The New York herald., 1850-12-04

Assuming the present number OF 500 petty officers
ordinary s.anen, sndsmen and boys, the force to
each to consiss OF ship OF the line igats steamer
OF the first class do. Of the second class sloops
var will give employ ment ct time to "a captains
80 commanders 166 6eutsnsnts 50 surgeons 90 passed
and assistant surgeons. AZ pursers chaplsins, 800
passed and other mid,hipmen, leaving unemployed
either on land 26 captains 46 anders lis
Heutepsnts surgeons. 10 passed and assistant
gsons, spurssrs chaplains, passed and other mid
sbipmsn.
In a service subject to hardship, danger, and de-
privations OF the comforts Of domestic life, there
ehoulo be- at all times, such number of officers TO
allow reasonable respite between active cruises at
sea and to provide against losses from sudden
at sea il is believed that the above list of super
numerary ecers 1T least in the three hghest grades
is greater than u demanded for an effective naval
estz blishmsnt. and therefore recommend that the
number be reduced to go captains ~ comnandsrs,
800 heuttnsnts, with notifications In
the inferior grades Such reduction would adapt the
SUI ply OF cers to the the service aud By az
forcing employ ment to all with occasional ntervls re-
taxation would tend to the of profss.
sionsl skll and acq urement 1t would sti leave in
the grades below Geatenantcy, eun csnt number
for the duties OF ordn.pce, hydrogsaphy scientific
besides active duty At sea- and at the navy yards and
other ehore stations.
pear to be manifest TO give symmetry TO the naval
corps and to infuse life and animation all its
be demanded by the public interests justice to those
who have devoted to the service OF their
n
hood requires that it shall be efeced in the most
delicate manner TO the feelings Of those discharged
and that suitable remuneration shall be made to
them Tor the disapp pointne ent and change In their
means OF livelihood. We are not, however withoat
precedent for such proceeding In the reduction Of
the navy by the act Of March 1901, ana the large
reduction OF the navy to . peace establishment, BY
the act OF March 1891 Whsther the desgpa Of
the persons 10 be oichaged shall be de on the
PrerioeDt, as in the instances just recited on
beard of officers convened for that purpose respect
fully referred TO the wisdom of the Legislature.
hw hla date
navy IL will be in order render it effective
to provide that from time to time, officers may de-
cline in capacity tor u eul public service either from
euperanustion other cause, they may be iretired
from the active list on terms both just and liberal
The duty Of the COVER mt to take in old age
or Ia unavoidable ptude disease Of it's gallant
and faithful servants should be In respect prsterm
TED, but nothing should be allowed to interfere with
the efficiency Of the navy for the purposes of its ns
tuition. Incom potency from vice aud dissipation
should be viewed with displeasure
unavoidable and honorable causes, with commisera-
tion and Kindness But in neither case thould COM
msnd promotion be denied those most really
ana efectuay rtsnd between he country ana its en-
enes in the hour of danger. Even in judicial offices
belo during good behavior all well regulated States
provision has been made for removal from Office for
IN. ntal or physical incompetency well for crimi
nality.
In this connection, it is worthy Of serious consi-
dsIaton Wheeler the seniority Of mission should
not be dsregarded promotions grades above that
OF commander Although the power Of the President
In nominating TO all Offices Is unlimited by the cons
tuton and dependent quail dcations 10 the can
didste, and although in few instances there hare
usage has made linesl promotion to ell grades In the
navy almost matter of right 1t is certainly con.
veniept rasmuch as 1t prevents fsvoritism and al
yapees seipline and fubordinatisn by suppressiog
kostile rivalry, to adhere to this usage TO q GER
tain point OF elevation but 1t Is inconsistent with
the spirit OF the age well with all our ideas
Of proprtty, that the highest rant in a profess
sien whose active mbers ha abitusly exposed
II rot to the dangers battle to those Of tle ths
tempest. ana 81 pestilential climates and In which
thsr. H. 20 vide field for eomp petition in ssquremens
tkl tnd conduct thould be made 10 depend longe-
Az.
OF eutsieo estates In family tettment IL Is, there
foe proposed. tf at in all future promotions TO a cap
tsincy, TO Ligber rank. II sucn shall be establish
Cd seniority shi cot be regarded, ana merit shall be
esteemed the only criterion OF selection This will
sircs under the prssrnt systen no b,sy.t rsus, or
ttIer raent In the naval service IL allowed TO
reward ,he uo,t hsroic exploit or acksowieoged pro.
iessionsl supsriori'y promotion coming none the
TO the bert none the later TO the worst proy
dsd they escape being cut on from ths service, by
the ssptsnce Of q court martial
Another deieet in the prsssnt estsbishmsnt, too
msifess to b. overlooked by the most casual ob1erv
l. the cirSrity between the of subslteTn Of
fctrs aud their grades proceeding rom the nxed
numbers in each rank and the failure TO provide for
eiy promotion except in cases of vAoancy TIE senior
rafsed uict tLirmep now In the service older than
we're Perry, Decatur and Maedonoush, when they
acbkved their victories with much renown to the
country. the senior Iieutsnsuts past the axe when
military duty h required OF the citizen In the militia,
and the nders and csptsns proportionsly old
er The asph Ing youth, no~ entering the navy, may
not fope reaoh the rank OF commAn der in the pc
riod ~bieh aseTsned to be the average duration of
Quirvd TOR Arning his duties, but IL ocossoned by
Keeping him In waiting for promotion, until the ext
OF tone above him, not only depresses his Ambi
ton by d,terring his hopes but Vbes him opporiuni
~ Tor the culture OF bs self reliance contdeucein bis
own tkil aud judgment and the hludred nlmses. AZ
tIibutes Of n thorough officer, which only to bs
srqssd by being thrown upon bis own resources ana
rstponsibilty
Ti remedy this defect which has become the more
rrievous striking since the limitation impo
the number of officers and promotiont by the Law OF
1872 slrssdy referred TO. two mstcsis have bseu
,y,rsiy 'uggest'd by officers Of great merit aud in-
Fir,f To reduce the number of mId,hipmsn 80 as to
furntsh only mauy may be eQured to supply the
hirh.r rradss. as vacancies may occur.
s'cobd To educate g number equally a. great as
ust no. tsssl.hsd ana 10 nh an age IN .ysIy grals
fcr promotion they may be retired from the navy TO
bUa ploy ment IN the Inerchaot service and supply
srt'tvtd corps, In case Of war, 81 the most mcient
whether either Of these l, worthy Of sirp.iou, or
some prsf,tshle may be devised for this inptr
iotou Il fuhmittsd for the elaboration o' Congress
aito usft earnestly reccmmead tbs, the service
islt b. e,vstd by recognizing, by Law ths ohss Of
etnn odote fud bythe creation ~ ~ least on
at tte tsrt ~ rear admiral This incrssss oi rank
~ te navy oiisn proposed In the earlier htoey Of
the county TO b. dsintnd By the fighest
corsidetntisrs - policy aud duty. Not 10 fpesS Of
's effect r rrrustng diseiplite and n. etiv nes',
ty ntrsss'd and concentrated responsibility IN The
highsft erads. Of the service IL would add ~ the
d'fnty ~ our Ciicsrs, not unirsquently TIE repre-
rrsign gcvsthmsrts and 70 the reseeet accosici 20
tttm ~ ,hose Of other nations in their utercourss
shfrsu and furnish new aud pOFsr'ul tBc DtTe 70
esccIeuc. In the ninae OF the mfritorisus sui
sspuirg ~ all tae inferior ranks We have, NJ this
time vetsrsts Ia navy. with the CON Missions
oils of capts y. and the titlas by coure@y OF COM
uod,re bscsUse they have commanded sIuadrons,
Tho meet tD the rser adnirals and vice
Rdurals cotew porHriss In oter services With whom,
10 'sriy lie they sssocisted a. 90 heutshants and
vto row With superior rank. have often comman =
numerically interior TO their osp. a NATION wpirh
nutt T.. csssed among he great naval po ~ he
vuid tud vhich IN ne abundap-e o. i,s resources,
sud s situation bswren the W. greatest oceans "
capable ~ occupying The very hTst place should no
ltrsr delay the establishment of CHER naval ranks
nro stould took 20 snd prepare f9r the command of
n,tts ~ veil ~ squadrons. IN any exigency which
msy ca y tof 70
out navy IN Sc Aggregate ot persons s about equal
o. m, army The commander ~ some Of its squafrDns
tsve actually under their command msre men than q
divi iCn. the and ~ q msj0rgensral; and yet
ue iiFhest ctmraisioned officer csptsin ranks Win
. cclorH w n resolution ~ he Continental Con.
GrsF 10 lfi6 providing navy FOR the Of the revc
lrti tte relative rsnk Of ohcer, in the lanl aua