The Washington herald., 1908-01-14
NEED NAVAL OFFICER
School Ships Will Suffer
from Recent Order.
DETACH COMMANDER HANUS
Protest Made by New York Board OF
Education Against Move by Navy
gress to Have the Order Rescinded
Three Officers Are Affected.

| New York. Jan. 1S.rThe board of edu-
Ication committee, in charge Of the school,
ship Newport. which has succeeded the
old ship ST. Mary's, the latter being now
used only as a barracks is much dis
turbed over the order just issued by
the Navy Department, detaching Com
mander G. c. Hanus. U. s. N. retired,
+ from the command of the ST. Marys
and the Newport
II the Navy Department does not re-
scind its order, II seems probable that II
vii! be impossible to obtain the services
! of any naval officer. active or retired,
| to command the school ship. This re-
suit would, in the committees opinion.
be disastrous.
The Newport is one of three school
ships that have been commanded by
naval officers. all three OF whom have
been detached. The other two are the
Enterprise. stationed in Boston. Com
mander Low, and the Saratoga, stationed
In Philadelphia. Commander Atwater
The State Of Massachusetts pays the ex-
pense of running the Enterprise, the State
of Pennsylvania and the city of Phila-
delphia pay for the Saratoga, while the
expenses Of the Newport are borne by
the city Of New Pork
Established by Act of Congress,
The school ships were established by
an act OF Congress, passed in 1874 the
act stating that The President is author
lied when. in his opinion the same can
be done without detrlment TO the public
service, to detail proper officers Of the
navy as superintendent or instructors in
such schools"
The members of the board OF educa-
ton committee believe that the new order
was issued solely as the result of some
ones desire 20 save a little money. They
attribute IL TO the anxiety Of some naval
bureau official to make a record for
economy. The entire saving achieved by
the order is very small. The city Of
New York pays Commander Hanus s. 700
a year and, In addition. Of course. he
gets his pay as a retired officer Of the
navy, plus an addition due 10 a retired
officer serving on active duty
saving Is IncOnseauentIaI.
This last item is the only one Topped
of by the departments order. and il
-'~---'N ~ +'7N NtAfaH SHP a month"; IN
the case Of all three officers affected by
the order. the total saving to the de-
partment is only about 81. 200 a year. The
loss OF this small sum in their pay is
not what worries the three officers af-
fected. Should they continue to command
school ships. they can only do so under
the new order by obtaining leave Of
absence, and they would lose their official
status as commanders. and be placed I'm
the role OF merchant captains
Mr.. Aldrich. chairman OF the board OF
education's executive committee of nau-
teal schools. SAYS that his committee
has no intention OF letting the matter
drop.
we regard this order as severe blow
at the school, ne said yesterday. "and
also as vitiating the purpose of the act
OF Congress under which the schools
were established. Il comes at a bad time
too. foi We were preparing 10 ask Con-
gress to get us "a larger and better ship
Should this order stand. the usefulness
Of the school will be impaired. for. under
the order It will be practically impossible
to obtain a naval officer to command the
school ship. But We are going to see
what we can do Several New York
Congressman have shown themselves
much interested In our work. and we
shall appeal to them to do what they
can 10 help us have this most objection
able order rpSciDdpd "