Amador ledger., 1908-01-31
FROM
WASHINGTON
Washington, Jan. II, 1908.

I
by the committee on naval affairs,
including an inquiry into the truth
of the recent published criticisms of
naval construction. This investiga-
ton is likely to come in connection
with the new naval bill introduced
last week by senator Hale, chairman
of the naval committee. 1t provides
that all navy business shall be tran
sacted by bureaus, all permanent
boards being discontinued and the
executive, prohibited from creating
other staff officers, are to have actual
title and rank, but are prohibited
from holding command of any vessel,
such command to be exercised only
by line officers. Appointments of
midshipmen from the naval academy
are to be made in order of merit at
graduation, not TO exceed seventy
| five in any one year. at the discre-
tion of the president, officers can be
retired, on their own request, after
thirty years service, and after forty
years must be retired on application.
| Officers who have served as chiefs of
| bureaus shall be retired with the
rank, pay and allowances authorized
| by law. Pay of all commissioned
officers, warrant officers, midshipmen
and pay officers in the navy aud
marine corps is increased twenty per
cent and the pay of commission
ed officers, petty officers. musicians
and other enlisted persons in the
navy and marine corps is increased
forty per cent aud such increase is
exclusive of all additions in the form
of allowances and concentrations.
This bill gave occasion for refer
ence to the recent episode resulting
in the resignation of rear admiral
| Brownson, and senator Tillman ex-
pressed desire that the committee
hold an Investigation. Senator
Foraker desired the committee Ito
ascertain what we're the precedents on
which we're based the order placing a
doctor in command of a ship, as, in
his opinion, 1T is important to know
the ground of such action. Demand
was also made that the committee
Investigate as to the truth or falsity
of the charges of faulty construction
OF naval vessels. There was an evil
dent desire that the naval committee
should go into the whole question of
rivalry between the staff and the
| line, which was brought to climax
by the Brownson resignation. Senator
Hale, chairman of the committee on
naval affairs, gave fair promise9 that
all these matters should be subjected
to scrutiny, and that witnesses should
be called. 1t is therefore quite GER
tain that naval matters will receive
| large share of the attention of con-
gress at this session.
Senator Perkins has introduced
bill to establish light and fog signal
, at the outer end of the San Pedro
breakwater at a cost of $40, 900. The
light house board approves of such
establishment, as the signal will be
of use to coasters as we'll as to com
MERGE to and from the harbor of
Wilmington, which will spring up
under the lea of the breakwater. 1t
Is expected that the break water will
be completed in about year. lie
has also introduced bill for light
and fog signal at or near Punta
Gorda, to cost $4,000 This is also
approved by the light house board.
The light house board has survey
ed and marked out plot of twenty
two acres at Point Sal for a light
! station, appropriation for which will
| be asked later on in the session.
Work on the light and fog signal at
, Carquinez straits will be commenced
soon, and an appropriation of 1000
will pe asked for to establish a light
and fog signal at Army Point, Susun
bay. Measures are being taken to
secure title to the site for a light and
fog signal at Point Cabr lilo.
A bill has been introduced increas-
ing the number of lighthouse districts
to nineteen. The object of this is to
create three new districts, one com
prising Alaska, one our island posses
sions of Hawaii, Guam and the
Samoan Islands, and one Porto Rico.
A bill has been introduced in the
senate authorizing the president to
establish grazing districts on the un-
reserved unappropriated public lands,
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