New-York tribune., 1909-11-30

with the General Board. will make rec
concentrations as 10 the military features
OF new ships. as TO any proposed repair
or alteration Of ship which Will affect
the military features, and also as 10 the
cxpediency of undertaking extensive re-
pairs TO any ship. He will also make
recommendations. in conjunction with
the General Board, regarding the location.
capacity and general protection OF coal
depots. and the location, general ar
rangement and protection OF naval sta
tons. with sole view to the military
demands OF the fleet. He will also. IN
conjunction with the General Board, rec
ommend the number. type and military
features of drydocks.
INSPECTION.
In a commercial business the inspec-
tion OF the finished product is efficiently
done by the customer or user In time
OF war the preparedness and military ei-
iciency OF the fleet are determined by
victory or defeat: in time Of peace, the
preparedness and efficiency Of the fleet
must be determined by inspections and
tests carried out by persons OF the neces-
sary technical knowledge and training
No adequate inspection OF the fleet and
the different shore stations has hereto
fore been provided.
The Secretary has been without direct
knowledge OF conditions existing within
the naval establishment. The new plan
Of advisers for the Secretary includes
an aid for inspections. who will report
direct 20 the Secretary on all inspection
matters under the board OF inspection
and survey. the board of inspection for
shore stations and special inspection
matters None OF the boards or indi-
viduals dealing with inspections will have
any administrative or executive duties
whatever and they will thus be in no
wise responsible for the work and condi-
tions which they are called upon 20 in
spect.
The existing Bureau OF Yards and
Docks, the Marine Corps and certain
other branches Of the department which
are not logically included in any one of
the four divisions of duties are retained
In the Secretary's Office and will be di
rectly under the Assistant Secretary.
No review of the proposed plan for
improving the administration of the
Navy Department would be complete
without a mention of the effort which
will be made to simplify and improve
the accounting for the expenditures un-
der the Navy Department. Under the
present law the different bureaus have
charge and control of the expenditures
under their bureaus. and they keep the
accounts OF these appropriations and ex-
penditures. II is hoped in the future
that appropriations may be made i'm such
form that they can be handled and ac-
counted for under a modern business
system Of accounting in the Bureau of
Supplies and Accounts, where such
duties naturally fall.
THE ESSENTIAL CHANGES.
The ESSENTIAL changes. therefore. in Mr..
Meyers plan are few in number. but are
considered very important. They may
be briefly summarized 'as follows:
F1rst-The provision of four RESPONSE
1.-fCA r,,hf he
groups into which duties of the depart
ment logically fall.
Second-The grouping of the bureaus
into two divisions OF material and per-
sonnel. according to the nature of their
duties.
Third-The establishment OF a Dlvi-
sion OF Operations OF the Fleet.
Fourth-The establishment of a COM
prehensive inspection system of perma
nent organization. whose officers shall
be periodically changed and who will
come mainly from the active fleet and
be conversant with the latest ships and
the modern methods of drill and organi-
Zation
Fifth-The establishment Of a modern
and efficient cost keeping system in the
Navy Department and at navy yards.
SiXth-The separation Of navy yard
work into the two natural divisions of
hull and machinery.
SeVenth-The Secretary intends 10 re-
Quire that commandants and captains OF
Yards for navy yards shall be selected
for their knowledge and experience, and
that their tenure of office shall be long
enough 10 insure continuous admins
trative policy.
EQUIPMENT BUREAU.
II should be added here that the
changes in organization include a rec
ommendatiOn for abOlishing the Bureau
OF Equipment. whose duties will be di
Vided among the bureaus Of Steam En-
gineering, Construction and Repair and
Supplies and Accounts. The duties
which will go TO these three bureaus
from the Bureau OF Equipment are those
which in any business organization
would properly be placed under them.
Summing up the results which have
been accomplished by Mr.. Meyer in the
orders now promulgated. X is believed
that he has without appeal 10 Congress
and without taking from any bureau the
duties or responsibilities imposed by law
so organized the Navy Department that
he can control IL with the aid OF re-
sponsible advisers who are not con-
cerned in or responsible for any OF the
supply features Of the departments
business, and that he has furthermore
established an efficient system of in
spection Of personnel and material. with
| reports made direct 10 the Sc o~retary, and
a modern system Of cost accounting.