The Washington herald., 1919-07-14
ARMY AND NAVY


oiI Ior racine f1eet Com m n dee re ID.
Secretary Daniels disclosed on
June 80 that he had commandeered
fuel oil and gasoline required by
vessels assigned for service in the
Pacific feet. The Secretary said
that action was imperative or there
would necessarily have been a
change of plans with respect to the
organization of the Pacific fleet.
Efforts made to obtain the fuel
under contract had proved unsatis-
. factory. both as to the kind of oil
offered and the price at which the
trade was willing to furnish even
low grade oil. a grade totally I'M
suited to modern warships Only
one bid was received for gasoline
and this did not offer a firm quota
ton. The West coast bids for the
lower grade oil were almost double
the lowest bid received and &C.
cepted for navy specification oil
on the East coast. said the Secre-
tary.
Commenting on the disposal of the
( oSiAAhh hiSh llNtN
matter had been settled by the sink
ing OF the vessels by their German
crews, an officer of our navy wrote :
I'VE hear a great deal of talk re-
garding sinking the surrendered Ger
mar ships, but very little or no dis
cussion regarding putting them to
useful purposes, and none as far as
have been able to read about our get
ting our share of them. How about
the German light cruisers? As every
one knows, our navy is deplorably
short of light cruisers. Why should
not we take the German light cruis-
ers. all of which are ultra-modern.
built during the war. and when re-
armed with American guns would
prove highly serviceable craft?
True, they are coal burning, but
that is as much of an advantage as
disadvantage for us, as they can
be used during peace-time for the
necessary patrol service in the Carib-
bean, along the Central American
coasts and in the Orient"
The potential value of the German
naval vessels here pointed out is an
other indication that public opinion
In this country may have been too
ready to regard the destruction, of the
fleet as an undoubted act Of treach-
cry. but one that involved little real
loss to us.
Promotions In Civil Engineer Corps.
The Board of Selection of officers
for promotion of the Civil Engineer
| Corps. u. S. Naval Reserve Force,
recommended the following officers
to be selected for promotion to the
| rank of commander and the Presi-
dent has approved the recommen-
dations:
Lieut.. Comdrs. Eliot Chipma n
Brown. Edmund Samuel Nugent
Asa White Kenney Billings, Oscar
Alexander Mechlin. Herbert Lin
coin Rogers. Edward Clayton Sher-
man. Frederick Willard Southworth,
John A. Myler. The Board of Sc
lection was composed of Rear Ad-
, miral H H. Rousseau, president;
Rear Admirals F. R Harris, c. w
Parks, Capt. r. c. Hollyday and
| Capt. H. r Stanford. recorder.
May Not Belong to ". Y.
We have received numerous inqui-
ries as to whether an officer of the
Omcers' Reserve Corps, on inactive
status, may enlist in a National Guard
organization. hold a warrant as non
com. officers. or be a commissioned
officer therein.
| There has been no change In the
opinion on this matter rendered early
( in the war by the Judge Advocate
General Of the army. The adjutant-
generals office this week answers our
inquiry with the INFORMATION that "a
member Of the oficers Reserve Corps
may not belong to Rational Guard
organisation"