New-York tribune., 1917-12-24
Shipping Board and
N. Y. Yard Clash
Over Gun Crews
Complaint Made That Petty
Officers Are Too Ofhcious
Aboard Liners

A controversy between the ChIIeu
States Shipping Board and officers at
the navy yard in Brooklyn over the
authority Of gun crews on merchant
vessels has reached climax, 1t was
learned yesterday. and an inquiry over
the division Of authority at sea VIII
soon be aired in Washington.
II is said that the patience OF the
Shipping Board in the matter of navy
interference has become exhausted
and that the board will seek to have
complete jurisdiction in the placing
and handling of gun crews assigned
TO merchant vessels put into its hands.
Ever since the gun crews have been
assigned by the Navy Department to
ships operated by the Shipping Board
instances have occurred wherein chief
petty officers in command of the gun
crews have exceeded their authority
and have reused digFleasure and re-
sentiment Of the merchant: masters.
Many Of these cases are now under
investigation and. for that reason. can
not be made public. Reports on all OF
them. however. have Deen forwarded to
Washington and will De part of the
record of recommendation that the
arming OF ships be handled by the
Shipping Board.
A man in authority familiar with the
friction existing between the petty
naval officers and the masters and
crews Of vessels in the merchant SER
vice said yesterday:
The Case Of the Clara.
Let US take the case of the steam
ship Clara as sample. Captain Bev-
eridge was assigned to the command
of that vessel when she was sent re-
Gently with cargo to France. lie re-
ported aboard ship and was about to
occupy the masters quarters, when he
found them already in possession OF
the chief petty officer, who had com,
mAnd of the gun crew, or armed guafd
of twenty-four men. lie did not kho"
whether he was entitled TO his quar-
ters or not and rather than raise
controversy. he made no effort TO claim
them. He made the run to France ana
back. occupying as sleeping place
settee in the chart room. On his re-
turn 10 port he made a complaint
against the presumption Of the chief
net.v officer and an investigation was
held at the navy yard in Brooklyn. be-
fore the master had a chance TO tes-
tify. however, he had to go TO sea
again" ,.,
The Shipping Board, it is understood,
has no complaint to make against the
sailors of the armed guard, as they
usually keep to themselves and oher
no interference in the management OF
the ship. With the average chief petty
officer il is different. Their eihclency
is not questioned, and they are regard
ed by the Shipping Board as able men
for the work they are assigned to, but
when they undertake 70 give orders to
tho master of the vessel instead OF
making suggestions and working har-
moniously. they are regarded as sources
Of conflict not conducive to the best
interests of the merchant service.
Authority Not Yet Defined.
"The fact that the authority at sea
has not been Defined" said an officer
of the board Yesterday, "is largely re-
sponsible for the trouble. If there is
trouble and the chief petty officer IL
backed up by his superior officers the
navy will then refuse to send an armed
guard on that ship if the complaining
master is maintained in charge. The
master is supposed to consider and
take suggestions from the chief petty
officer i'm the matter OF lights, radio,
whistles. course and position, and in
time of attack he should work in ac-
cord with the man in charge Of the
gun crew. This, OF course, is usually
done. but many of the alterations
have occurred by conflict of authority
occurring well outside the war zone.
For the sake Of peace and expediency
the Shipping Board has been exceeding
ly patient, but the time has come when
Il believes that for the best interests
of all concerned the armed guard
should be under the control of the
board
although it has no control over
the gun crews, the Shipping Board
takes excellent care OF them. Each
man has assigned TO him twenty-five
square feet for berthing and messing
on all ships, and has quarters apart
from the rest Of the crew. These
quarters are provided with heaters,
sinks, drains and ventilators."