structures is insufficient, and in no sense fulfills the bureau's intention as to the proper methods to be followed in the maintenance of structures under its cognizance. Occupants are expected, however, to make prompt reports to the responsible officials of any defects observed or repairs required, and such reports should be given proper consideration and attention. The importance of carefully planning and thoroughly executing the routine inspection of all public works and public utilities is of the first order, since this work, with the regular annual inspection, forms the primary requisite for insuring the safety of structures and their proper preservation, detecting wastes, and reducing maintenance costs to a minimum.

SECTION III. EXECUTION OF MAINTENANCE WORK.

20-20. The commandant's responsibility. As provided in General Order 53, "the commandant is responsible for all business transacted within the limits of his command" and possesses "full authority" commensurate with such responsibility. Accordingly, the commandant is responsible for the taking of necessary and proper measures in carrying on the maintenance work connected with public works and public utilities.

REPAIR, PRESERVATION, AND UPKEEP OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.

20-21. Direction of work; public works officer's responsibility. Efficient direction of the repair, preservation, and upkeep of the public works and public utilities hereinafter enumerated requires a full knowledge of the forces involved in the stability of such structures under all conditions of use, and also experience in the selection and application of preservative measures. It is, therefore, essential that such work be placed under the direction of an officer possessing engineering training and comprehensive technical familiarity with the structures indicated. Furthermore, control of the work should be such as to permit concentration of responsibility for its proper and economical execution. The officer responsible for the results requires authority consistent with his responsibility; he should have control of the expenditures involved, and requisite authority as to facilities, assistants, and employees.

20-22. Special organization required. Effective control and the fixing of definite responsibility in the maintenance of shore structures is impossible of accomplishment if the work be distributed

among several branches of the organization and carried out as incidental to their major operations. Maintenance of shore structures is essentially different from ship work, and can be more economically carried out by a special organization. The establishment of a special shop organization for "yards and docks" work, and the assignment thereto of such workmen or mechanics as may be employed continuously, or for an extended period, is in accordance with established policy of the Navy Department. Specific directions to this effect are contained in a circular letter of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy to commandants of navy yards and naval stations, 26082-108, dated May 23, 1922. See also Secretary of the Navy's letter 26082-122 9/25, dated September 27, 1922.

20-23. Classification of maintenance activities. The various activities included in the maintenance of public works and public utilities are arranged in the following order to indicate the scope of the work involved:

Police protection.

Fire protection.

General yard cleaning and care of grounds.

Repair, preservation, and upkeep of the following:

Roads, walks, and pavements.

Tracks.

Sewerage systems.

Water supply-collection, storage, metering, and distribution.

Buildings, chimneys, walls, and fences.

Bridges, towers, and masts.

Water-front structures-piers, sea walls, dikes, dump brows, bollards, etc.

Dredging, moorings, and navigational aids.

Docking facilities-graving docks, floating docks, marine railways.

Shipbuilding ways and crane runways connected therewith.

Weight-handling appliances, ashore and afloat.

Power plants, including distilling and refrigerating plants.

Distributing systems-steam, air, hydraulic, and electric.

Fuel plants.

Communication systems-telephone, telegraph, pneumatic tubes.

Transportation equipment-locomotives, cars, locomotive cranes, vehicles, . live stock.

Construction equipment-machines and tools.

Furniture and office equipment.

Certain general rules are set forth in the succeeding pages of this chapter, applying to those conditions which are peculiar to the Naval Establishment, but not including current approved engineering practices applicable to the maintenance of all works, except in certain instances where the bureau desires uniformity of methods throughout the service.

20-24. Sanitary requirements. Considerations of hygiene and sanitation have a highly important bearing on the maintenance and operation of certain public works, notably the general cleaning of stations, the disposal of wastes, sewerage systems, water supplies, ventilation, drainage, and mosquito control. Since, however, a separate chapter of the manual is devoted to a discussion of the sanitary requirements of public works and to the cooperation of this bureau with the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in connection therewith, the succeeding pages of this chapter will deal with the maintenance of public works with a view to their physical preservation as a primary consideration.

POLICE PROTECTION.

20-25. The bureau provides watchmen at naval stations, subject to the exceptions indicated in article 492 of the Navy Regulations, for the protection of public property therein. In this connection, the term "watchmen" applies to all civilians employed for the protection of public property on shore, whether designated as watchmen, policemen, roundsmen, captains of police, or otherwise; it does not, however, include shipkeepers, watchmen employed solely for the protection of stores under the custody of the supply officer, or watchmen employed for specific purposes not connected with the general protection of fixed property on shore; as, for example, the protection incidental to work being performed in offices, shops, or on ships under construction.

20-26. Supervision and control is under the commandant's direction, subject only to the provisions of the Navy Regulations.

20-27. Automatic clocking devices for recording the time of inspection of established stations are necessary to insure thorough and continuous compliance on the part of the watchmen with the orders prescribing their inspection routes. Two separate types of recording devices are in general use; one type consisting of portable clocks with keys at fixed stations for registering the time of inspection on the clock card, and the other consisting of fixed circuits with central electric mechanism for recording automatically the inspection of fixed stations. Yards and large stations not equipped with adequate and efficient watchmen's clock systems should give consideration to their purchase and installation.

FIRE PROTECTION.

20-28. Rules given in Chapter 23 of the manual, which is devoted entirely to the subject of preventing loss by fire, include comprehensive instructions relating to the prevention of fire through good housekeeping, proper storage of materials, and precautionary measures; also the extinguishing of fires as affected by the care, inspection, and use of fire-fighting apparatus, the efficiency of firefighting force, frequency of drills, adequacy of fire alarms, and other like measures. All officers on duty at shore stations should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the contents of Chapter 23 and should habitually require strict observance of the rules given therein so far as their cognizance extends.

GENERAL YARD CLEANING AND CARE OF GROUNDS.

20-29. Scope of bureau cognizance. As an activity included in the maintenance of yards and stations, the bureau provides for the general cleaning and care of all stations except as indicated in article 492 of the Navy Regulations. The work includes the cleaning of streets, walks, and grounds; the collection and disposition of garbage, waste, and refuse from the station and from ships located thereat; the provision of janitor service for administrative buildings (cost to be prorated according to the accounting instructions); and the care of grounds and athletic fields, involving grading, landscape development, upkeep of lawns and plants, drainage, and sanitation.

20-30. Centralized control essential. Although the execution of this division of maintenance involves relatively unskilled labor almost entirely, the organization under which it is carried out is of primary importance, because the work has a direct bearing on practically every station activity and because of the comparatively large aggregate cost entailed by reason of the size of the force required and its almost continuous employment. The most efficient and economical results can be obtained by centralizing so far as practicable the control of the work and responsibility for its satisfactory performance; if the control is disseminated by division and separation of the several activities, responsibility for the results attained will be proportionately divided, and increased costs will inevitably follow. The subject merits the serious consideration of commandants and other responsible officers in order to secure satisfactory results at the lowest cost.

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20-31. The treatment of grounds around administrative buildings, quarters, barracks, entrances, and in other appropriate locations, in a dignified and harmonious manner, is permissible and desirable. Such work, however, should not be undertaken except as a part of the landscape development of the station as a whole. Individual preferences inconsistent with the accepted development plan are not sufficient justification for undertaking new or additional landscape work. In any case consideration should always be given to the resulting upkeep expense as well as to the original cost. In localities where scarcity or high cost of water prevails, or where high labor costs obtain, landscape work shall be proportionately reduced in order to keep expenditures within reasonable limits. Grass plots should never be inclosed by heavy and expensive metal posts and chains.

20-32. Maintenance of grounds surrounding quarters. For maintenance purposes, grounds surrounding quarters should be considered public and not private, and all maintenance work should be performed by the same group of employees and in the same manner as any other similar areas on the station; such maintenance includes seeding, planting, irrigation, cleaning, care and upkeep of grounds, grass, flowers, shrubs, and trees; also the removal of garbage, ashes, and other wastes from quarters.

20-33. Athletic fields. The bureau favors the establishment and maintenance of such athletic fields and parade grounds as may be advantageously used by the personnel attached to the station, or to ships thereat, whenever they can be provided within reasonable cost and where vacant areas are available. The establishment of new fields for athletic purposes shall not be undertaken without prior bureau approval.

20-34. The cultivation of trees should be encouraged, and their care should be the subject of special consideration. At appropriate seasons they should be trimmed and necessary steps taken to prevent damage by insects, larvæ, scale, etc; the bureau will give favorable consideration to service requisitions for the performance of such work when conditions are favorable and when the amount of work justifies such action. It should be kept in mind that valuable information on any phase of this subject can be obtained from the Department of Agriculture. (See Chapter 4.)