officers required. and 1t is pro-
posed that such officers be recruited from
the foot of the list Of heutenants. the Of
f1cers SO selected to be given a course in
higher marine engineering for at least one
year. This plan. 1t is explained, would
give body OF engineering specialists as
follows: Two rear admirals, seven cap
tains, eleven commanders, twenty mine lieu
tenant commanders and thirty-three leu
tenants. OF which number sixty-two would
be available for sea duty
Would Give Enough Engineers.
This" says Admiral Rae, would give
sufficient number in each fleet to have a
thoroughly competent engineer as chief en-
gineer Of each Of the large vessels, and a
sufficient number to enable the comman-
der-in-chief at all times to have available
officers qualified to act in any case In which
expert engineering knowledge Is neces-
sary.- The bureau believes that such q sys-
tenn Systematically carried out would soon
furnish the service with body Of COM
petent engineers. and place engineering in
the line of the navy.
Admiral Rae says the bureau Is opposed
to the formation Of a separate corps of en-
g1neers in the navy similar to that abol-
ished by the personnel act, for various rea-
sons.
Legislation increasing the number Of war
rant machiniStS Is recommended and Ii is
proposed that they be given the right to
officers Of the line The changing in the
ratings OF the engineer force are recon-
mended. The report complains Of the in
adequate number of inspectors of engineer.