Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-12-20
GREAT Change
IN navy DEPT
Sccretarv Meyer to Abolish Several
Burc ous-0ffiters to Be Advis-

IIceding the cry for reform In ma
val affairs. Secretary Meyer on We'd
resday will inaugurate the most
sweeping changes in the Navy de-
partment since the establishment OF
the bureau system in 1912. Him
self director of banks and manu-
featuring companies In New England
In times past, he hopes to put the
department on business basis be-
! yond the dreams of predecessors. The
| keynote of his reforms IL the sub
ordination of the bureau chief of the
PAST.
| Summarized, the essential changes
In the Meyer plan are: THE selec-
tion of four responsible advisers on
which duties of the department fall,
| to be known as the aide for mate
rial, the aide for personnel, the aide
for operations of the feet and the
aide for inspections.
The grouping of the bureaus into
two divisions OF material and per-
sonnet. according to the nature OF
their duties.
The establishment of division OF
operations of the fleet.
The establishment of modern
and efficient cost keeping system in
the Navy Department and at navy
yards.
The separation of navy-yard work
into divisions of hulls and machin-
cry.
The adjustment OF the board of
construction. y
The adjustment of the bureau of
equipment.
Henceforth, 1t Is announced, the
officers who fight the ships are to
have more influence in the Navy de.
rartment.
Chosen men from among them are
to be the official eyes and ears of
the secretary, laden with full res
possibility for their reports. The
secretary, however. will retain his
administrative and executive power
for his own exercise and that of the
assistant secretary OF the navy. All
the reforms go into effect Dec. 1,
except the abolishing of the Bureau
of Equipment, which Congress alone
can do.
The aide for operations of the
fieet will be Rear Admiral Richard
wainwright. commander of the third
division of the Atlantic fleet.
The aide for personnel will be
Rear Admiral VIM. Swift, command
ant of the Boston navy yard
The aide for inspection will be.
Capt. Aaron Ward. recently super
visor OF the New York harbor, who
VIII become rear admiral on Jan.
8.
Reginald +. Nickerson. a member
of the board of inspection and sur
Vey, Will be made chief of the bu.
reau of navigation, vice Potter.
When Mr.. Meyer assumed Office
he found some confusion in the de-
partment and in the navy yards, due
to changes instituted by Sec. New
berry few weeks before the close
OF his administration. Steps were
taken to ascertain how far It was
desirable to follow the reforms by
Sec, Newberry.
me Sperry board was created to
report how the various. conflicting
orders and regulations could best he
reconciied. Then came the Leutz
board, which were asked to make
concerning the con-
soIidation OF the bureau of steam en-
gineering with other bureaus, a stem
Undertaken by Sec. Newberry. Fin
ally Sec. Meyer appointed the Swift
BOARD to consider the reports of the
other boards and to make recommen-
cations for the Improvement of the
business methods OF the department.
with these reports as n basis Sac
meyer has evolved his plan OF re-
form.
me secretary found that the bu-
reaus OF the department were indie. |
pendent of one another and that be
III uihtTtnecS DetWepn
mem. The aides are to advise him
on these points.
III the secretary, seeks advice
IRON individual officers" said Mr.
meyer Monday, in explaining his re.
,orh's' he gets advice which NAV
ne good, but which is not resnon.
SIDE Such recourse to individuals
moreover, gives no assurances NJ
ity." p'"'io'i-
According to the Meyer plan tho
board of construction becomes uso-
less and therefore is abolished This
board was created principal VITO sn
Pe''ise snip designing and to decide
questions In dispute between the bu-
reaus. '"e pu-
under the Meyer plan the operat.
lug branch /hich deals directly with
.ne 'n'iitary use Of the fleet win mr.. !,
lslnate the military features Of new
in consultation With
'ne general board, of which tho new
iiut Tor ODefatipno ,,,iIi