The diplomats of nations realize that commerce means not merely the success but the life of nations, therefore, war is not 'kely to occur; no other good reason can be given for China being left intact, for the late tolerance of affairs in Turkey, for England cinuing in charge of Egypt, for Germany remaining in possession of much of her present territory, and for many other being questions resting in statu quo. But at the same time there is no need to be led into a false sense of security; the best way to avert war and maintain peace is to have a sufficient navy, antain a large standing army, and let every able-bodied young be trained in the auxiliary force for the defence of his home such a way as not to seriously affect his commercial life, but rely to better his physical and moral condition.

[COPYRIGHTED]

U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE, ANNAPOLIS, MD.

NAVAL INSPECTION DUTY IN MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS

By LIEUT. COMMANDER T. D. PARKER, U. S. Navy

revious articles in the NAVAL INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS have tered inspection duty at navy yards1 and at shipbuilding plants.' paper deals with the third kind-inspection of naval material manufacturing district.

In these notes the writer offers plain facts rather than opinions. thout pretending to speak ex cathedra, he can at least show this class of inspection duty dovetails into the other two, and describe it for the benefit of those who have done no such duty

In what follows the Boston office (under the Bureau of am Engineering) in the district of Eastern Massachusetts, is ricularly referred to. Features of work in the Pittsburg disare described in an interesting article by Captain Walter F. ington, U. S. N., in the Journal of the American Society al Engineers for August, 1912 ("Government Testing and etion of Material for the Naval Service").

le district inspection work has much in common with that building plants, it relates more particularly to materials rading also small machines) to be installed on ships or at al stations while shipyard inspection covers the actual installon shipboard, and work on the ship itself. Navy yard ection also includes installations on shipboard, but is curiously erent from district inspections, in that what the district "InFactor of Material" does is exactly what the yard "Inspection

spection Duty at Navy Yards," by Lieut. Comdr. Thomas D. ParUS. N.: NAVAL INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS, June, 1912; Vol. 38, Whole

Notes on Inspection Duty at Shipbuilding Works," by Rear Admiral B. Willits, U. S. N.: NAVAL INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS, December, 1912; Vd Whole No. 144.

Officer" does not do. The latter inspects work done at the ya only, leaving the inspection of purchased material to represent tives of the manufacturing departments. This is more logic than it may seem, for the manufacturing people know exac what they want, and are not (in this case) passing on their ov work. Perhaps the inspection officer might make these inspectio also; but a conference of commandants in 1910 recommend otherwise, and the new Naval Instructions so provide (Art. 46; par. 1).

The fact that some government representative is charged w a "check" inspection at the point of delivery (navy yard, sh or shipyard) has an important bearing on the efficiency of t district offices. The inspector and his assistants know that their work is careless some officer not interested in shielding th is liable to discover their oversights. The government is a doubly protected from the manufacturer who tries to "put across" the first inspector. Contracts clearly cover this point

The new Naval Instructions (Art. 4671, par. 2) provide v sensibly that the "further inspections at the navy yard shall confined to ascertaining whether the full amount has been livered in good condition and without substitution." Ordina the repetition of tests (except operating tests of machinery) useless and vexatious.

Passing to another relation-that with the Navy Departme Inspectors of Material (Bureau of Steam Engineering) w directly under an officer in the department who acts (under Chief of Bureau) as a sort of "Director of Inspectors." receives reports and collects data from the various district offic issues forms and instructions; prepares or directs the preparat (and revision) of specifications. Through him district inspect work is standardized.

It seems a pity (in passing) that navy yard inspection w is not centralized, or directed, in a similar way--perhaps under "Aide for Inspections" or under the “Director of Navy Yar At present there is some duplication of work; and yard inspect act independently, without standardization of methods or resu Of course the direction referred to should be technical, and in way lessen the authority of the various commandants. To il trate what is meant: Uniform instructions might be iss regarding physical tests and analyses of material manufactured the yards.

GENERAL ROUTINE

Returning to district inspections: It may be well to give a brief ine of the routine of a naval inspection office.

When a contract is awarded to a manufacturer in the district, tebureau concerned (or a navy pay office) notifies the inspection E directing (or requesting) inspection. If an order is issued fr a contractor outside to a sub-contractor or manufacturer within the district, an approved copy of the order is received.

the Inspector of Material or Inspector of Machinery in rose bailiwick the original contract was placed. Through andard specifications filed in the office, and referred to in the tract or order, or through approved drawings, etc. (further trail would be useless here), the inspector is informed of the at requirements for the material to be inspected. His province apply these, like a yard-stick, and report results.

On receipt of the notice described, the office communicates with The manufacturer, requesting him to issue an "inspection call" as ven as the work is ready.

When the call comes-usually by letter or telephone-it is entered in a book, with the name of an assistant assigned to make pection, and with the file number of the folder containing the der or contract and related correspondence. It is very important ok this up in advance of the inspection, in order to be familiar the exact requirements as to quality of material, tests to be etc., and any modifications of these in the attached corresince. The manufacturer should not be relied upon for this imation, though he will usually supply it correctly; nor should tifer material for inspection unless previous notice has been the office for in this case it is difficult for the inspector to st what the requirements are, errors are likely to occur, and e is wasted.

Each assistant should keep (1) a note book, in which he jots notes regarding the inspection to be made (as indicated , with a brief record of inspections finished; and (2) a aral giving a record of trips made, trains or cars to take, penses, places to eat, officials of the plant, details as to the pant etc., all of which may be valuable for reference or to pass a successor. In this connection, Admiral Willits' advice to

young shipyard inspector is valuable: Study specifications pieceal not all at once. As each call is received, master the speci