Washington sentinel., 1853-12-09

six frstclass steam frigate propellers- thai
the two frigates, the Santee, at Kittery, and the
Sabine, at New York, which have been on the
stocks since 1919, be altered and made to CON
form to modern improvements. He proposes
an increase of the present force from 800 men
to 10000.
REORGANIZATION OF THE NAvY.-The whole
| country sees the necessity for reform of some
| of the abuses in the navy-a repeal Of some oi
the old rules and regulations that are un-
suited to its present condition and to the pro-
gressiye character Of the age. There are also
precedents and customs in that service, which
although they have the sanction of no legal en-
actment, have yet fastened themselves with OBJ
stinate tenacity to it. These things should all
be examined into and changed.
The great evil in the present system, which
the Secretary combats and proposes to reform,
is that neither merit, nor sea serrice, nor GAL
lanhy, nor capacity, but mere seniority Of COM
mission regulates promotion and pay"
Some time since, shortly indeed after the
establishment Of our paper, we devoted several
editorials to the consideration of this subject,
and published several communications embo-
dying most of the facts contained under this
head of the Secretary's report. At present,
the most dashing and daring exploit--the most
brilliant achievement that can be performed
on the seas by junior officer, is alike barren Of
profit or promotion. He gets honor, he covers
himself and his flag with glory, but it is empty
honor. Honor will not feed will not clothe.
There should be some substantial compensation
from the country. The ghost of seniority
stands in the path, and the brave and gallant
junior cannot pass it. On this point we give a
brief extract from the report. It says:
"To illustrate the unfairness of the present
system, permit me to mention few facts, not
with the view Of invidious comparison, but
solely to elucidate the subject There are
officers who have been in the navy more than
forty years, whose total sea service is less than
ten years, who receive the same pay with those
of their grade whose sea service is fteen, eigh-
teen, and more than t,centy gears. These Off
GERS, who are thus receiving pay, prevent the
promotion of those below them who have seen
more than twice their service at sea, and have
helped to give their country name. There
are inefficient officers who have not done duty,
on sea or shore, for taoelce, fifteen, and t,centy
years. There lieutenants who have seen dou-
BILE the service Of some of higher grade, and
receive but halt their pay. There are many
passed midshipmen of more than ten years. sea
serrice, whose pay on leave is sir hundred dol
lars, and there are their superiors in rank of
less than ten years. sea service, whose pay is
twenty-five hundred dollars.
1The pride of rank and position is the ami
mating element that imparts vigor to the arm,
courage to the heart buoyancy to the spirits of
the faithful officer; and there is peculiar sen.
sitiveness to the slightest neglect. But in a
country like ours-so full Of rich fields inviting
the enterprising presenting SO many paths
through which the aspiring may advance to
fame and fortune-what is there in the above
outline of the picture which our naval system
exhibits to attract the accomplished young men
of the day? The timid and the laggard are
promoted as rapidly as the brave and the ac-
tive. The officer who has borne himself well
in twenty years service, amidst the storms and
the dangers of the sea, beneath tropical suns
and near unfriendly coasts, on obtaining his
few months leave Of absence, finds himself
only receiving the same pay with those Of his
own grade who have fingered amid the com
forts of home, and rarely ever touch the deck
of ship. But it may be said that pay should
be increased with rank, and that the officer of
the lower grade should be content until he at
tains a higher rank. This reasoning, however,
is met by conceding the correctness of the
principle, but protesting against the system
which blocks up the path to rank by imbecility
hard service both of rank and pay. am
aware that it is an easier task to point out de-
fects than to prescribe remedies. But the evils
of our system can hardly be diminished by
time, and no reform can be expected without
effort"
To remedy the evil here complained Of, the
Secretary proposes what we have all along de-
cared ourselves in favor Of He expresses the
opinion:
"That a retired list, on reduced pay, for the
faith tul aclao haze become intan, the discharge
Of the inefficient scho hare no CLAIM, on the boun-
ty Of their government for services rendered !;
promotion regulated By capacity, merit and not
by mere seniority Of commission; pay TO some
ertent controlled by sea serUice-are reforms not
only demanded by the condition of the service,
by considerations of justice but absolutely ne
cessary to the preservation Of efficiency and
usefulness"
Our space to-day is SO limited that we can
not say more on this point. Our readers are re-
ferred to the report itself
The last head, to wit: "the modification of
our system in regard to seamen,' we cannot
dwell at length on.
The Secretary very properly proposes an in
crease Of the sailors pay. In the navy sea-
man is paid only $l2 q month, whereas, in the
merchant service his pay ranges from $l5 to
$50 per month. This renders it very difficult
to command the necessary number of seamen
for our navy, small as that number is; whilst
the merchant service, is sought after with avidi-
ty by the best and most respectable sailors.
The Secretary also proposes a plan by which
our seamen shall become more distinctly and
permanentlya part Of the navy, and attached
to the service. He says:
whenever ship-ofwar now returns from
her three years cruise, the officers are detached