New-York tribune., 1909-05-28
NEWBERRY PLAN STAYS
iSTAND IN PART.
Regulations Agreed to by Sperry
Board Sent to officers.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

y,-.sbfpgton Nav 27-The Secretary of the Navy
has communicated to the officers OF the navy the
changes in the regulations agreed on oy al % Ino
members CT the Sperry board, detailed to recOhSe
the conflicting passages in the Newberry edition OF
that book. The result is an important one anu
practically confirms certain vital changes mace py
Mr.. Newberry in navy yard organization II oes-
iguates the naval constructor 1.-The manager OF
the manufacturing department at the navy yard'
and gives that officer general superintendent ana
charge of the construction and repair OF all ships
The question of deegating this function to the
naval constructor was one of the serious problems
before the sperry board. The fact that the mem
bers TO agreement on the subject ana l'S
announcement in official orders to the service ap-
pear to establish the Newberry arrangement so
strongly favored by the naval constructors
The other important provision reserves for line
officers the duty of inspectors at yards. This
practically sustans the Newberry system of navy
yard organization until Secretary Meyer can com
plete the investigation of conditions at the Euro
pean and American shpbuildng plants, obtain more
extensive information from naval officers and OBJ
serve the situation prevailing at the yards.
The bureau of yards and docks loses some or It's
functions, although that bureau under which the
civil engineers employed will have to do with
the details of design and the specifications of all
public works under the cOEnizanCe of the Navy De
partment The civil engineers will also inspect
such public work when It is done by contract, ap-
parenty leaving to the naval constructors the in
spection of public works when they done other
wise than by conract-that is to say. by days labor
at a navy yard
The purchase of coal and water is finally trans
ferred from the bureau of equipment to the bureau
of supplies and accounts, under which purchases
VIII be made in accordance with acquisitions com
ing from the bureau of navigation. The bureau of
navigation and the bureau OF supplies and ac-
counts will work together in this acquisition Of
fuel and water This constitutes an important loss
to the bureau of equipment.
The bureau of equipment, however, obtains the
nautical almanac and the compass Office which
were transferred by Mr. Newberry from that bu-
reau to the bureau Of navigation. The SperIy
board observed that the bureau of equipment re-
tanned the naval observatory and the naval hydro
graphic office, and under such circumstances it
lished by the experts duty at the naval OBJ
equipment. while work in connection with the sup
ply and adjustment of compasses properly be
longed under the same bureau
in other respects the changes in the navy regu-
lations largely clerical and are necessary al
terations in phraseoIogy to carry out the general
propositions described. The changes represent that
which has been agreed by the factions com
posing the Sperry board and establish the New
berry system to limited extent There remain
to be adjusted certain questions to the division
of authority and responsibility in navy yard work
and whether the line officers serving inspectors
should not have duties. II is still conteuded
by some of the naval officers that a line officer
should be I'm charge Of technical work at navy
yards. That IS subject which VIII be taken up
by Mr.. Meyer during the summer, but I'm thc mean
time. the naval constructor Will be general manager
Of the manufacturing plant