The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-20
From the New York Herald.
THE DESIRED REFORM IN THE NAVY
OUR HOPES FOR ITS SUCCESS.

o'e!S'""g"'"g, &C. Sc.. 10y those who are entire
~ ignorant oil the merits of what they write
shout.
Let me say few words on this subject to rive
You the information you have requested me t,,
gather for the Herald
The energies of the navy were called ont dur
ing Inc last war. and the service being in high re-
pu'e In consequence of the qalIantry of the off
Gers, the Department has heen ever since innn
dated with applications for appointments The
service. as IL stands now, oveTsiocked with off
GERS. notwithstanding the existence of war with
Mexico.
The naval service may be divided into three
classes.
The hrst consists of mertorous old officers
who have already fought gallanily, and have
served their Country on the high seas and ON fur
egn stations. with zeal and ability.
The second comprises officers who have been
in the service for number of years. hut who.
since the time they passed midshipmen.
have seldom seen blue wa,er-uthers who canpo,
be persuaded To go to sea--o,hers again. who are
ION religions to fight, and good by half for the
quarter deck-and some whose i'll health incapa-
citates them for active service
ne third class is made up of active ambitious
yonng men. who have desire to distinguish
themselves in their cnuniry's service
Mt Bancroft desires to have retired list. on
which those should be placed who have served
their country. hut who are unable To do ac
i've service. He thinks that promnion shonld be
open not alnne Ia those who ha We been in the ser
vice certain number of years. and who have
served their Country during that time. by takino
the best possible care of themselves lornuino
about Washington or New York or Phladelphin.
or wherever pleasure leads them. and Who have
not Tor years tasted salt junk or regulation biscuit
hut tn meritorious men who have DISTINGUISHED
themselves IN active service, and whose talents
and requirements enitle them Ia consideration.
For instance. he would commence with the
oldest officer. He has served his country. and is
still willing To serve her. Let him be promoted.
He comes To the second on The list-he is man
that has served his country in times gone by, bui
who. from Ill health is unable to 90 to sea- and
lnrapariiaied from dung duty in any department
OF the service. This man is permitted Ia retire
on an honorable pension. and his grade is filled
by one moi SD long in the service, it Is true. but
one ambitious of active service, and able To per-
form it. He comes 10 a fourth, who saws that he
really cannot 90 To sea-that il always made him
sea sick. is such man to bar the promotion of
another younger in the.service than himself. bni
who desires active service. and who is able To per.
form 1t honorably and creditahly Now. there
are men IN w ashington hanging about the White
Honse and the capitol for years, without seeino
one day of active service, and who ALWAYS con
Time Ia be let off. Are meriiorious yonng off
GERS, who peril their lives in their conn,rys ser
vice. I" he Kept forever without promotion, he
cause such mountaineering gentlenen as those |
have named have been few years longer in the
serviee2 Again--a man " no has been most mar,
OF The lime he has been in The navy on shore on
Jnying all the comforts of home. is sent when his
services can no longer be dispensed with. To cruise
OH Inc coast tn protect our commerce beiw cen here
and the Gulf Of Mexico. For example-he is
scarcely twenty-four hours together ont of sight
OF land. and is subject TO scarcely anv of the in
cnnVenlences of sea life. And yet before he is a
week on hoard he writes word that he is afraid of
being sick and is of course al once relieved, and
younger officer sent in his stead while he rests in
Inglnrions ease at home. ] ask is iha, young nni
Ger TO stand still in the ranks the service while
Inc old dTone is promoted Fhs is the system
which has been hitherto suffered to prevail-a
system which is calculated to DESTROY The ardor
and emulation of our officers, and To render the
service inefficient
Now, thus evil MIR. Bancroft designs to check.
lie wishes to clear The decks of all us eess lumber
10 make the little vessel taut and trim He does
not want TO have his best men down below .nder
matches. but to have his little craft manned nv
those who are able and willing 10 sail her He
wishes, 1t IS irne to send all the lazy lnhhers the
inValids, and those Who would turn the onarier
deck INTO class meeting dow below out Of The
way. But he by no means wishes to dispense
with The services of those old sails, who have
served their country long and faithfully who love
'ne service TOR lis own sake. and for The sake of
the hard knocks that are to be cot in it-u no d.,
not excuse themselves from going to sea. nv The
plea that when salt wafer " their s,omachs in
Voluntarily reject food" On the conlrlry, he
tsKes pleasure in honoring such men by asking
'neir advice, and by promoting them to the high
est grades IN The service To speak less 6vura
lively, he wishes TO put all those officers unfit for
service on retlred list. so that they may not re-
tard The promotion of young and active officers -
IN The next place. he desires that promotion should
he The TesnIt not alone Of length of (nominaN scr.
vice, but OF merit IL there he Vacancy in The
list OF captains, for instance. and the next nm the
list he person having mortal horror of salt wa
Ter, or 1t he he incorporate. or has always con.
rived to be on the sick list whenever there was
chance ut his being sent 10 sea- he then takes the
next on the list, if he be mertori0us officer
should there, however, be two Of eqOal merit he
would always give the preference TO length Of
service
This cannot he called injustice. In fact can
not conceive how he could reconcile it with his
duty to his country or to The service, TO act other.
wise
But some one may say, there is room for favor
l'ism 10 This system Of promotion by merit Who
Is TO decide upon the merits Of any case There
is no moro possibility Of ayoritism ON this score
than in the present system II is only after tax
ing the testimony, and after mature delberaton.
That The preference is made, and then it must re-
celve the sanction Of the President and the Senate.
promotion cannot be made on mere individual
whm or fancy.
On the whue ! conceive the system 10 be al
most unohjectionable. Its main object is very
Pralseworthy one-tO Top of the useless eneum-
orances that at present tend to clog promotion in
'he navy, and Co lnfuse a healthy and vigorous
zone IN the service. A man no thinks his duty
sa disgrace To the navy, and that such persons.
OF whom, there are unfortunately too many. should
olock up the path to promotion and check the
Progress Of gallant and deserving officers, is a
GpTiuuc evil onI 10 .,,h;oL 4.