The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-12-14
Secretary Meyers Announcement
of Naval Changes Stirs
0fficiaIdom.
DETAILS OF NEW PROGRAM
Board of Construction Abolished
Methods of Handling Bust
ness Altered.
By Ernest G. Walker.

Mail Speclai to The Advertiser.) 1
WASHINGTON, November 2s.-The
new scheme for the administration of
the Navy goes into effect this week
and accordingly there is great hub
bub in the department. Secretary
Meyer has promulgated regulations
modifying the government of navy
yards and materially changing methods
of handling business in his office and
in the office of the bureaus.
And while the machinery of the
Navy is being rapidly adjusted to the
new order of things, the tongues of
thousands of naval officers are wagging
and congressman are taking note.
There are always divers opinions about
any changes in the Navy and this
promises to be no exception.
The essential features of the consoli-
dation of shops in navy yards, which
Truman H. Newberry, while secretary,
brought about are retained. On the
whole Mr.. Newberry's plan has worked
successfully, but in many particulars it
was experimental. "The new plan,'
says Secretary Myer in commenting
upon Mr.. Newberry's work. "starts
with the idea that the consolidation of
related trades in a group is correct in
| principle. The rest is a matter of de.
| tail.'
New Plans Goes Farther.
| r. L.
manufacturing department at each of
the navy yards. While that may not
sound to the average man as very
important proposition, it is, because
the manufacturing and repairing for
the Navy costs many millions of dol
lars annually. Now Secretary Meyer
goes little farther. He divides the
manufacturing establishment at each of
the navy yards into two divisions
hull division and machinery division.
Secretary Newberry put naval con-
structor in charge of each manufactur-
ing yard. Secretary Meyer will retain
a naval constructor in charge of the
hull division and will put line off
Ger of engineer experience in charge
of each machinery division. This is
in accord with the almost universal
practice in the private shipbuilding es-
adjustments in this country and in the
naval dockyards of England and Ger
many. The consolidation of manufac,
turing features aimed at in the plan
of Secretary Newberry is not sacrificed :
the change merely lies in grouping
shops for purposes of control in such
manner as to obtain the best expert
knowledge of their direction.
Better Business Methods.
The eight bureaus of the navy de-
at the navy yards except the command
ant. The engineer officer, who is the
manager of the machinery division, and
, the naval constructor, who is the man,
ager of the hull division, are the agents
of the commandant in carrying out
manufacturing work and repair work
of the bureaus. The inspection officers
who will be stationed at each yard
are to examine and pass upon the char
"a acter of the work and the accounting
Officer, proceeding under the. new &C
! | counting system recently installed a
the Boston yard and soon to be, install
ed In other yards, will determine th'
/ cost. The accounting system is en-
, tirely independent of the manufacturing
departments. Secretary Meyer believes
! his new plan, "with little change from
the existing Newberry system, will pro
duce better business methods, a mor'
effective consolidation of trades an,
shops, an effective inspection system
l and an efficient accounting system"
n Departmental Changes.
Y Coming to the department prope
5 Secretary Meyer abolished the. board o
1
: of the chiefs of the several bureau
who have been passing upon and supe'
G vising the different features of .ssbi
/. designs and deciding questions in dis
pute between the bureaus when -thei
duties overlapped A ship Is necei
n sarily q compromise of conflicting In
terests and the board of constructio
generally decided upon such eomprC
misses. Hitherto the general board, o
9 which Admiral Dewey has long bee
;. chairman, has recommended generi
/, types and military charae teristics O
waTships and has been OF material al
slstanee In the formation of up,tO.dat
designs, But when such designs hav
been prepared they have been passe
Z on 20 the bureau chiefs, composing th
board ~ construction.
Il Now that IL TO be changed aud quit
different organization Installed, Be
10 rotary Meyer has tentative organisi
g ton plan, which goes into force Deeen
u Dor !, by which he is % have fol
expert advisers. These advisers are
" head The four new diylsl0ns VI materlu
II peTsonnel, iha operation o. BlanaRemel
10 " thg feet aud, fourth, Inspection
The diyisior 81 material will have b
peTyislQn over ihe baTfaus which be-,
10 40 with che construction, 6qnipmel
"A and maiuiensnss NJ lLe aeei anH vi
} lneluds ibe nakg yaTdt The RdYlsl
} ~ lhe head " lbel aepeTlWnEi VI
etfe 20 fsfeuiiYf ~ aaallnilllaili