The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-16 00:00:00

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NAVY ESTIMATES.

The Select Committee on the Navy Estimates have
met again, and considered their second report, Mr..
Campbell-Bannerman in the chair. Sir Gerald Fitz-
gerald, Accountant-General of the Navy, was called,
and put in everal statements explanatory of the
variation in the value of pickled stores in 1882 and
1885. and showing the total cost of the effective and
non-effective services. He then proceeded to explain
the difference between reserve and retired pay. The
reserve-pay was originally introduced in 1851 as a
substitute for half pay for officers removed from the
active list, to meet the inconvenience arising from
the state of the Navy list, which wail swelled far
beyond the requirements of a time of peace. Mr.
Childer's scheme in 1870 ordered that no further ad-
dition should be made to the reserve list. In 1852
there were 1114 officers on the list, receiving
£153,044, and at the present time there were 49
fostin;All,llo. They were gradually dying out. The
pres,alt system of retired pay was introduced under
Mr. Childers's scheme. He put in a statement show-
ing the growth of the retired pay. The number of
naval and marine officers on that list had increased
since 1870 from 1954 to 2267, and the annual cost
from £406,640 to £653,173. That did not include the
commuted pay. Under the arrangement of 1870,
when an officer was put on the retired list on a certain
rank, he, under certain contingencies, was promoted to a
higher rank after a certain number of years, but his
pay remained the same as at the time he retired. His
rank was a ficti&zs so far as pay was concerned. Of
the 220 who appeared on the list as admirals, 146
were receiving only post tapeain'p pay. Of the 337
captains many retired as commanders, and received
only commander-s' pay. Witness, examined as tc
commutation, said ano officer might commute either
the whole or part of his pay. The amount appearing
und( gratuities to officers on retirement was
aweicrost to officer i who were removed from service
onAount of misconduct, but of course it would not
bet.firross misconduct. The regulations said that an
officer might be placed on the retired list if he
was guilty of repeated acts of misconduct
or intemperance, which made him unfit for
active service. His retired pay in that case
would not exceed the half pay he was entitled
to previous to his retirement, and that would be less
than the retired pay he would receive after having
served the full period. There were 19 admirals on
full pay, 48 on half pay, and 233 on retired pay. A
large proportion of the 233 only held honorary rank
as admirals, as they retired as post captains. The
number of post captains on full pay was 98, on half
pay 74, and on retired pay 337. Many of them re.
tired as commanders. There were 392 medical
officers on full pay and 297 non-effective. A lieu.
tenant might retire voluntarily at 40. He could not
retire earlier except on a medical certificate by a
superior medical officer of the navy. A chaplain
might retire voluntarily at 55, and he had to retire
compulsorily at 60. His retired pay was £4OO a
year. If he were to get a rich living—say, £lOOO a
year—no portion of the £4OO would be deducted.
The First Lord had some livings in his gift. If one
was given to a man with retired pay, he would get
his full retired pay as 11. There was an inquiry
and an acturial calculation being made as to what
the future of this vote would be, and what was
likely to be its maximum. It would be a very long
inquiry, and he could not say when the return would
be ready.