Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-27
Four Constructing Bureaus.

|
reaus, viz, ordnance, equipment. steam
| engineering and construction and repair.
! will be reassgned so that the detail draft
| ing and manufa curing required for the
| naval service. within the capabilities of
our yards, will be done by the bureau of
| construction and repair.
'"rhe bureau of ordnance to retain con-
troll and management of the gun factory.
| the torpedo station the proving ground
and magazines.
THE duties of the bureau of equip
ment to be assigned in general as follows
and the necessary officers and clerks
transferred: All constructing work to the
| bureau of construction and repair. the
purchase of nautical equipment and in
strumentS, the observatory and the hydro
graphic office to the bureau of navigation;
| the consumable supplies. including
| libraries of vessels. to the bureau of sup
| plies and accounts, the purchase of
| Libraries to be under the supervision of
| the librarian of the Navy Department;
purchase of coal to the bureau of sup
plies and accounts: golfers, at present
under the bureau of navigation.
THE bureau of steam engineering, hav-
ing lost its manufacturing features, would
have left its personnel charged with the
determination of the type. location and
preliminary design for propelling ma
chinery and its auXiliaries and with the
inspection of the work after completion
This bureau to become, as far as pos
sible, division of the bureau of naviga
ton, and to put at its head line officer
at present with the Atlantic fleet. as soon
as available. Until Congress shall abolish
this bureau he might be made chief of
the bureau. The records of the bureau of
equipment, until similar action was taken
to be in charge of the chief clerk.
To Promote Efficiency.
I'm order to promote the efficiency of
our ordnance work and steam and cleo
trical engineering, orders are intended to
be issued which would afford an oppor-
tunity for two three lieutenant COM
| manders and double the number of lieu
tenants, who desired II and were espe-
cially fitted for it. to specialize in engi-
neering and ordnance by taking one or
more years of postgraduate work at
some suitable institution, these assign
ments to be made annually. but not to
create any special cor. 5.
THE above plan would assist in the
consolidation of the work at navy yards
which has proved so successful. and
would require that line officers ordered
to navy yards should be assigned to in
speeding the product OF the shops and
see that it is installed on board ships in
seaman-like manner. The commandant
of the yard to be in supreme command
as at present with the necessary officers
to care for the purely military duties. and
a naval constructor and his assistants to
act as general manager and superintend-
ents of the various shops. not to include
work under the bureau of supplies and
accounts now, such the manufacture
of clothing and the preparation of food
products.
Part of this plan has practically been
in effect since January l. and up to the
present time there has not been received
word of criticism, suggestion or pro-
test, and it appears to be working for the
better military efficiency and proper bust
,ss,t.
The New Arrangement.
'Diagramatically it appears as follows:
SECRETARY.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Bureau of supplies and ACCOUNTS.
Solicitor.
GENERAL BOARD.
Bureau of navigation.
Bureau of medicine and surgery