Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
NAVAL BILL PlEASES' GORE SERVES NOTICE
Secretary Meyer Discusses Senatorial Harmony Disturbed
Provisions of Measure. on Eve of Adjournment.
THINKS AMENDMENTS WISE IRESENTS LING OF CHAIR
Shpbulding Program Speaks Resolution Thank the
cialy Gratifying. Presiding Officer
CHANCE FOR YOUNGER MEN DRAMATIC CLOSE OF SESSION
Numbers Furnhe Chances TOR
auieAer fro"o"oh Appropriation
Secretary Meyer Discusses
Provisions of Measure.
THINKS AMENDMENTS WISE
Shipbuilding Program Is Espe-
cially Gratifying.
CHANCE FOR YOUNGER MEN
Making Engineer Officers Additional
Numbers Furnishes Chances for
Quicker Promotion.

! Secretary Meyer said last night that
! he was very much pleas ed with the
results produced in the naval bill by
/ the intelligent action of the commit
! tees of Congress and the action of the
| conferees on the Senate amendments.
i He made general analysis of the
| bill and commented on various pro-
visions in it.
The provisions put in an amend
ment by the Senate, said he fixing
the cost of work under the new ac
counting system have been made per-
manent SO that for the purposes of
| the new. accounting system the law
| now amply covers the requirements.
The amendment introduced in the
Senate whereby officers of the line of
the navy who now perform engineer
| ing duty on shore only are made add
ditional numbers is partial step to-
ward securing Younger officers for as
Signment as flag officers and command
ing officers afloat. Under this proviso
a number of younger captains and
commanders will be secured at once
The engineer officers themselves are
secure in all the benefits of retire
ment they now have, and under the
! law now they cannot any of them be
selected out. These same engineer
officers also receive a further benefit
in that they secure slight promotion
Benefits Disabled Officers.
"A paragraph was included as SEN
ate amendment and finally passed
whereby any officer of the navy who
fails physically for promotion on ac-
count of disability contracted in the
line of duty can be retired in the
rank to which he would have been
promoted. The same law has obtained
for some years in the Army and Ma
rine Corps. and the present provision
extends this to the navy. This is a
measure which has been sought for
many years, and is just and benefi-
cent provision.
"A Senate amendment which was ac-
cepted i'll conference. provides that
$4,000 may be expended under the
hydrogra phic office for the procurement
of foreign charts. and it also provides
that the secretry of the Navy may
necessary to the photographic office.
This latter provision repeats the law in
the last Legislative bill by which the num-
Der of officers possible to detail to the
photographic Office was limited to two.
The provision in regard to the making
of foreign charts Is of especial import
ance. as at the present time the Navy
Department is dependent upon foreign
suppress iOt tillS purpose.
TO Dock Utah and Florida.
BY a Senate amendment a 1JO-ton
floating crane was authorized for the
navy yard, Boston, Mass, and $1,000
was made Immediately available for the
enlargement of dry dock No. at the Bos
ton navy yard, by which that dock will
be put in such condition that the Utah
and Florida can be locked there.
BY a Senate amendment, agreed to in
conference, $31S,J00 was provided for an
emergency repair installation for Guam
tanamo, Cuba. This is especially Crafty
ing to the department, as it is the first
appropriation in nearly ten years to be
made for Guantanamo and it insures the
upbuilding of that most important stra-
tegical point for the emergency repair
and maintenance of the fleet in West
Indian waters.
The amendment of the Senate provid
ing for track connection between the
Washington navy yard and the main
railroad tracks in Washington was struck