The Washington herald., 1908-02-23
The Navy and Reform.


If any c,-nic believes that the desire for
and effort toward reform under the Navy
Department is confined 10 magazine writ
ers and TO discontented naval officers.
there will be full enlightenment by a
perusal of the record OF the recent ses-
sions OF the House Naval Committee in
its hearings of naval officials during the
preparation OF the annual naval appro-
priation bill. That record contains copious
evidence of an intention 20 do all sorts
Of things 20 naval administration. II
transpires. for instance. that Assistant
Secretary Newberry has plan for con-
solidating the bureaus of Steam Engineer
ing. OF Equipment. and of Construction
and Repair, so that the latter. as he
blithely expresses II. may really con-
struct and repair" The same official has
instituted at the navy yard az Brooklyn.
n. Y. experimental consolidation OF GER
tain minor plants, with view Of extend
ing the system Of amalgamation to all the
navy yards. Secretary Metcalf has adj
vised that no more appropriations be
made for Port Royal, long ago aban-
doned as one OF the most costly errors OF
the government; Culebra where there Is
no need of station: San Juan, where we
have a small naval station inherited from
the Spaniards. and New Orleans. where
the government keeps a floating dr. dock
and shore shops. continually mena-ed by
the idiosyncrasies OF Mississippi River
currents. Mr. Metcalf believes those
places should be abandoned. He would
have the brand-new navy yard at
Charleston turned into a torpedo-boat
base. and he would have moro docking
facilities at Puget Sound and the pur-
chase by the government OF the private
dock yard at Hunters Point. near san
Francisco. especially If the navy yard at
Mare Island is 10 be abandoned. as seems
likely in view Of the great cost Of the
dredging which must be carried on at
that place year after year in order to
permit the largest war ships 20 get up TO
the yard.
The members Of the House Naval Com
mittee have evinced a keen interest In
these projects OF retrenchment. Most Of
them believe in the consolidation Of
plants. One member, Mr.. Dawson. is in
clined to think that civilian superintend-
ents would be better than the commits
stoned officers who are now serving as
commandants OF yards: still another
member, Mr.. Hobson, has asked the Navy
Department 10 develop a plan for the de-
velopment OF certain navy yards and the
abandonment OF others. The former mem
Der gives an example OF why some naval
officers arei not fitted for duty at the
head Of biz navy yards NIr. Dawson
said. quoting from the official records OF
a recent hearing: Our committee this
summer came across a commandant OF
one navy yard. who. when he was asked
how he could save money. Immediately
bristled and said: No. he could not: he
was not trained as an economist; he was
trained as a naval officer; he was not
trained as to how to save money: he was
trained as to how 20 expend money
This was a daring cOmmandant. and his
fearless epigram deserves TO be en-
balmed
The navy is on the verge of an investi-
cation. but It ought not to be under
taken with any idea that the officials Of
the Navy Department have been lacking
in plans Of Improvement in methods and
conditions. That fact. moreover. should
not be permitted to Interfere with the in
vestigation promised by Senators Hale
and Tillman. and destined 20 be search
ing and vigorous. The inquiry should be
without favor and without prejudice II
should be unsparing and just. Anything
else will only add 10 the spirit Of dis
content now pervading the service. and
only contribute 10 the decentralization OF
discipline which Is coming to be for
midable menace in the United States
navy