New-York tribune., 1907-12-22
CRIES CLIQUE In NAVY.
Rear admiral Melville attacks De-
partment's Bureau System.
TBy TeIegraph to The Tribune.1


Philadelphia, Dec. 21.-"Ton for ton and gun
for gun we have the best warships in the
world"
Angered by an article that is to be published
in the next issue of "McClures Magazine"
which charges improper construction OF the
crack fighting ships OF the United States navy.
Rear Admiral George W. Melville gave voice
to this opinion
Don't read the article to me- he said this
evening Just tell me what he says. You
hardly need to do that, for know about what
it is anyhow. L have been listening tales of
the same sort for the last twenty-five years.
modified only time brings its changes in the
construction of naval vessels
The various statements. together with the
opinions of Admiral Luce and other adulirals
quoted anonymously, were recounted TO him.
and then he said:
Luce is right The whole trouble is. as he
says the bureau system of naval control. That
Is always the trouble and good can ever come
out OF the navy so long it is controlled by
those bureaus for the twenty five year clique
down there at Washington that wants 10 get
the control of the navy into its own hands.
IL is that Internal clique that wants TO rule
or ruin the navy that has been making all the
trouble. and those men will continue to make il
until they take control of the navy out of the
hands OF the President and his own advisers
and have the placing of all the contracts for its
civilians and the promotion of its officers by the
military or fighting naval contingent of the
clique
In other words. they are raising all this clamor
in the hope of bringing the unfortunate
condition Of affairs that obtains in the
army, and which was brought about by lust
such a clique in army circles. They want
general staff in the navy like the general staff
in the army. They Will do anything dscredit
fhe present administration Of the navy 10
Complish that end.
WarshpS the creation OF human minds
and hands and there is nothing Of human con-
struction that has not some defects. And then
you must remember that the types of vessels
built ten years ago are obsolete now. But I
Will make this general statement-and YOU cam
not quote me too strongly in the making of it
that when the vessels OF the last ten years have
been turned over to the government they have
embodied all the best ideas in naval construc-
ton that have been evolved anywhere in tho
world at the time they were turned over.
Now. what do the fighting officers Of the navy
know about the construction of a warship? Not
a bit more than the driver of a carriage knows
about the making of the carriage he can drive
so we'll You can't quote too strongly in
saying that the naval officers in that clique that
inspires such articles these could no more
build battleship than they could fly
Let US consider the statement that the officers
Of the navy are too old I 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 our admiral, the
nine senior rear admirals ranking with a major
general In the army. forget their duty to their
ships and their country and devote all their time
TO the scramble for political preference In the
hope of further honors? Do YOU want to sec
naval captains. who rank with the Colonels
in the army. doing the same thing? That is
what n general staff and tho change I'm the con-
troll Of the navy the clique is so anxiously striv-
ing for would bring about