The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-08-08
PRESIDENT WAKES UP TWO
Of THE Bic DEPARTMENTS
The Newport Naval Conference and What 1t
Means---The Lands Reversal in Its Effect at
Washington---The Coming Dreadnoughts

that those ships would become event
| ually the nucleus of the Atlantic fleet,
much discussed of late on the suppo-
sltion that hereafter a considerable
number of the battleships> now in COM
mission viii be kept in the Pacific. In
spite of the proclamations after the
last Navy appropriation bill passed
the Senate. that the Senate leaders
had aequiesced IN the two-new-battle.
ships-a-year program, there are good
reasons for believing that two ships
will not be granted at the next SEES
sion without another big struggle Sem
ators of the Navy Committee denied
stoutlv that they bad agreed TO any
'eh thing, but they were too weary
over the long wrangle with the White
House 10 emphasize their attitude
then. They reasoned that there would
be time enough for that when the next
Navy bin reached them.
The General Board of the Navy will
be starting work on their estimates in
about a month, when the admirals have
returned from their midsummer rest
There is no doubt but what they viii
! recommend to Secretary Metcalf the
authorization forthwith of at least
two giant fighting ships. and perhaps
more. The President viii see that
this recommendation reaches Congress
Then it is expected the whole question
as to whether or not there was any
| agreement about two new ships year
viii be threshed ont. For the leaders
of Senate and House are opposed to a
big Navy program and the shortness
of the national purse will afford them
an unusually effective argument.
Tt is not believed that the Presi-
dent will favor, at least will not cham
| pion. any reorganization of the Navy
Department g bureaus Such legisla-
| ton has been suggested in bills in
| trodueed at the Capitol, some of them
growing ont of the criticisms of Reu-
| terdahI. who recently visited the Pres
ident at Oyster Bay and departing
gave out an interview. which the Pres
| dent probably authorized him to do.
However. officers are expecting that
| there viii be virtually a new regime
| in the department for the remainder
| of the President s term. He has been
constantly giving more power to Com
mander Sims and Lieutenant Com
mander Sims in minor ways that bu-
reau chiefs are not slow TO recognize.
|
stand around when those favorites
appear.
/ The day for pigeonholing reports
from junior officers and frowning down
| recommendation has probably passed,
as far as this administration is con-
f, eerned The Bureau of Construction
complains that the seagoing officers
differ so widely in their views and
recommendations about. what battle
ship should be that it is impossible to
reach any conclusion satisfactory to
competent critics. The President. none
| the less. is determined that these eriti-
cisins shall be most thoroughly consid-
cred. whether they pertain to the Bu'
reau of Construction, Ordnance.
Equipment or Engineering. He has
only seven months more to serve, bnt
during that time he proposes that the
Younger blood of the Navy shall have
| full recognition at the department. 1t
is taken for granted at the depart
ment already that the President is go
/ ing to have his wav.
ERNEST G.. WALKER.