The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-28
Surgeon Is to Be Assign.
ed to Command Relief
With Civilian Grew.
ONE PRECEDENT
FOUND FOR THIS
Unless Merchant Marine Crew
Can BE Secured, Enlisted Men
and Line Officer Will
Have Cl1arge-Scnator
Hale Points Out
Effects.

WASHINGTON. p. c.. Decem mber 27.--
The orders assigning Surgeon Charles
E. Stokes to the command OF the hos
pitai ship Relief are expected to be
signed soon, II having been definitely
decided, according to Secretary Met
calf to appoint him to that position.
With this In view. every effort will be
made to obtain merchant crew and
master for the vessel. Falling to man
the Relief with crew from the mer-
chant marine, the enlisted force OF the
navy will be drawn on and line offt-
.er assigned as captain.
The scheme Of having medical Off :
Ger command the Relief. In the event a
merchant crew is secured. IL to have
~ trial for al least six months, and II
the experiment. proves satisfactory.
then the expectation Is that the as
:,ianment OF a surgeon to command
hospital ships will be permanent fea-
ture.
Admiral Erownson's relinauishment
of his position as chief Of the Bureau
Of Navigation. carrying with 1t. as II
did, the ex-ofticio connection with the
Naval General Board. will result IN
considerable loss OF pay to the officer.
Being entirely without duty and rele-
gated to the retired list, his income
Will be diminished by the loss Of 20
per cent. OF the fuil pay of an admiral
on the active list. namely. $500 a
year Also he Will no longer receive
the allowance OF $1,000 a year for
quarters and $500 for heat and light.
1t 40 happens. however. that Admiral
Browpson Is man OF Independent
means. and is able to disregard fnan-
clai considerations.
Find Lone Precedent.
STAFF officers Of the navy have dis
covered precedent for placing one OF
their kind IN command of ship. This
precedent was found in the period OF
the Civil War, and long before the
passage OF the naval personnel act
upon which the line officers rely 70
support their contention that such as
signrcnt To command ts illegal The
Civil War records show that Siniar
P.nhey. a naval surgeon. was In apso.
lutte command for considerable TIM.
of the Mississippi steamboat Red Rover
employed as a hospital craft during tht
war.
The formal order. dated Decernbe,
aSth. detaching Rear Admiral Browrsor
from duty as chief OF the Bureau o.
Navigation, was made public at ths
Navy Department to-day. The same
order detaches him from his member
ship in the Joint Army and Navy Board
Commander Winslow continues to ac
ss3tne head OF the bureau. pending tht
selection OF permanent officer.
Hale cOmmeDdr Drownxon.
senator Hale chairman OF the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs. when seer
to-day, spoke very. frankly in support
OF the admiral's course. II shink tha
Admiral Brownson has acted witt
praiseworthy courage and promptnes!
s In rendering his resignation" said Sen
ator Hale. IL have always sustainet
the staff officers In their right fol
positive rank and complete recognition
such as are received by their peers II
the army. and now have a bill pend
ing which gives them such recogni
ton throughout the service But II
that measure there is precautionar!
provision against giving them actua
command OF any naval vessel. Thu
IL the continuation and an extension
OF the fght between the two branche
ofathe service That fight is the cru!
OF the present controversy, and, be
cause think he Is right, my suppor
Is given unreservedly to the admiral
az against the contentious of Surgeon
General 3Rixey II may be that on som
occasions staff officers have been u
command OF vessels. but know OF n
instance when such officers have bee
given command after the point wa
raised and both sides were heard
do not believe that the contention TO
command By staff officers has bee
pressed seriously at any time in tn
past Indeed. I am of the opinion tina
the old staff officers would never hay
asked for such recognition
What Might Happen in War.
'Think what might happen il tn
command of the vessels should b
turned over to q chaplain or even to
paymaster, and 1t Is Just MS reasonabl
to put the crew of naval vessels unde
the charge OF those officers as 1t is t
place them under the command of
surgeon. Evidently Admiral Brown
son recognizes this fact, and, being
man of character and decision. he di
not hesitate to resign his position a
tho active head of the Bureau Of Nav
gation, His view OF the law and 9
the hest policy III the interest Of til
service was overruled. Tie will nc
lose anything. by. his. manly cours!
either in the navy or with the public
ANnrurn nAAuc nAnrnn