Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-07
N THE NAVY
President Contemplates Thoro
Reorganization to Prevent
Future Clashes
HOUSE MAY CUT APPROPRIATION
contemplates Reduction of
$25, 100000 in Amount Asked -
Brownson Letter Showing Reasons
for Resignation Made Public-Pre.-
ident Insists on Peace.

ident Insists on Peace.
! washington, Jan. o. President
| Roosevelt contemplates taking action
for q thorough reorganization of the
navy department. His instruction to
Secretary Metcalf to. have Rear Ad-
miral Converse, former chief of the
bureau of navigation, report the exact
facts regarding conditions connected
with the naval administration was
preliminary to action designed to put
an end to frequent controversies which
occur between bureau chiefs.
Not again, If he can help it. will
there be the spectacle of two bureau
officers, such as Rear Admiral Brown
son and Surgeon General Rixey, en-
gaging in dispute about a technical
resigning his office. The president pro-
poses that there shall be coordination
between the different bureaus, and 1t
may be that he will present to congress
certain projects of reform for enact
ment into law.
Brownson Letter Made Public.
The president disposed Of the
Brownson incident by making public
yesterday afternoon the letter of res
ignation addressed to him by Rear
Admiral Brownson The letter of the
admiral shows that he rendered his
resignation because he considered the
president had lost confidence in his
judgment, and because he believed the
military efficiency of the fleet would be
damaged by what he considered an
unlawful order of the president as
signing medical officers to command
hospital ships. There was some talk
In congress- of pressing for passage
resolution calling upon the president
for all OF the correspondence connected
with the incident, and this may yet be
DONE
Representative Foss, chairman OF
the house naval committee, has just
prepared bill for the reorganization
of the navy department, which is de-
of the navy apartment, which is de-
signed to remove friction, reduce the
amount OF red tape, and decrease the
expense in connection with the con-
struction and repair of men of war
This bill has no connection. of course.
with the Brownson controversy, but it
was said by several members that
should it be offered and considered,
they would amend 1t so as to overturn
the policy inaugurated by President
Roosevelt with respect to the new duty
given to medical officers. Mr.. Foss'
bill provides simply for a consolidation
OF the bureaus Of equipment. steam
engineering, and construction and
places the single bureau under the
charge of chief constructor.
1t Is believed Mr.. Foss will improve
his bill before Its Introduction by pro-
viding also for the organization of
personal bureau, and placing all mat
tiers relating to accounts, acquisitions,
purchases etc, under the assistant
secretary.
Department Asks SIPS, 100000.
The naval committee of the house
will begin tomorrow the consideration
of the naval appropriation bill. The
estimates submitted by the secretary
Of the navy amount to $125,OOO,OOO.
This immense sum is said to be abso-
lutely required In order properly to OPP
crate the fleet, but it is extremely
doubtful If the committee will recon-
mend more than $100,000,000.
Just as the committee is about to
consider the bill communication has.
been received from Robert S. Waddell,
president of the Buckeye Powder COM
pany, urging liberal appropriations for
the extension Of the navy powder fac
tory at Indian Head, Md, and Of a
powder factory at Dover, N. j. Mr..
powder monopoly. At the same time
he believes with the joint army and
navy board that purchases from all
private manufacturers should be con-
tinued to limited degree
Mr. Waddell says the battle fleet and
Notifications would be useless with
out a sufficient supply of powder to
keep them in action. He cites the fact
that at the outbreak Of the Spanish
war the United States had no smoke
less powder that could be used.
Had to Make Machinery.
When the war was declared orders
were Immediately placed for addition
al machinery, and several machine
shops worked night and day, Sundays
included, to make it. All this machin-
cry was installed in this one plant,
and was subject to destruction by ex-
plosion. Both the army and navy
used brown and black powder in the
Spanish war. In the Russo-Japanese
conflict, Mr.. Waddell points out that
the Russians had in action 1000 guns,
and the Japanese nearly as many.
BY far the greatest amount of am
munition expended during that war
was burned by the artillery in the
field All this powder was of the
smokeless variety. 1t is imperative, in
Mr. Waddels judgment, that there
should be an ample supply of smoke
less powder on hand, both for the
army and fleet He also insists that
every form Of monopoly in the man
ufacture of powder, used in public de-
Tense of the nation and lives and prop
erty of it's citizens, should be elimin-
ated.
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