The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-06

bers of Congress the article in paper from the Nd-
Gonal Intelligencer, the Potomac Long Bridge
RETIREMENT OF NAVAL OFFICERS
The National Inteligcr of the 27h of June contained
an article entitled the nary which referred to and COM
mended similar article previously published in the Boston
Courier
Both productions in opposition to that feature Of the
TO improve The naral serpice which recently passed the
Senate and which provides for the retirement of officers
both seem to be from the PEN and both such as
the writer and every other naval apprehcnding retire
ment would probably publish.
1t must of course be expected that this feature will meet
with the opposition Of those officers of the service who are
proper subjects for retired list and that the earnestness Of
this opposition will be in proportion to their nn6tness for
duty.
The last annual report the Secretary of the Navy and
the report Of the Senate Naval Committee disclosed the
strange condition Of the navy.
1t appears that Of the sxtyeght captains ortytwo are
unemployed on Shore receiving each salary of $4,000
per annum IAN aggregate of $lo5oOo while their duties,
in many instances being performed by their competent
juniors.
or these fory-wo captains six of them WERE scveray
last at sea as follows in 1876 1925 1885, 1884 1888,
age of twenty-three years.
Every man informed upon the subject knows that many
of this grade will never be called upon to perform their
sea duties and that the may be said of other grades
of the service
Mental or physical weakness, i'll health, old age and
other causes combine to unfit them for active e but
still they retain their several snecureshe title rank and
pay Of post whose duties devolved upon others
c1tx,c Ca
exeron and enables them consult their and health
"a their ways ways of peasantness and their paths
paths ofpeace"
Their condition is in strong contrast with that OF the
sen officer exposed the and tear Of the pers of his
profession They take due of their health they live
long and their number must necessac rel annually IN
crease.
Can it be supposed that gentlemen thus situated VIII
countenance proposition to lay Themselves upon me sheV
come in what form it may? Can expect those whose
homes habits and comforts have for periods varying from
five to thirty years been based upon salary OF
per annum will silently brook proposition to reduce 1t
to 81 500 per annum? Certainly not and hence do we
see newspaper volunteers daily opposing the retirement OF
naval officers
But the country has long this evil and is becoming
disguised with it. and the friends of the navy, and the
friends of its old officers are justly appreensive that I'M
less be corrected some stringent and sweeping egsa
ton will probe the service upon the principle of paying
ONLY for service rendered
The writer of the article in question: while he objects to
the os orand of retirement says nothing of the pro
priey of retirement of any other means OF accomplish
ing it,
The section of the naval bill retirement is as follows
.sSEc g. And be It further enacted. That, before any
change of the grades aforesaid shall take effect the Secre
tary Of the Navy shall each captain commander eu
tenant medical officer and to report under such reg
uaons may prescribe the officers OF their respective
grades who are qualified perform efficiently all their duties
ashore and aoat and from his scrutiny of snch reports as
may be fled in the department within six months after notice
issued to said officers the Secretary with the approval
the President shall retire. drop from the service all OH
GERS who in his Judgment qualified Officers
retired shall be entitled to the naval uniform and shall
have their borne the Navy Register but out OF
the line of promotion and of command and shall not be
counted as Of number limited by law of their respective
grades and the places of retired officers flag officers and
other officers shall be supplied by regular promotion by
seniority Of rank The Secretary Of the Navy may upon
the application Of any officer Of the navy place him upon
the retired list it, in his Judgment he deem it consistent with
the interest Of the service The Secretary of the Navy with
the approval of the President shall also retire drop from
the service all masters passed midhpmen and mdshpmen
who in his Judgment not qualified to perform efficiently
all their duties"
This section recognising what the writer question adj
ms-viz: that The nary composed Of body Of
hgA-minded norabie and liberal in sentiment a. b
found in any profession and that the navy Sdstn-
qushed 6y honorable independence Of character and frank
ncsss based upon the principle that the true test Of
merit of any professional the Judgment Of his
and that the navy be safely ntrustcd with its i'm
proysmcnt Every grade judges OF its members alone
This writer saya this section will operate sort Of
Venetian lions mouth, to enable men to crafty their
personal rosentmens to advance their selfish interests
under the secrecy Of inquistor process in which
only officers must be condemned unhear and untried but