New-York tribune., 1911-12-08
NAVY YARD HERE
MAY Be ABANDONED
Mayor Gaynor and Dock Com
missioner TOmkinS Discuss
the Project with Sec
retary Meyer.
PASE AT NARRAGANSETT BAY
Board Will Give Hearings Here
Mr.. Meyer Not Yet Com
mitted to Plan-Sanc-
tion of Congress
Necessary.

Necessary.
From The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dec. Public hearings
are 10 be held soon in New York by the
,oint board Of the army and navy to
enable New Workers to express their
views regarding the advisability or the
reverse Of abandoning the Brooklyn
navy ward This is the result Of the
hrief conference which Mayor Gaynor
and Calvin Tomkins. the Commissioner
If Docks. had with the Secretary of the
Navy to-day.
The question of abandoning the New
vort NAVY Yard. which is almost as old
as the Republic itself. has been seriously
considered by Secretary Meyer in con-
raction with his policy Of reducing the
number Of navy yards on the Atlantic
Coast. the scheme under consideration
being the substitution. not only for the
New York yard. but also for those at
Boston and Portsmouth of a great naval
base at Narragansett Bay.
Secretary Meyer has assumed that the
land occupied by the Brooklyn yard
could he sold for a large sum. the pro
ceeds 10 he used to establish the base at
Narragansett Bay. Mayor Gaynor made
the disquieting suggestion to-day that
urobably with the abandonment Of the
ward by the government the land would
revert 10 the city Of New York This
contingency had not occurred to Mr..
Never but that ii has some basis 's
shown by a report submitted, at the in
stance Of Abram S. Hewitt, then mem
her Of Congress, TO the New York Chah-
her Of Commerce by a committee OF that
body in 1882 That committee had peeh
charged with the duty Of investigating
the ever recurring question of whether
or not II would be beneficial TO nave 'he
Prooklvn ward abandoned. 1t was then
thought that an equally good Yaru couiu
be established at New London.
The committee reported that not more
Than S5.0O0.OO0 could be realized from
Tho sale of the land. adding 'even II
rerfect title can be given to the pur-
chasers" Continuing, 1t said: On inns
important point your committee mas
been unable 10 obtain reliable informa-
,,on but il is not unlikely that some
norton. at least, of the property mas
been transferred to the government uh-
der restrictions which will make II re-
,ert 70 the original owners, or their
heirs. if its use as q navy yard is aoah-
doned.'
Referred to Army and Navy Board
secretary Meyer in his efforts to Sc
cure the abandonment Of obsolete yards
and the substitution Of a few bases at
the most effective points has given
serious consideration 10 the advantages
clained for a base on Narragansett BAY
ove- those possessed by the Brooklyn
ward and also TO those objections Which
have been 50 often advanced as mliltat-
ing against the usefulness of the latter
chef Of which is its remoteness from
lines Of rail transportation. In the opin-
Ion Of the Secretary. however the ques-
tlor was too grave TO warrant an at
tenn, Al solution by a single individual
5nd he referred the entire subject 10 the
army and navy joint board, Of when
Admiral Dewey is president and Gen
erals Wood. Carter and Wotherspoon
and Captain Potts, Of the navy are
members In his annual report, Secre-
tarv Never says that he hopes to submit
the reuort Of this board, together with
HE own recommendations, 20 Congress
early IN January.
There is some reason TO believe thdt
Mr. Never has not regarded the time
when il would be well 10 abandon the
Brooklyn navy yard as near at hand but
the problem which confronts the NUM-
cipal administration Of the City OF New
York in connection with providing dock
age facilities for the new 1,0OO-foot
ocean liners has at least somewhat hast
ened the consideration of the subject.
Il was in connection with this problem
that Mayor Gaynor called on the Secre-
tary Of War to-day, and he is under
stood 70 have suggested I'm conversation
with Mr.. Never the possibility that the
reversion 70 or recovery by the city Of
The frontage now occupied by the Brook
!yn yard on the Wallabout might afford
a comparatively simple solution of the
problem.
Secretary Meyer declined 70 commit
himself to-day as 10 the advisability Of
the suggested abandonment. but told the
Mayor that the joint board would hold
hearings in New York, at which those
interested would have an opportunity to
express their views. The Mayor declined
10 discuss the subject or his call on the
Secretary.
The relative merits Of the Brooklyn
yard site and others in the vicinity, not
aDly on the sound have been discussed
since before the Brooklyn yard was
established. in 1901. A proposed trans
ief 10 some other point was reported on
adversely by the chief Of the Bureau Of
iafds and Docks as long ago as 1872
ana the report Of the special committee
u the Chamber Of Commerce. above re-
'erfed 10, was not favorable
VI course, conditions change. and it
- possible that a different view may
no" be taken. That the Joint board
III speaking from a purely military
u strategic point Of view. prefer Mar
."Kansett Bay is probable, although the
'00SiDiilty Of SUCH change may de-
Leho largely on the possible returns
VIZ government could secure from the
.'sp2sal Of the New York yard; and
'"eSe IN turn, may depend in large
paI' on the desire Of the city Of New
A"I' u secure the site IT, however.