Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-24
Melville ON The NAVY
Rear Admiral Says Criticism Comes
from Washington Bureau Clique
THEY ARE BENT ON RUIN OR RULE
Againot General staff for Navy With
Power to Let Contracts and Control
Promotions, Which, He Asserts, Is
Object of Washington Burcaucra,s.

Philadelphia, Dec 23-"Ton for
ton.nnd gun for gun, we have the
best warships In the world" An
gerd by an article is 10 be pub
lished in the next issue of McClure's
Magazine. which charges improper
construction of the crack fighting
slips of the United States navy,
Rear Admiral George w. Melville
gave voice to the above quoted opn-
lon of the American naval equip
ment.
Englneerfn- chief or the United
States navy for sixteen years. re-
tired for the last four. but still sub
1ect to the Presidents orders for SER
vice for the next seven years, the
rear admiral pronounced his opinion
with IN emphasis to which t Is en-
titled rs coming from man looked
upon as naval authority.
Don't read the article to me-" said
Admiral Melville to ,ne correspond
ert who saw him at his res
idcnce. ''Just tell ME what 1t
says. You hardly need to do tnat.
for know about what II Is anyhow
have been listening to tales OF the
same sort for the last twenty-five
years, modified on'v MS time brings
It's changes in the construction OF
naval vessels"
5lames Bureau Control.
The various statements, together
with the opinions of Admiral Luce
and other admirals. quoted nnonv-
mously were reported to Admiral
Melville, and then he said:
Luce Is right. The whole trou-
Bile is as he says, the bureau sys-
TEN of naval control. That is always
the trouble, and no good can ever
come out OF the navy SO long as 1t
Is controlled by those bureaus. For
the past twenty-five years that clique
down there at Washington has want
ed to get the control OF the navy
into their own hands.
ut is that internal clique that
wants to rule or ruin the navy that
has been making all the trouble,
and tho members will continue to
make 1t until they take control OF
the navy out of the hands of the
President and his own advisers and
nave the placing of all the contracts
with civilians and control the pro-
motion OF naval officers through the
military or lighting contingent of the
clique.
In other words they are raising
all this clamor in the hope of bring
ing the same unfortunate condition
of affairs that now obtains in the
army. and which was brought about
by just such clique in army cir
Giles. They want general stan III
the navy like that general STAFF in
the army. They will do anything to
| dlscredit the present administration
of the navy to accomplish that end.
Warshlps Embody the Best.
"Warships are the creation of hu.
man minds and hands. and there ls
nothing of human construction that
has not some defects. And then YOU
must remember that the type OF vss-
sells built ten years ago are obsolete
now But will make this general
statement. and you cannot quote me
too strongly In the making OF it, that
when the vessels of the past ten years
have been turned over to the govern
ment they have embodied all the
best ideas In naval construction that
have been evolved anywhere in the
world at the time they were turned
over.
Now. what do the fighting officers
of the navy know about the con-
struction of warship? Not bit
more than the driver of n carriage
knows about the making of the carriage
he can drive so well. You can't
quote me too strongly in saying that
the naval officers in that clique in
spires such articles as those could
no more build battleship than they
could fly.
Asserts Officers Are Not TOO Old.
Let us consider the statement
that the officers of the navy are too
old. maintain they are not; that
the system OF promoting officers by
seniority that still OBTAINS in the
! navy remains the best. DO you want
to see our admirals, the nine senior
rear admirals, ranking with II major
general in the army forget their
duty to their chips and their country,
and devote all their time to the
scre mble for political preference in
| the hope OF further honors?