The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-08-12
WASHINGTON, August 10, 1916.
Departure of Members.


We had the honor OF seeing safely out of tl,,
city this afternoon in the 81 o'clock Baltimore
train, (of seven passenger cars) the following
Or rHr ssNArs.-Messrs- Sewer, Chalmers, Pssrce,
Dickinson, Dix, Semple. Atchison, Sturgeon. Cilley
speight, Evans, Davis. Webster, Rsverdy Johnson
Or TINE HousE RxraEsENrArVEs.-Messrs- Sykes
Lieb, Truman Smith, Lewis. n. " Grover. Black Pa
man Rockwell Conn; Rockwell, Mass; Severance,
Campbell. Foster, Pa; Vinton, BarrinRer Order Ew-
ing, Burlington. Thompson Miss; Dodge; Young; Nil
Ter; Adams Miss Bowlin, Harmanson, Preston King
Perry Ashmun. and perhaps several others Several OF
the members had their families with them
1t affords us great pleasure TO state, that every
man of the whole list, wings and democrats, had
farewell God bless you" for The DocToR.
WASHINGTON, August 10, 1886
The Desired Reform in the Napy-Ow Hopes for
its Success.
There is a great deal written Just now about
reduction of the navy, injustice 10 old officers,
overslaughing, SC. &c., by those who are entire
ly ignorant Of the merits of what they write
abeut.
Let me say few words on this subject to give
you the information you have requested me TO
gather for the Herald.
The energies of the navy were called out dur
ing the last war, and the service being in high
pute in consequence OF the gallantry OF the Off
GERS, the Department has been ever since mum
dated with applications for appointments. The
service, as it stands now is overstocked with Of
fcers, Notwithstanding the existence OF war with
Mexico.
The naval service may be divided into three
classes
The first consists of mertorious old officers
who have already fought galanly, and have
served their country on the high seas, on foreign
stations, with zeal and ability
The second comprises officers who have been
in the service for a number Of years, but who,
since the time they were passed midshipmen,
have seldom seen blue water-others who can
not be persuaded TO 90 10 sea-others, again, who
too religious to fight, and 100 good 10y half for
the quarter-deck-and some whose i'll health in
capactates them for active service. ta
The third class is made up of active, ambitious
young men, who have desire to distinguish
themselves in their countrys service.
Mr.. Bancroft desires to have retired list, on
which those should be placed who have served
their country, but those who are unable to do ac-
tive service. He thinks that promotion should be
open not alone to those who have been in the SER
vice certain number OF years, and who have
served their country during that time, by taking
the best possible care of themselves, lounging
about Washington or New York, or Philsd-lphia,
or wherever pleasure leads them, and who have
not for years tasted salt junk or regulation bis
cuit-bnt to meritorious men who have dstin-
gushed themselves in active service, and whose
talents and requirements enti'le them to consi-
Iteration.
For instance he would commence with the
oldest officer. He has served his conntry, and is
still willing to serve her. Let him be promoted.
He comes 10 the second on the list-he is man
that has served his country in times gone by, but
who, from i'll health is unable 10 60 to sea, and
incapactated from doing duty in any department
of the service. This man Is permitted to retire
on an honorable pension, and his grade is filled
by one not long in the service, it is true, but
one ambitious of active service, and able to
perform it. He comes to a fourth. who says that
he really cannot 60 to sea-that It always made
him sea-sck. Is such man to bar the promo
ton of another younger in the service than him.
self, but who desires active service, and who is
able to perform it honorably and creditably 3
Now, there are men in Washington hanging about
the White House and the capitol for years without
seeing one day Of active service, and who always
continue to be let off. Are meritorious young Of.
icers, who peril their lives in their country's SER
vice. to be kept for ever without promotion, be-
cause such comfort. eekirg gentlemen as those ]
have named have been few years longer in the
service? Again-a man who has been most
part of the time he has been in the navy
home, is sent, when his services can no
longer be dispensed with, to cruise off the
coast to protect our commerce between here and
the Gulf of Mexico. For exampie-he is scarce
ly twenty hours together out OF sight OF land,
and is subject to scarcely any of the nconveni-
ences OF sea life. And yet before he is a week on
board he writes word that he is AFRAID OF being SICK
and is Of course at once relieved, and younger
ease at home. ask is that young officer to stand
still in the ranks of the service, while the old drone
is promoted? This 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, this evil Mr.. Bancroft designs to check.
He wishes TO clear the decks of all useless lumber
Ito make the little vessel taut and tim. He does
not want to have his best men down below under
matches, but to have his little craft manned by
those who are able and willing to sail her. He
Wishes il is true, TO send all the lazy lubbers the
invalids, and those who would turn the quarter
deck into class meeting, down below out of the
way. But he by no means wishes 10 dispense
with the services of those old saltsy who have
served their country long and falthlulIy-who .ove
the service for its own sake, and Tor the sake of
the hard knocks that are to be got in it-who do
not excuse themselves from going to sea, by the
plea that when on salt water their somachs in
voluntarily reject food" On the contrary, he
takes pleasure in honoring such men by asking
their advice, and by promoting them TO the high
est grades in the service To speak less iguratlve
ly, he wishes to put all those officers unfit for
vice on retired list, 80 that they may not retard
the promotion OF young and active officers. In
the next place, he desires that promotion should
be the result not slone oflengh of (nominaD ser
vice, bur of merit If there be vacancy in the
list OF captains, for instance, and the next on
the list be person having mortal horror OF salt
water, or if he be intsmperate, or has always con-
trved to be on the sick list whenever there was
chance of his being sent to sea, he then takes the
next the list. IL he De u HlcIitOIlouS OiHCcT
Should there, however, be two OF equal merit, he
would always give the preferences to length of
service.
This cannot be called injustice. In fact can
not conceive how he could reconcile it with his
duty to his country 10 the service, to act other-
wise.
But some one may say, there is room for ia
voritism in this system OF promotion by merit.
Who is to decide upon the merits of any case.
There is no more possibility Of favoritism on this
score than in the present system. 1t is only after
taxing testimony, and after mature dellberatlon,
that the preference is made, and then it must re-
ceve sanction of the President and the Senate.
A promotion cannot be made on mere individual
whim or fancy.
most unobjecionable. Its main object is a very
praiseworthy one--to lop off the useless epcum-
brances that at present tend to clog promotion in
the navy, and to infuse healthy and vigorous
tone in the service man who thinks his duty