The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-25
WASHINGTON, July q, 1876.

WASHINGTON, July q, 1916.
The Naval Board-Ihe Object of their Conrocatiom
-Merico-Ho,v Peace may be Secured Treasury
Note Bh-Congress Observation-Disclosures
-Nep York.
When it was stated that board of post captains
was to assemble at Washington, there was no
doubt that their advice was to be elected with re-
gard to an attack on the castle of San Juan dull
oa. The order of the Secretary of the Navy,
summoning their attendance, did not state the
object; but gentlemen attached to the navy sad
they had reason to believe that the preparation
of a plan of bombardment'' was meditated
The organ of the administration did not contra
dict the report until last night when it pronoun-
ced it, not adulterated, but squire fiction" But
the Secretary of the Navy may have devated
from his original design The object is now said
to be, not to cut off the heads OF the Mexicans,
but to cut down the number of supernumerary
officers in the navy. This morning, at half past
nine O'Clock, the officers assembled at the navy
department. There is not bad looking man
among them, and this had an opportunity OF as.
pertaining as they passed me IN review, as stood
on the steps leading to the council chamber.
And, with Mr.. Richie, was gratified ITO meet
with such striking and moral spectacle T"
Ii will be remembered that, in his annual re.
port, the Secretary of the Navy. recommended
certain retrenchments, and that, IN reply 70 a re-
sponded. He assumed these grounds +
I. The service must be relieved from the bur-
den of supernumerary officers.
g Amendments and promotions must be made
of none but officers capable of fully doing the
duties OF their station.
3. The pay must be graduated according to the
length of service.
4. The number OF shore stations, as they are
called. must be still further curtailed
5. The complement and allowances of ships at
sea must be regulated by the severest economy
consistent with efficiency.
6 The number Of the navy yards must be no
further increased.
7. The employment of labor at the navy yards
preparations may not be made for doing at each
Of our eight navy yards what cal, be done only at
one or two.
8. The pressure for places, to be filed by per-
sons who wait for work, instead of employing
workmen when work is to be done, must be re-
sisted.
0. The contingent expenses, especially those OF
travel and incidental labor, must be reduced, ana
10. The number and force OF the squadrors to
be maintained, mus. never exceed tho limits re-
qured by the public exgencies.
But the great desire Of Mr. Bancroft IS to o.
minish the number of officers, or at least OF ON.
GERS liable 10 active service; for the reasons tnat
the number required to officer all the vesseis
ahoat in 1912, was estimated by Con, ,,r,.ud,
Stewart at eighteen captains, eighteen conl,'anr
ers, and one hundred and eighty-hve lientenan's'
That Is to saw, there was excess Oh MY cap
ta;ns ~ seventy. nine commanders, OF one hun
drod and forty lieutenants. After n liberal al
o,yance for relefs and shore stations, the Secre-
tarv ia of opinion that the three higher grades,
the number Of officers liable TO be called upon tor