Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
Paymaster General of Navy
Makes Recommendations.
SUBMITS ANNUAL REPORT
Says Preparation for War Not Com
plete Without Stores.
DESIRES INCREASE IN CORPS
Urges That Pay Clerks Be War.
ranted and Given the Privilege
of Retirement.

No preparation for war" says Paymas-
ter General Rogers of the navy in his an
nual report, ''can be complete that ignores
the paramount importance of the supply
OF the fleet. and guns armor, ammunition
and fuel are mere wasted effort IL the
supply of food is not constant. No pro-
longed operation away from a base can
take place without supply ships
For these reasons and also because of
the inadequacy of the supply ships now in
service the paymaster general recommends
the construction of two supply ships OF
not less than 1900 tons displacement In
his opinion it would be more economical
and make for greater efficiency to combine
in one ship refrigerating rooms and holds
for general cargo than to have separate
ships for those purposes. as at present
One of the most important develop
ments of the experience of the bureau
in provisioning the Atlantic fleet for its
cruise around the world. the paymaster
general says. was the extensive use of
dried milk and eggs and dehydrated veg
etableS, which articles, he said proved
palatable and of great assistance in main
tanning the menu OF the general mess at
sea.
Quality of Food Stuffs.
The paymaster general shows that the
quality of foodstuffs in the navy has been
very much improved as a result Of a
thorough system of inspection. and adds
that not complaint from afloat has been
made to the Navy Department for more
than a year. Consequently the bureau. he
says, feels secure in this most important
division of its work-the integrity Of the
foods 1t supplies to the naval service
1t is earnestly recommended that an
no Cd in, 81 70.
cilities of the Pacific coast navy yards.
which. he says. are now totally mad.
equate. In his opinion, American inter-
ests on the Pacific will reach within
very few years a degree Of Importance
which today cannot be estimated and
which will Of necessity demand an in
creased naval development.
Increase of Pay Corps.
The bureau renews it's recommended
ton that the pay corps be increased and
its members given the same privileges
in the matter of promotion as other sea-
going corps. 1t also recommends that
pay clerks be warranted and given the
privilege of retirement and that in
creased pay be given the clerks in the
bureau as we'll as those in the general
storekeepers' Offices at the various navy
yards. According to the paymaster gem
eral, good work cannot be expected from
men inadequately paid and diSorganiza-
ton is sure to result from such condi-
ton.
The effort of the bureau" Paymaster
General Rogers says. has been con-
tinued during the year past to accom-
plish further material shortening of
Official processes. consolidation of
duplicated accounts. the abolition of I'M
essential reports. and, above all, the
elimination, SO far as possible, of OBJ
jectonabe outgrowths of the provisions
imposed by law upon purchases; and
though the bureau is, by reason of these
very provisions, prevented from conduct
ing it's affairs as great mercantile house
would, it has at least endeavored to
carry on its transactions in as business
like way as it's limitations would permit,
and it believes it has in measure sue
ceeded.''