Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-07
NEWPORT NEWS, VA. FRIDAY. DECEMBER I, 1906

of their duties, only recommends
tion for the organization of techni-
cal board, which, If approved by the
department. would not. require Leg
islative action. recognize the force
Of the reasons given for this re-
quest and submit. therefore. on my
own initiative and responsibility.
some recommendations on lis very
important subject My experience
during The past year has greatly
strengthened my belief, as expressed
in the last annual report of tho
department, that the system of All
tonmons bureaus is open to very
grave theoretical objections, and
that only the very high character
OF the personnel employed in these
bureaus and the wholesome spirit
and salutary traditions of the ser.
vice prevent these theoretical OBJ
jections from seriously affecting the
nent's work. 1t seems to me
therefore, desirable that very rad
ical and thorogoing change should
be made i'll the organization of the
department. and the plan tentatively
suggested in my last annual report
with some notifications of conse
qrence. apcars to afford Teasona-
bic promise Of satisfactory results.
The work OF the department should
be grouped into four sections, one
under the immediate direction of
the secretary, another under that OF
the assistant secretary. and the re-
manning two under officers OF flag
rank. OF the aforementioned two
sections, one should be entrusted
with the duties now imposed upon
the bureaus of yards and docks
equipment. construction ana repair.
steam engineering and ordnance,
and the officer ut its head should
structor. the engineering chief, and
the law. for whom suggest the
titles OF maste" of ordnance ami
master of public works, the last
mentioned to be IL civil engineer of
the navy. These officers should not
he chiefs of bureau. but the depu-
ties and technical advisers. III their
respective provinces, of the chief
OF section and should discharge
sucli special duties of supervision
or otherwise as he might, from time
to time delegate. to each of them.
Moreover, they should form board,
! under his presidency, which would
discharge the duties now imposed
: by regulation upon the board on
construction and any other duties
which the department. might deem
it wise TO confide to this board
from time to time hereafter.
The other chief of section should
he intrusted, in the main, with the
direction OF the navy as an organic
ell and fighting force, his prov
1, hnfn hue l1nt
or the chief of the present bureau
have four assistants. in the sur.
geon-general the paymastcrgenera
the commandant of the marine corps.
and the superintendent of the naval
academy. The duties of these Of
ficcrs would be necessarily more
pei manently specialized than those
of the first mentioned group, but
they should all be the deputies
within their several fields Of action,
of the chief of section. and like
the other group, should constitute
board, under his presidency, from
which the department might expect
advice on all matters affecting the
personnel of the navy.
The secretary should Immediately
supervise the civil establishment,
the office of the naval intelligence
ant the Office of the judge-advocate-
general, and aso the affairs of local
tiles, such as Tutuila and Guam.
which are essentially naval stations
but contain an appreciabie civil
population. There shold be. likewise.
attached to his Office a master of
accounts, who should be trained
accountant and who could at once
assist the present bureau of supplies
and accounts in burdensome and
somewhat incongruous portion of It's
duties, as was suggested in the last
annual report and in pursuance of
a plan to be hereafter described in
more detail.
In addition to the duties now inn
posed upon the assistant secretary
by the regulations. he might be
required to supervise the, work OF
certain agencies of the department
which are not necessarily within the
province of either of the two sec
ton chiefs such as the photographic
office and the naval observatory.
It appears to be undesirable, how
ever that the special functions of
the assistant secretary should be-
come much more laborious than
they are at present, since so much
oe his time ard attention is required
by his frequent periods Of duty
as acting secretary.
In the foregoing sketch of con-
templated reorganization, it will be
noted that the present duties of the
bureaus of ordnance and supplies and
accounts are assigned, the
to the section having essentially to
do with ships, the latter to the sec
ton having to do especially with
men. 1t is fully recognized that
thic nranpnmnnt is not strictly log