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VOL. 37. CLEVELAND, JANUARY 9, 1908. NEW YORK No. 2 ADVOCATES POSTAL SUBSIDY. The creation of a postal subsidy for vessels sailing from ports in this coun- try to South America and the Orient and the much-needed and long-sought- for improvement in New York's ter- minal facilities were advocated at a recent important meeting of the New York chamber of commerce. It also approved a recommendation that the proper government authorities should be compelled to prevent the present obstruction of the harbor by large tows or barges. The chamber has placed itself upon record as favoring the passage of the bill introduced into the house of representatives providing a light and fog signal at the south- west end of Governor's Is'and. The resolution introduced by Gus- tave H. Schwab favoring the' estab- lishment of a postal subsidy for ships sailing between this country and South America follows: "Whereas, The chamber of com- merce of the state of New York, on Dec. 6, 1906, expressed itself in favor of the payment of a liberal postal subsidy. for the establishment, of quick, frequent and direct mail com- munication with the countries of South America as one of the elements of importance in the promotion of commercial intercourse with these countries; now, therefore, be it "Resolved, That the chamber ap- prove of the bills, S. 28, introduced by Mr. Gallinger, and H. R. 4068, intro- duced by Mr. Humphrey, authorizing the postmaster-general to pay for ocean mail service, under the act of March 3, 1891, in wessels. of "the sec- ond class on routes across the Pacific ocean, or to ports of the South At- lantic, 4,000 miles or more in length, outward voyage, at a rate per mile not exceeding the rate applicable to ves- sels of the first class, as provided in said act." The resolution advocating an im- provement in New York's terminal facilities was submitted to the cham- ber by Mr. Schwab, as chairman of the committee on foreign commerce and.the revenue laws. It recommend- ed that long piers be built on the North river water front north of Twenty-third street, to 'telieve thie present congestion of the small piers now in use. To effect this result it was proposed that the pier headline north of Twen- ty-third street should extend so as to permit the construction of pies ap- proximately 800 ft. in length, which will increase material'y the pier ca- pacity for discharging and loading the largest liners. the pier headlines in this manner will havé to be obtained from the war department. Another remedy proposed in the resolution involved the commercial development of the East river water front, above the navy yard by remoy- ing the present hazardous obstruc- tions, and by straightening, widening and deepening the crooked and nar- row channel. MELVILLE DEFENDS NAVY. Speaking of the article written 'for the January issue of McClure's Maga- gine which charges improper construc- tion of the warships of the United States navy, Rear Admiral George W. Melville, retired, who was chief engi- neen of the navy for 16 years, said in Philadelphia recently that "ton for ton and gun for gun we have the best warships in the world." He said: It is that infernal clique that wants to rule or ruin the navy that has been making all the trouble, and they continue to make it until they take control of the navy out of the will Permission to extend hands of the president and his advis- psi en ie eke Warships are the creation of human minds and hands, andthere is nothing of human construction that has not some defects. And then you must remember that the type of vessels built 10 years ago is obsolete now. But I will make this general state- ment and you cannot quote me too strongly in the making of it--that when the vessels of the last 10 years have been turned over to the government they have embodied all of the. best ideas in naval construction that have been evolved anywhere in the world at the time they were turned OWia ree cea eee che Let us consider the statement that the officers of the navy are too old. I maintain they are not; the system of promotion of officers by seniority that still obtains in the navy remains. the. best. Do you want to see our. admirals, the mine senior rear ad- mirals, ranking with a major general in the army, forget their duty to their ships and their country and devote all their time to the 'scramble for politi- cal preference in the hope of further honors'. hes oe ees es We will always have men capable of handling a fleet. For that matter any lieutenant-commander in the navy would be greatly offended if he should be told that he could not take com- mand of a fleet as well as any of the admirals. He would be right so far as study and technical knowledge go, and would be deficient only in the superior experience of the officers of higher rank. SUCCEEDS REAR BROWNSON. It has been announced 'that Capt. J. Pillsbury has been appointed as chief of the bureau of navigation, the position made vacant by the re- ADMIRAL