The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-12-11

cess O UlI1ceTS, ana lot Otner reasons, never
receive them. None should have the pay as
waiting orders but those who have but one day to
receive orders, and are able and willing to obey
them. Some very few have lived at ease on shore
| for so many inactive years, having no connection
with the Navy but to take rank and pay, that a
want of knowledge of their profession has become
added to original inapti,ude for The service.
The benefit to the country, by pursuing the
course | have proposed would be incaculable
They who know our officers will agree that. after
proper diminutions, you might in vain look through
the world for a service that would do more honor
10 the country.
Wherever the principle Of discrimination has
been applied, the Navy has been benefited. Some
years ago, the rule was established for The corps
of Surgeons and the result has given the Navy
| a body of well educated and well trained Sur
geons, OF which any nation may be proud.
The same system has been applied during the
Summer TO the Engineers, and with very bene-
fetal results 1t is the only system which will
shut the door against favor, and prevent the officers
in the Navy from becoming branches of an
| thorized pension list.
This is most decidedly in the case of
Masters. The United States Navy has the grade
of master-a high station, well paid, and requir-
ing great ability and experience at sea. Full pay
10 given 10 thirty one masters; of this number
| some are, and have been incompetent TO their
duty /; nor can learn that more than five or six
or perhaps three four, are able TO navigate a
ship Those who are, and by examination prove
| themselves To have been, incompetent, should be
discharged; the rest should be employed in their
turn at sea, or be put on half pay.
To the younger branch of the service, have
felt no scruple TO extend somewhat farther than
was heretofore usual the principle of dscrimi-
nation, by authority of the department. The
number of hlidshipmen has gradually become so
| reduced, that new appointments begin TO be-
made. medical survey, and an examination
ton of the candidates for appointment, have been
prescribed.
| 1t would be very desirable if system of free
| competition for appointments could be devised
which would preclude all possibility of favortsm
! ought also to add, that many of the best friends
of the Navy believe the number of mdshipmen
should be brought within still narrower limit
| than that which IS at present established oy law
Ii Congress also should be of that opinion, would
recommend that for every five vacancies which
may occar, two only should be filled, until the
number is still farther reduced.
regret to be obliged to ask the nerposion of
Congress for new legislation respecting the corps
Of Pursers The law Of August 20, 1912, gives
them, &" on leave or waiting orders, the same pay
as surgeons" that is, large and increasing pay
| according to the number of years they have been
in the service. without reference their sea duty
or present merit. Under the operation of this
law, the old purser, doing nothing shore is
frequently paid more the faithful young purser
whom duty carries round the world. The con
sequence is naturally great love of the shore
Will not Congress remedy this, and make it for
the pecuniary interest of Pursers to perform their
duty at sea2 If this be accomplished their
number needs no increase.
In the army, discussing officers periodically
hofn he IN he I'M
Would it not be well to extend this principle to
the navy, and to require that pursers should once
in every few years, be subject to reappontmenl
And would il not be good rule that no puTser
should be reappointed, who has not, within rea-
sonable period, performed a cruise?
Changes in the present law are needed to pro-
lect the treasury. Balances are sometimes retain
ed too long-for which the best remedy is prompt
settlements. Three months are now allowed to
disbursing officers within the United States to
render their accounts. The efficient pursers will
agree unanimously that for them forty five days
are ample for the purpose. If Congress will es-
tabllsh that limit, | believe the auditor will be
able 10 settle their accounts within the next forty
| five days, to the immense benefit of themselves
and the public service. Money can only come
into their hands on specific purposes, and ought
never be diverted by them to the payment of their
own claims, real or Pretented, against the United
OateS. neSe cldlInSJ IN some cases, extend BACK
twenty years, and, when traced to their origin are
not in frequently found to be based upon services
which when rendered, were recognised regular
duty. Such unfounded demands, pursers some
times pay by retaining public money in their
hands, constituting themselves judges in their
own cases, and vexatiOusly persist in carrying them
forward in their accounts, after they have been
repeatedly rejected by the legally constituted au-
thories. If pursers desire to hold large sums of
public money for the purpose of contending in
courts against the decisions of accounting officers,
sustained by the opinions Of the Attorney General,
they should first become private citizens; for
while they conlending, the government must
lose their services, expose itself to the charge
of undue advantage, in sending them from home.
II is moreover manifeslly unsafe to trust them,
under such circumstances, with further amounts
Of the public money This subject calls for the
action Of Congress.
The law of January 81, 1923, requires that
disbursing officers who fail render their accounts
for settlements in due time shall be promptly re-
ported TO the President of the United States, and
dismissed from the public service. Might not
this law be extended with great prOprlety and ad-
vantage to those who, upon "a settlement Of their
accounts, are reported as holding balances, aud
who, on requistion by the proper authority, re-
fuse neglect to pay into the treasury the public
|