The Washington herald., 1916-07-09

placed himself on record as an advocate
not only of the appointment Of civilians
who have specialized IN engineering
duties to the commissioned personnel OF
the navy, but he also favors the making
of naval officers from graduates of first.
class technical schools, who would de.
velop into specialists in ordnance OF
other branches of line duty. IL given the
opportunity"
Secretary has long favored the idea OF
legislation which will enable oficers ap-
pointed from civil life to take up naval
work. other than along engineering lines
after they have qualified for service. /,
was the original plan to have all officers
from engineering schools kept strictly
within engineering lines, but the Navy
Department now seems disposed to give
these former civilians an opportunity al
a broader field.
Nevertheless, 1t is desired to give
graduates of the Naval Academy an op-
portunity to specialize on engineering
work IL they 50 desire, and in fact, Mr.
Daniels believes 1t for the good of the
service to shift line officers, while serving
In the Junior grades. from other work
to engineering duty for a time, alto.
gether irrespective of whether they later
expect to specialize as engineers
A large proportion of a line oficer's
duty, 1t is said. requires at least a funda.
mental knowledge Of engineering and
such engineering knowledge Is best OBJ.
tained. it is thought, while these ON
GERS are serving in the Junior grades.
Nine types of vehicles are included in
the motor truck order placed by the quar-
termaster general of the army during
the past week-an order amounting to al
most S,5oo,0o0. Most of these nine types
are OF three-ton capacity, although two
types are of the fve-ton model.
In the purchase Of these trucks the War
Department has been largely governed by
the recommendation of Gen. Frederick
Funston. who has learned. through his
subordinate offcers, of the real needs OF
the army along motor-truck lines, par
ticularly the needs of the present service.
Washington Is also given some consid-
Grafton TO the types OF vehicles purchased
to better regulate the models for military
use.
BY this means it will be possible, ofr-
GERS say, to eliminate the purchase of too
many types, which would require the
keeping of manifold parts and greatly
add to the repair problem. It is entirely
out OF the question, experts declare, 70
adopt a single standard type. owing TO
the refusal OF motor-truck manufacturers
10 depart from their own distinctive de-
signs, which are of commercial value.
Onicers believes. however that standard
hxtures can be adopted which will great
ly simplify the motor-truck problem in
the army. The order recently given was
divided as follows:
Locomobile. with bodies. S-ton, 81; Loco
mobile, tank, 2: Locomobile, platform,
bodies. 3-ton. s: Peerless, with bodies
a-ton. 2A; Peerless chassis, 3-ton, 70;
Peerless. platform bodies, 5-ton. 2; Peer
less, platform bodies. 3-ton. u; REQ. with
| bodies. 3-1ton, s; Packard. with bodies
II 1-2-ton. 2S4; Packard. 3-ton; 1s2: White.
with bodies. l-2-ton, 52s; White. with
bodies. 3-ton. 80; CIintonviIle chassis.
3-ton. 80; Kelly-Springfeld. with bodies
l 1-2-ton. IS; Kelly-Springfield, with
bodies. 3l-2-ton. eS: Kelly-Spring gfield
chassis. 3-ton. 90; Velie chassis. l-2-ton,
80; Velie chassis, 3-ton, SO; Packard
chassis. l-2-ton. 1s3; Packard chassis,
3-ton. g.
The Mare Island (Cal) naval authorities
are extremely anxious to gain Congress
sional approval Of an annual recommen-
dation for l50-ton, revolving type, floating
crane, to cost about 500. .ooo, for use at
the Mare Island Navy Yard.
In communication to the Navy De-
partment the Mare Island commandsn,
says that the present facilities for
handling heavy weights. such as turrets,
guns. armor and the like, consist of one
l0o-ton shear legs, located on the water
front"
The maximum outreach of the shear
legs is approximately thirty feet, he says
| and as the beam OF battleships is over
| ninety feet. 1t will practically be impos-
sible to plumb the center line, while con-
| siderable skidding of heavy weights is
necessary. involving a great loss of time
and labor.
Although It would be practicable -
says the commandant, ito use the shear
legs, ehe work would be seriously handi-
capped II is, therefore, considered a
practical necessity that this yard be pro-
vided with a modern floating crane.
| capable OF handling weights up to $50 tons
| and a maximum outreach that will easily
plumb the largest vessels contemplated
This floating crane is not only a
practical necessity for undertaking the
construction of q battleship at this yard.
but will undoubtedly be required in the
future in connection with large repairs