The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-19

eral, two flag officers, two captains, two COM
manders, two lieutenant commanders, two lieu.
tensLts, two surgeons, and two pursess, appinted
in the same manner as the fist board, and SO like.
wise the expil alton IL every five years thereafter
Each OF there subsequent Boards shall make an ex-
animation aud report similar to those required of
the first Board, in reference to all the COM
mi issiohed officers of the line, viz:-The flag
officers, captains, commanders, lieutenant COM
mahdels, heutenants and masters; and also in
r.ieieIce 10 all the surgeons, aud pursers, aud
Their assistants, then the service list and their
reports shall be subject to the proceedings as
the report of the first board. Masters in commits
tlon belpg liable to the same disposition, In these
ca es as the warrant masters and passed midship-
men weIe on the report Of the first board; and as
sstant pulsers being disposed of like assistant
geonf- But the aggregate number of officers on the
retired list shall never exceed the number recon-
mendtd tor said list by the first board which shall
assemble; and If at any time greater number shall
be recommended for retirement than are authorized
to placed said list, it shall be competent for
the President OF the United States to decide which
Shall iemain on the service list
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted that any vacan-
cy which may at any time occur in any Of these
al0s hile sitting, shall be filed by the President
o. the United States in such way as to preserve the
requisite member Of officers in each grade.
Sec. lO. And be 1t further enacted, that these
boards, for the proper discharge of the dusies
sigre ed them, shall have to all the books and
records in the Navy Department which relate to the
subject matters before Them They shall, in all
cases make their report within three months from
the date OF their assembling And no inferior officer
or cfcer belonging to Of the two classes of navy
cecrs re!ened to in the second ard third sections
Of this BILL shall, at any time, have vote in
this board upon the case Of superior officer, or
an officer of the other class, that is to say, staff Of
fcers shall not vote the of line officers,
shall the lire officers vote upon staff officers, pro.
vided that the Judge Advocate General shall have
vote upon the line and staff officers. Any officer
appointed az a member Of one Of these boards, not
q jrlt tn n
be still entitled to fit as member thereof for con-
sultation and advisement in such case; except al
ways that no member shall either vote or sit as an
advising member in his own case.
Sec IL. Ana be it further enacted, That when
ever any case may be under consideration before
one Of these boards, majority of the members
having right to vote on it must be present to con-
stitute quorum, and o majority of those present,
and having right to vote, shall be necessary to
make decisi on.
Sec. IL. And be it further enacted, That every
person appointed member OF one of these
boards, before he shall be competent to sit as such,
shall take an oath f.r the faithful and impartial
discharge Of his duty, which oath shall be admins
tered ty any Judge of United States Court, and
certificate thereof returned to the Judge Advocate
General, to be filed with the records Of theboard
~ REoRG ANIzATIoN.
Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That after
the report of the boarc first assembled under the
provisions Of this act shall have been disposed Of as
aforesaid, from the remaining officers of the limo
promations shall be made to llup the numbers and
grades of commissioned officers authorized in the
second section of this act. And thereafter when
vacancies shall occur therein, they shall be filed by
promotions from the remaining officers cf the line
on the service list. And in filing the grade of mas
ter authorized in said second section the masters
In the line OF promotion, not decided to be iucompe
tent for duty, and deemed worthy Of commission,
shall FIST be appointed, and the remand of said
new grade of masters, and vacancies which may
occur therein, shall be dled from the passed mid
shipmen on the active service list, who may be
thu cT hat do sa
exhausted; tLeD, and always thereafter, from the
list Of graduated midshipmen: Provided, that the
lire of promotion shall always be open to the war
rant officers of every grade, and the seamen in
service, any of whom for distinguished service,
and eminent fltness il may be competent at any
time to appoint to fill a vacancy in the grade of
master; and provided further, that nothing in this
section contained shall be construed to affect the
mode OF appointing midshipmen IN the navy.
RULE OF PROMOTION.
Sec. IA. And be it further enacted, That promo
tons hereafter hall not be regulated by seniority Of
commission alone, but due regard shall also be had
TO capacity and meritorious service.
INCREASE OF sEAMEN.
Sec. Is. And be it further enacted That the
Secretary Of the Navy be and he is hereby author.
lied to to be enlisted in the naval service Of
the United States, two thousand and five hundred
seamen, in addition to the number at present au-
| thorized to be employed.
GOOD CoNDUcT DIsCH ARGEs AND RE-ENLIsTMENT
Sec. l6. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of every officer in command Of any ves-
sci OF the navy Of the United States, upon the ter
mination Of his cruise, to make special report to
! the Secretary Of the Navy, upon the general con-
duct Of the petty officers seamen, ordinary seamen,
| landsmen and boys under his command, and to des-
| ignate those who arc entitled to notice for good
conduct, and at the end of his term of enlistment,
or whenever discharged after the usual cruise, to
each and every petty officer, seaman, ordinary
seaman, landsman and boy, whose report
is iayorable, he. shall grant an honorable
discharge, in such form, and under such re-
i UuI 1Qqt thp Of Navy hall
scribe. And, If after an absence from service, of
not more than three months, at the termination of
any period Of enlistment, for which he received
such certificate OF good conduct any petty officer,
come forward and make another enlistment, he
shall receive pay for the period Of his absence, just
as if he had been constantly in service.
APPOINTMENTS TO NAVAL ACADEMY.
Sec. IL. And be 1t further enacted, That out Of
the boys who shall have received such good conduct
certificate, the President OF the United States may
annually select number not exceeding FIVE, who
may appear to him to be most deserving,
and who may be of an age not exceeding seventeen
year,, and may send them to the Naval Academy as
midshipmen. In all other respects appointments to
said academy shall be made in the manner and un.
der the regulations now prescribed by law.
| INCREASE OF MARINE CORPS.
Sec. Is. And be it further enacted, That al. in.
crease of five hundred men shall be made td'the
of Captains and other Commissioned officers of the
Marine Corps, shall be made in consequence Of
such increase.
sHIPrINa CREWS.
Sec. -; And be it further enacted, That when
| crew shall be required for q naval vessel the
Secretary of the Navy may, at his discretion, re-
quiIe the commander thereof to ship his own crew,
assisted by his officers under such regulation as the
Secretary Of the Navy may prescribe.
ACTING PURSER.
Fec. 20. And be it further enacted, That no off,
Ger in command of any vessel shall at any time be
required to perform the duties of purser or assist
ant purser on board thereof; nor shall any acting
appointment OF purser, or assistant purscr, be
made by any other person than the Secretary OF the
Navy except when the office Of purser, or assistant
puiser, shall become vacant on board of ships at
sea, or on foreign stations In which case the senior
officer present may make acting appointment for
said vacancy, until another purser shall be ordered
to sad vessel, or until the Secretary Of the Navy
shall otherwise direct. Persons performing the
duties OF purser, or assistant purser under acting
appointments, if made in pursuance of this section,
hui not otherwise, shall receive the pay q such
Office while so acting.
O. r.-x1 49, \ c.