New-York tribune., 1910-01-29
MERRY WAR In NAVY
HIGH OFFICERS NAY
BE DISCIPLINED
Dispute Betzceen Capps and
Cone May Call for De
pdrtment's Action.
GFrom The Tribune Bureau. !

washington, Jan 2S.-There is merry
war in the Navy Department, enlivened
with sensational rumors of the disci-
plining of high ranking officers. Nothing
IN long time has created such a stir
as the testimony given in the last week
before the House Naval Committee by
Paymaster General z. B. Rogers and
Chief Constructor W. L. Capps on Sec
retary Meyers plan for naval reorgani-
zation. Both officers have criticised the
scheme. and as result of the testimony
given the sub-conmittee of the House
Naval Committee having charge of the
subject closed its executive session to-
day in grave doubt as to what it should
report to the full committee concerning
changes in the distribution to bureaus of
appropriation items so as to carry out by
legislation the changes in the Navy De-
partment bureaus and navy yards pro-
posed in the Meyer-Swift plan of reor-
ganization.
Paymaster General Rogers asserted
that the new method of cost accounting,
which has been established at Boston
and is shortly to be installed at the
Brooklyn navy yard originated with him
pointed out also what he regarded as de-
fects, as an economical measure, in the
Meyer system of navy reorganization
The testimony was. generally speaking, a
defence of the Newberry system and a
plea for the management of navy yards
by naval constructors
The hearing of Chief Constructor
Capps extended over two days, and that
officer made a spirited rejoinder to the
criticisms of his corps expressed by Sec
retary Meyer in previous hearings be-
fore the committee. 1t was not possible,
Of course for the chief constructor di-
rectly to dispute the statements made by
the Secretary of the Navy, but Mr..
Meyer had based some of his assertions
on an official memorandum furnished to
him by Engineer in Chief H. I. Cone,
who quoted from the records of his bu-
reau to show what he described as "the
increased cost of work under the man
agement of the naval constructor"
There were twelve instances cited, and
this furnished the chief constructor with
an opportunity to pay his respects to the
engineer in chief. He contradicted in di-
rect terms the quotations from official re-
ports and kilograms received recently
from naval constructors. The 1uation
becomes the more acute because of this
dispute between the two bureau chiefs.
AS one observer of the situation re-
marked to-day: IF the chief construc-
tor is doctoring the records to make
case for his officers against the showing
made by Admiral Cone, there is likely to
be trouble for Admiral Capps. If, on the
other hand. Cone is placed in the posi-
ton Of having misled the Secretary of
the Navy, I do not see how Mr. Meyer
can avoid visiting upon Cone some form
of ,censure."
Admiral Cone included in his allega-
ton several instances of extravaganza
at the Mare Island Navy Yard. One of
these was for some work on the ma
chinery of the West Virginia. where the
cost was IS per cent more than it should
have been. The machinery on the Gla-
cier was repaired at cost of more than
twice the estimate. Work on the Saturn
cost more than $4,000, when it should
have cost 81, 300. 1t was also alleged
that $1,000 worth of condenser tubes
were melted up as scrap, the naval con-
structor being unable to fix the RESPONSE
bility for this waste, while on another
occasion floor plates to the value of
81. 800 were thrown on the dump because
the edges We're rusty. In all these cases
the chief constructor produced official
kilograms fatty contradicting the asser-
tions and sustaining the position of the
naval constructor at Mare Island by quo
tations from bureau reports.
Another subject brought up by Chief
Constructor Capps related to the ma
chinery of the Florida, which is building
at the navy yard at Brooklyn. 1t was
stated by Cone that six months after
work was authorized the manager re-
ported that ii would not be possible to
complete the castings for the turbine cas-
ings in time, and recommended that they
be obtained by purchase. The inspector
Of machinery reported that no serious
effort had been made to get out the pat
terms, and that. in his opinion. the cast
ings could be made in the yard The de-
partment accordingly disapproved the
recommendation of the manager and
subsequently transferred the direction of
this work to the inspector of machinery,
under whom the manufacture OF these
castings is progressing satisfactorily"
The Chief Constructor alleged that the
progress on the machinery of the Florida
is not satisfactory, and he presented sta
tistics to prove this.
Both Paymaster General Rogers and
Chief Constructor Capps received per-
sonal permission from the Secretary Of
the Navy to make candid statements be-
fore the House Naval Committee, it be-
ing desired by Mr.. Meyer that the COM
rnittee should have the benefit of both
sides of the question. 1t is said at the
Secretary's office that there is no inten-
ton Of disciplining either Rogers or
Capps, and, Of course. no comment can
be made on the surmise that these Off
GERS will not be reappointed to their
present positions upon the expiration of