New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-16
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

7 the promotion Of the efficiency of the meet
The second is that the general duties U
| line officers are engineering duties, Whetnel
/ thew are performed in the engine room =!
| elsewhere. That the modern battleshlp
simply complex and highly organized Ell
cine Of war has been frequently reniarkeu
70 run that engine Mr.. Meyer wants ei'
best engineers he can procure. Accoroilis
" he has established a school of mariilt
engineering at Annapolis where ehSiIise.
officers who develop special fitness may
take a graduate course. Ten engineer ON
GERS. selected for their special aptitude, ar
DESIGNATED to take the course, and, pesiues
their laboratory work, receive course y,
lectures from the best engineers On liit
world. To be designated TO take TINS IS tiie
ambition of every engineer officer "o, -
his salt. Then the navy yard reorgahizaliol
provides suitable berths for engineers "H'
have risen to the top of their Prolesoion
No longer has any bureau any direct Vi a.
direct control over methods of adIiilliS'i q
/ tion or operation at navy yards. a it"o
ficer commands the yard and the worn W.
under him is divided into two distlhct any
natural sections One dealing with the iiol .
and all that pertains thereto is
to the naval constructors. Inc othei' o' :.
ing with motive power in all It's ioi ms :.
onne5ad ~ tbA engineers. with the present
system II COSTS from ot1e-sixth to one-elshtn
IN keen naval vessels in repair as IL costs
for the same work on merchant iiiieA"
has beep maintained that the constructors
could conduct the shops at navy yaroS mo-
economically than the engineers, VINO nee
essarflv snend a considerable part OF theli
lives at sea. Perhaps they could, out Tue
engineers are more efficient at sea because
of t1,eir navy ward training, and their eHi-
ciencv promotes the efficiency of the meet
for It must be borne in mind that IT is at
sea that Mr.. Meyer is seeking the greatest
nrofciencv. the highest possible develop
nent of all that goes to make up hgnuhs
power.
THE PERFECTED SYSTEM. One OF
the most important ends for which MT.
Never is striving is the independence OF
the fleet af1oat. To that end he has caused
special attention to be devoted TO repairs
at sea. and has instituted a system OF
periods of repair following every period OF
cruising. precisely as is the practice OF the
hest merchant marine engineers. Not oniy
has one repair ship been placed i'll commits
sion and amply demonstrated its useful
ness and another been asked for-althougl
an alI-wise Congress seems likely TO reIuSe
it this year-but foundries are being N
stalled OH all the ships. In one Of these, on
the North Carolina, gear wheel 81: lnches
in diameter was recently cast and finished
in the repair shop on board. Experience
has demonstrated that these foundries will
not only save $50 a month ship, but that
they will save many trip to the navy
ward or into pcrt-an important item IN
time of war. Hitherto, If not the purpose,
it has been the practice to run naval yes
sci as long as practicable and then take 1t
into navy yard for n general overhauing.
There was, of course. no regularity of such
visits to the yards. Under the Meyer plan
a wholly different practice will be followed.
After every period of steaning or cruising
there will be a general overhaulinS of every
bit of machinery. the men even going over
the side in diving suits and inspecting, pos
sibly repairing. the propellers. The effort
will be to restore everything to a point as
near perfection IS that which obtained
when the vessel last left the yard before
another period Of steamlng is undertaken.
Thus the fighting ships will be continuously
maintained in the highest attainable state
of repair.
IN THE IARDS.-~Of course, the over
hauling will not be confined to that which
can be done afoat. On the contrary, to
each vessel viii be assigned home base
or yard, which it viii visit at stated inter
walls for general overhauling. These
visits will be so disposed az to furnish con-
tfnuous work for the navy yard force. The
hi, -i-a
and perform the repair work and the in
stallation of new machinery and devices
in so far as practicable, their efforts being
supplemented by the yard force. Thus can
be maintained q steady force of expert
machinists at each yard, while the officers
and men of the several vessels having as
sisted in the installation of new machinery
and the repair of OLD, viii be the more
skiIful when called on. to do similar work
at sea. Moreover this method will effect
a material economy in the maintenance Of
the yards.
THE MILITARY vALUE.-Much has
been said Of the economies effected. but
their value does not consist of the saving
in dollars and cents alone. Coal saved can
be utilized for speed trials, which not only
the fleet commander the dependability of
his command a saving in the cost of re-
pairs permits the installation of devices
which directly promote efficiency. sThe skill
Of the officers and men in making repairs
means more continuous serviceability in
the presence of an enemy and the subtrac-
ton of fewer units from the fleet TO visit
navy yards. r decreased consumption of
coal means an increased steaming radius
without visiting the coaling base, and the
same applies to all other supplies. All
these things serve to promote the morale
of every man aboard, from the fleet com
11,ander to the stoker. All combine to pro-
mote the single end for which Secretary
Never is striving, the increased efficiency
of the feet afoat G. G. H.
year before OF s.. 796.161. The silver exports
200 -n4