New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-09-28
For The Tribune.
The Army and The Nayv.

The Army and the Navy.
l noticed in your paper of the PSI IN article
headed Disgrace Of the Navy" and compari-
son made between the officers of the Army and
those of the Navy highly unfavorabe to the latter.
have no doubt whatever of the entire justice
of this comparison; indeed, undertake to say,
that no person residing ia large city, and corr
ing in contact with the officers of both services,
can fail to remark the difference in character,
knowledge and gentlemanly BEARING; there are,
it is true, among the officers of the Navy very
many who see and deeply deplore the degradation
the service in general seems 10 be approaching,
bat arc unable to apply the corrective.
The fault lies in the indiscriminate appoint
ment Of Midshipmen and their too high pay and
the mode of payment.
Let US in the first place compare the mode Of
appointing officers to the Army, with the appoint
ments for the Navy.
The present Secretary and his predecessor, in
two years. appointed two hundred Midshipmeni
these receive provisional appointment, and if in
six months their behavior meets the appreciation
Of the commanding officer the appointment is con-
hrmed, and after that there is no getting rid of
them except by Court Martial If during this
six months of probation they get into no bad
scrape the appointment is never withheld
There are now among those two hundred indiyid-
uas, some of who have aot the most common
school education, and some who can hardly spell
their own names.
Contrast this first step with the appointments
in the Army.
There are about leg provisional appointments
annually made for West Point, from which
the army is eventually to be Offered These ap-
peintments are made in June: at the first exam
nation many are rejected at the next examina-
ton. six months aftcrward, others leave and
finally, by successive examinations, out of an en-,
tering class OF 120 they are sifted down, until
only about 90 graduate. These 40 are distin-
guished, not only in all the studies necessary for
their future profession, but for good conduct
Here is the first great reason given for difference
of character.
Meet the Pay, Mode Of Payment, &c.
The former pay Of midshipmen was twenty-six
dollars per month and no ration, and the superior
officers of the Navy all concur in the opinion that
the clothing of midshipmen and their appoint
ments were in all respects better than at present.
They now receive $3.50 per annum, and the ration
in addition. How many young lads OF from IA to
lie can withstand the temptations of a great city,
having, perhaps for the first time, considerable
sums in their possession? Let those who observe
the general conduct of midshpmen in this city
swer.
The pay of Cadets is $28 per month. From
this pay is deducted the ration, the cost of uni
form, books, and many other items. No money
paid the Cadet. An account is kept of all his ex-
penses, a constant supervision is kept over his
conduct, and the result is, what your correspondent
has but alluded to, that the tone of manners, char
acter and conduct is beGtting their honorable pro-
fession He might have carried his comparison
much farther, and shown that there is hardly al
instance of the misrepresentation of public funds
by regularly educated officer Of the Army, and
that, in shor., they live, and live like gentlemen
within their income and are rarely in debt
Let the friends of the Navy look to the Court
NIartials just completed and in progress in this
city, We here see officers tried for drunkenness,
cruel and Illegal punishments, and ungentlemanly
conduct; others for the most trivial offences
Lieut.. johnson, charged by Lieut.. Wilkes with
giving away bowie-knife, for disrespect, often
on very trihing grounds There are so trials of
officers Of the Navy to of the Army; indeed,
their frequency is national disgrace.
When the appointments to the Navy are made
with the same care as are those of the Army
when the pay of the youngest Navy officers is re-
iuced, and strict supervision had of their con-
duct the character of the Navy Will improve and
no, till then. Meanwhile. it will gradually and
certainly lose its hold on public favor, and the re-
suit must be complete reorganization of this i'm
por,ant branch of our national defence-ihe pas
of the officers reduced, and their duties enforced
We shall then no longer hear of Captains serving
on shore fifteen years under full pay, and perform
ing no duties The public only need to be thor
oughly informed on this subject, and the correc-
tive through Congress will be applied.