New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-04
MEYER ASKS FOR TWO
DRE4DNOTGHTS.
dnd One Repair !ShP-Great
Benefit Expected from
Reforms.


squadron 81 eight vessels 81 this general
Class. the Others being the North Dakota.
the Delaware. the Florida. the Utah the
Arkansas and the Wyoming.
The repair ship is desired in order that
the hes; may be made more self-sustaining
The Secretary says.
Congress has at times restrained the de-
partfuent IN awarding contracts for vessels
OF The navy by limiting the construction by
OF hN requiring one batteship 10 ne con-
struCtcc az navy ward and m one case
requiring collier 20 be constructed IN "a
navy l.rd ON she Pacific Coast.
whsle these restrictions DO not emharrass
the department. IN any way. ard 90 not
affect the efficiency or eXcellence OF the
ma product. they are decidedly not IN -he
Interests ~ economy.
The department does not favor shipbEtld
ms ln our navy wards. except occasionally
when d h. desirable 20 have a check on
costs az particular types, bur while holdins
such views. II does not believe that the
shlph-Ndinc plants OF the country need
equitable divisions ~ the new construction
authorized.
The department would therefore prefer
thar fls construction. or award ~ contracts
for new construction be- left 10 its discrc-
tion. solely in The Interests OF economy
The Secretary regards strong navy a.
a cheap form o. national Insurance.. He
says.
QuenIy been compared with that Of insur-
ance upon property. The comparison II
APT. and has a special significance 81 con
Steering naval expenditures. have caused
comparison 90 BE- made between the IA
uunal valuation ana naval expenditures.
The valuation az the total property OF the
Iniied states was obtained by taking the
nsurts ot MIllal up To The census Of 1880
ano then tle nglIes az Tie census. TINS
E'Vts only fhe valuation OF every tenth
year. beginning WIKI 1880. The valuation
az The Intermediate years Is approximately
obtained by adding 20 each year an equal
proportion ~ The dccenuial increase The
evcruge valuation for each deCenuial period
Is thus readily obtained. The naval ey-
pendiiures can be obtained with absolute
accuracy The expenditures given Go no.
include THE cost OF the executive establish
meIt A table. computed in tnis manner,
az the United States devoted 20 The suppo~i
OF me navy hy ten-year periods Ia The last
cehi-r,. Ae whole period Shows an aver
asr annual naval expenditure o. St.OOl2
Tor each dollar ~ The valuation.
SWIFT BOARDS WORK
IN beginning his report Mr. Meyer dis
cusses The handicap unde- which secre-
tarles o. the Navy have labored. and gives
the reasons Tor his appointment Of The
swirl board. a. follows
A considerable measure ~ Improvement
ID TIE business Cf the department has been
accom-. lis-ed. and was iU operation al the
The changes mace however. were foUuc
fof .-.t-rt-5 satisfactory. and many pei
TleNites arose in navy yard adm.nistra-
Aon cue To coLulcili-s navy regulations and
We l-iEf -N-a placed IA l.t u4-l@-rr ~
the Slutl' ul--.tac --r---- department A
recent decision az tLe Attorney General
makes ID clean rt.t some I'd rt.. changes Ir
duties iu t-t Navy Department. incl udiug
ga-.s-''5 .- -l,.olf.a ions eH1 clerks
been adjusted and the duties and FUNDS
ElI ut changed when -Et authority Of Law
is obtained, either by approval Of The est
mates ct ls special enactment
70 all tlg department "a solving nh
c-iil-l.'irr which constantly arose, follow
lns TIE clal-e> above mentioned several
boards ~ CrtrarS az high RANK and "a
peIlere- wtr- orlereo-rls last board som
posed .f officers 'l varied experience d.
admin Tral1nl. -f.~ board. commonly
known as the swift board. vas directed
before tI, department iu tais and previous
aofI. ---. ..I ions aI.l % present "a cuLaIre-
h,ra- e f.-l Jog continuing The re1rgal-z1-
toA ae--n hy nay predecessor
Tie re-1mmeuda,ious u that board cal
ready pah.lsaed and made effective on De
oember ay order of tile Secretary are
Incorporated in Tile report. ana the Secre-
E2Ty comments GA Them az follows.
u Is tae hope and expectation a the de-
plrt-ue-t tlat The detail ~ four officers Of
t. tie Secretary Viii result in marked
:n.IrgL enel-t lE me naval service ana IA
the Introduction ~ reforms Llch have
Ellherto been without recognition.
he bureau CHIEFS, properly tngrOssed In
ne details OF their duties, have not had
me time Ur opportunity 10 Eree matters 0f
Etlrfa- polcN on Ile Secretary. This Is
s-a-lF rue o.. TIE CHIEF of tle Bureau o.
Nat iea-l'll. who, as ~-sto-u aud partly b.
Regulation, has been supposed - suggest
Necessary reforms T. the leuartucrr The
h.-Ie-- ciilets. 700. have of'.en hesitated 10
- I.ei 1i-iIons unless asked. and thus
the Secretary -he centre ~ q vast ma
CLINE. has been literally without experr
a. lls'l ano advice in Tie broad policies
The aids who viii assist tho Secretary
~ the -rneral matters before the depart
selves with details which leiong 10 The
bureaus anl wln De free 10 discuss poll
cies and reforms with the SecTetary-
IN must he distinctly understood thai the
purposes contemplated tlr Tho aiGs cannot
10 encCfea ulfflut an entirely broad view
eatA OF ms own nell u activity. and VII %
or anv participation IN the details Of the
bureaus
Wih TIE assistance Of these aids she
SeCrsta DIS provided with "a minimum
number 81 advisers c0rresp0nding 90 rh-
natural grand divisions o. the department
that each ard win make himself Responsible
20 the Secretary Tor the advice given On
uait,rs pertaining 20 Ms own duties. Thus
The Se. fffarN VIII Pc able 10 keen IN closer
fNucb Win tle business II the navy and
viii sim 20 produce more economical ac-
ninisiration, with greater efficiency.
NAVY YARD ORGANIZATION.
Mr.. Meyer says he has taken particular
Interest in navy yard Organization. and
adds.
u must be accepted as cardinal principles
that The preparation 81 The vessels OF the
battle feet al Lazy yards for their ulfi-
mate function and their maintenance IN
good working order when away from navy
yards are above an 9th = considerations
The navy yard exists on account Of and
for the feet
To develop its entire PREPAREDNESS the
and sea training as much as possible and
al navy yards Tor the minimum time To
reduce tte time spent al navy wards the
officers a. The feet should have both sh0D
training and sea experience. in order To On
able Them o. Dr. Ike the Sect self-elstaining
a. Tax IS possible. And. cons ersely in The
navy y1uGs if b. imperative mat there shall
he tire most Intelligent comprehension Of
the conditions and ne essities in the cruis-
fng ships.
This combination 81 training and eKperi-
encc ct sea and In navy yard shop Drac-
fiCes and mechanical processes viii enable
the officers 10 not only keep the ships In
coudif i0u economically. but 20 make their
requests and suggestions for improvements
conservative and practicable as a result Of
such experience.
Ia order tlat thc department may be au-
fhorizcd o. enter into contract 10 com
plete Drydock $50. = al the Brooklyn navy
yard. Z r. recommended that Congress au-
thCrize an Increase - $4,000 Ia The limit
81 Gust This D. necessary 20 cover the
completion OF the dock and 10 provide a