Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-01-06

and command of medical officers of
the navy. their navigation being eN-
ClusiVely controlled by competent
sailing master and civilian crew, the
sailing master having the complete
responsibility for everything con
nected with the navigation of the
ship. Such a ship Is merely hoat-
ing hospital. The hospital ship now in
question, the Relief has already been
used by the United States army as
such 1t was then commanded by a
medical officer with a sailing mastel
under him. This arrangement has
worked well and it is preposterous to
suppose that 1t will not work as well
under medical officer of the navy as
under medical officer of the army
The president cites the experience
of foreign naVies, as well as that OF
the United tSates, as proving the wis
dom of the order issued. The alb
surdty of permitting ii line officer TO
command hospital ship was shown,
the president says, in the case of the
United States hospital ship Sulace
during the wartwith Spain, when the
line officer in command actually at
tempted to put in a claim for prize
money for the part the SolaCe took In
the capture of the Odula, while the
Solace was flying the Red Cross iae
and protesting neutrality. on another
occasion the Solace interfered with
the progress of a schooner in the eld
Bahama channel SO that the United
States torpedo boats nearby could
board and investigate her on yet an
other occasion, but for the vigilance
of the medical officers aboard her, the
Solace would have carried armed men
from New York to Cuba. Her senior
medical officer reported the violauo"
of neutrality to the navy department.
ana the ship was recalled after pass
ing through the narroWs and the
armed men removed
The president closes his letter b.
laying:
Hospitals, ahoat or ashore, should
no more be under the command OF
line officers than regiments or war
ships should be under the command
of surgeons; one kind of appointment
is quite inappropriate as the other.
Hospital ships should be maintained
in time Of peace exactly under the
same conditions as in time of war.
The system has been tried in the
army and tried in foreign naVies ana
has worked without hitch. 1t is the
only system that should be tolerated;
for if it fails to work. we'll this fail
urc can only be due to lack of desire
to have it work well ON the part OF
those concerned.
u direct that unless congress pro-
vides otherwise, the practice in the
navy be similar to that now. obtain
ing in the army. In the army the
hospital ship is treated as a general
hospital and article 1857 reads as fol-
lows: General hospitals will be un-
der the exclusive control of the sur
geon general and viii be governed by
such regulations as the secretary of
war may prescribe. The senior sur
zeon will command the same.
Admiral Browhson was shown the
presidents letter today by a repre-
sentative of the Associated Press and
asked if he would feel at liberty to
say something in his own behalf.
mot word" was his prompt re
ply. and this attitude he maintained
to all inquiries for his Views The
admiral has consistently declined to
say anything for publication in the
whole matter.
Admiral Brownson left Washington
has afternoon for a duck shooting
trip to South Carolina,