The morning journal-courier., 1907-12-26
LIGHT THROWN
 ON RESIGNATION
Serious Breach in Navy De- partment Cause of Rear Admiral Brownson's
 Action.
RlXEY MAKES STATEMENT
President and Chief of Navigation Bureau Clash on Question of Medical Bureaus Re
 sponsibility.

Washington, Dec. 25.-That serious breach exists between the bureau of navigation and the bureau of medicine of the navy, Involving the question of the responsibility of the later bureau was made apparent tonight in state ment issued by Surgeon General Rixey of the navy, in which he touches upon the circumstances leading up to the probable selection by the president of a medical officer to command the hos pital ship Relief over the protest or Rear Admiral Willard H. Brownson, chief of the bureau of navigation, who yesterday sent his resignation to the president. While disclaiming exact knowledge as to the cause of Admiral Brownson's resignation, the surgeon generals statement leaves little room for doubt that the controversy ne re- views was a potent factor.
 Surgeon General lRixey maintains that hospital ships, as a rule, always have been commanded by medical ottl- cers. with a sailing master and civilian crew for purposes of navigation. This particular vessel, he says. formerly be- Ionged to the army anu always was commanded by a medical officer when used as a hospital ship. In attempt ing to unify the medical services of the army and the navy, he says that a joint army and navy board of medical officers which was convened by exec utfve order more than year ago rec commended that hospital ships should be commanded by medical officers and that that recommendation was ap- proved by both the secretary of wal and the secretary of navy in general orders. Since the civil war, he says, al hospital ships and medical transports of the army had been placed under tht < surgeon general of the army He says further that Japanese naval hospita ships were commanded by medical off cers after having tried line officers These ships, he says, are simply float ing hospitals, properly under the con trol of the medical department ant should be conducted in peace exactl. as in time or war. This is especiall! so. he adds, because during war tim line officers cannot be spared and d. mot, and should not. desire the com fiand of these ships.
 He maintains that it always ha been a doubtful question if the Genev and The Hague agreements eoul guarantee the neutrality of these ship if combatant Qine) officers and crew were aboard, and it was this dout which prevented the Japanese durin the recent war with Russia from us ing her line officers on hospital ship
 fThe international administration c the bureau of medicine and surgery, he says, Thas been, in my opinion, to much interfered with by the burea \ of navigation. This interference Ina at times caused great concern as how I could meet the needs of thos under our care
 The hospital ship Relief, he say should now be with the battleship fiet on it's cruise, but he adds, the burea of navigation thought otherwise, an tlIe fleet of 15,000 men, with it's auxi iafies, is without a hospital ship, an will be until it arrives at Magdalen Bay, more than three months froi now He adds that he cannot undel stand how Admiral Brownson shoul be specially interested in the otficerin of hospital ships. as his duties lie another direction, and that he shou not interfere in a matter pertaining el tirely to the bureau of medicine ar surgery, and therefore to be decided the secretary of the navy.
 Surgeon General Rixey's statemei was shown to Admiral Brownson [ night but he declined to make ar comment whatever in regard to 1t.