The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-04
For the Union.
with Regard to the omc,al,.y OF the Navy s yn''"'

Where most merit is demanded there il ought to be
found Under the present regime pos, -capaincy must
be considered premium upon longevity, and capabity
as having nothing 10 do with arduous and responsible
position that the great naval proposition for which
solution is wanted is as follows:
To develop genuine ability where it needed and elm
mate inability where il is not needed
An pdrte board OF officers has been strongly recon-
mended, empowered to select those worthy of promotion
and reject those not worhyand this, too upon er pare
information, TO wits the secret reports of captains and
commanders regarding officers under their command.
which reports upon file and kept secret at the NAVY
Departments that the accused, having never seen them
would be condemned without hearing This idea should
be abandoned for want OF fair and open handed Justice
being essentially sided that il cannot fail to pro-
duce incalculable mischief. But TO say that a whole
grade shall select from among those 10 be adj
vaneed as well those be dropped from the service
placed upon retired list involves unfair principle
Prjudces for and against would neuiraiZe each other
and substantial worth occupy merilorous position G.
H. d. The above principle will bear discussion in every
respect since ii has for basis the genius OF our political
government. 1t is both remunerave and penal and this
latter characteristic will do away with nearly all
courts martial.
AS for the seniority system, is certainly old the
feuda ages its origin might be traced TO the patriarchs
since gandathes control the entire service and men in
their vigorous mental and physical years treated
as children.
system SO h6SndHt, 50 ClOBgeu Uy me ufegs
OF inehciency disgrace to the strkingy progressive
county in which il obtains Tha, nation SO eminently
maritime TO hold the world in net By its
should tolerate mbecile naval organization. uuly
wonderful Should the grade board principle be adopted
blank ballots be sent all parts OF the world and
returned TO the department within year. Every officer
in each grade in which election is required should be
compelled TO for all Of the grade excepting HIMSELF
and certify. upon honor that in his vote he deter
mined solely by motives OF welfare 10 the service and
country One list Of his votes will indicate those he
eligible promotion in the order of merit num-
berng them from one down 10 such number makes up
his list for advancement One list will place all those he
regards worthy OF being retired 10 the order OF merit
commencing at the lowest number OF the list for promo
lion down TO the entire number composing his retired
list One list OF his shall indicate all those he judges
unfit for the service in order oil merit numbering
from the lowest number OF the retired list down to the
limit Of thegrade. Every person who shall receive
majority OF all the votes for promotion shall remain
in the line OF promotion Every person who shall
receive majority OF all the votes for dismissal may
be dismissed by the President, and all others in
the grade shall be placed upon retired list OF
permanent limited nature, Congress shall de-
tenine. The lowest mean number will give the high.
est position Ia the lis for promotion. For example, in
grade Of twenty suppose one person receives fifteen
votes for promotion, five Of which for No l. equal
TO five for No O. equal to 30 five for No TO- equal 10
two for dismissal, Nos. Is and 10, equal 10 81. The
of these figures, divided by the number OF the grade
VIII give the relative position OF the individual equal
73-loo, which number nigh be the lowest mean mum.
per- and would, consequently, give him No. in The list
for promotion.
rs evident that IN this arrangement every vote for
and against has It's weight Should this mode OF disn.
numbering the navy OF useless members appear TOO com
pcaedeven more so than the election of the Doge OF
Venice, and not quite clear mudet the grades by
vote place themselves in the order OF merit, and Con.
gress then lop of sufficient insure the required en-
ergy in the balance la default OF the above general
board composed OF officers from grade in the line 10
determine upon the line, would be beneficial In short,
anything TO give lille life to the service would be la
Dor of much value TO the country
Now il is next to impossbleto hope for any improve
mcnt which will get the support Of navy officers. The
higher grades OF officers hardly be said TO belong TO
the present OF the United Sates'tis advancing,
so inventive. New and more commodlous means
continually dsplacing the old and inefficient But in the
navy the bare proposition OF anything is regarded as
a satire upon the venerable post.capaincy.
The combining the appointment OF midshipmen TO the
several congressional districts is, think, correct but
there should be freer competition. Napoleons Poly.
technique system OF appointment has, | believe, many
good points in it, The plan given in detail in Ason's
History oil Europe Did the school system pre-
vail perfectly throughout the country, that mode OF ap
pontment would be serviceable both army and navy.
It fact observable in the history OF almost every
science. tina, men cannot be prevailed upon change
radically their primitive institutions only when they
have completely ceased fulfil the Office Tor which they
were destined, and, after the notifications with
which they have successfully surcbarged them, have be
come powerIess This mental tcnaci'y for prescriptve
IDEAS finds focibe illustration in the strong anpahy
of the old school philosophers 10 the Coperncan theory
Of the earhs rotation on it's axis, after every argument