Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-02-01

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reorg ami q alton of the navy quits novel in its
features, and so perfectly simple and rraoticsl
that am surprised 1t has never been suggested
before.
O He opens the subject by exposing the evils
OF the existing system, and justly denounces
the mystery which il thrown around its de-
talis oy an interested conservation" He then
discusses the laws for the government of the
navy-the slow rate of prumotion-the neces-
slty OF some change in this respect-and pro.
ceeds to the details of his own most admirable
plan, which for the sake Of convenience, are
stated in the form of legislative act, Of which
the following is very concise sketch:
b Section one provides for annullipg, in three
months after the passage of the act, the com
missions Of all captains, commanders, lieu
tenants, passed midshipmen, and masters in
the navy, and for commissioning, on the same
day, fifteen commanders, eighty five captains,
and one hundred commanders, with q proper
tionate number OF the junior grades, limiting
the number OF future sppointn ents and pro-
motions to the amount Of employment which
can be given to officers
Section two arranges the officers into five
classes, limits commissions to specific terms,
from one to five years, according to class, and
provides for the future appOintm ent or promo.
ton Of one half of each grade by efsrtion by
nominated by the President in the usual way
Section three provides that when officers are
commissioned to fill vacancy by the expira-
ton Of their own torn Of service, they shall
preserve their former rank When PROMO
lions by election are made, rank shall be taken
in the order OF the largest msj0rities. Other
details in regard to promotions and appoint
menis are settled by this section in a manner
At once sttAingly simple, and in every way
calculated to promote efficiency and harmony
among military msn.
Section four authorizes the Secretary of the
Navy to give permanent furieughs to all COM
missioned officers, named in the first section,
who may obtain employment in the m Jrcantile
marine, and to furnish ships so commanded
with one great gun fully rugged and equipped,
and the necessary small arms, ammunition,
&c for every - tons of said ship, together
with such instruments, books and charts as the
Secretary of the Navy may direct and as may
be necessary to instruct the crew Of such mer-
chant ship in tho art Of maritime warfare
and extend further the benefits of nautical
science; )" and authorises the officers CON-
handing said ships to wear the pendants, fags,
ensigns, and uniforms of their naval rank, and
when in the ports of the United Stases to re.
cevo all the usual naval courtesies, distinctions,
tic. Seamen serving on board ships 30 COM
manded to be entitled to the benefits Of the
naval pension laws.
Section five determines the pay of the vari-
Gus grades
Section six provides for new grade to be
known az mates.
Section seven limits the number of mdship.
men to 400, and provides for their selec ton by
board Of examiners, who shall hold session
in each State where vacancies exist. Each
member of Congress shall also be entitled to
nominate % volunteer midshipman," who
sh all ha of tha Aao Ia
the same regulations as for midshipmen, but
without pay, and who, when graduated, may
compete with midshipmen for promotion.
The above is but an outline Of the plan Pro-
posed, but sufficient one, it is hoped, to at.
tract to 1t the attention of persons interested
in naval reforms. The author meets the OBJ
lection thai merchants mil ht be reluctant to
enter into arrangements which would possibly
interfere with the legitimate objects of com
merce, by the remark, that 4 battery would
not add much to the d aft Of a ship, and tn at
this could be counterb balanced by the proffer
of other advantages. such as attaching quar-.
ter gunner and an apprentice to each gun at
the expense Of the Government.
To keep the plan as simple as possible, the
medical officers, pursers, and other grades Of
ethcers usually formed non combatant, are
not to be included in the system, though the
writer intimates that it may perhaps be found
to omit them.
1t is hardly necessary to dsoant upon the
advantages of the proposed system. for they
are too manifest not to be seen at glance
Our merchant ships would be MT once converted
by 1t into vessels-Of-war competent rot merely
to their own protection, but to the assertion of
the rights of the nation wherever they ~, and
in due time, as the writer remarks, would
be displayed under circumstances calculate
n q "a trrvx rft Il
| will only add, that | sincerely hope
the author of this Plan, who prefxes the
initials Of j. A. l. to his pamphlet, will give
the country and the navy tho benefit Of any
further views he may form upon r. subject SO
full of interest and importance.
The United States Store-ship Relief, &c
Tho Navy Department have advioes of the
safe arrival of the store-ship Relief at Rio,
after passage Of seventy five days from New
York, with stores for the Brazil coast squad
ron. The apprehension that had al. en-, on
account of her long passage, are thus happily
dispelled
The United States war ships Independence
John Adams, and Savannah were all ia Port
at Rio on the 18th Of December, the date o.
the Departments last advice from ,hera
Nothing being said in the letters concerning
the health of those on these ships, it i. inter
red that all has gone well on them.
An Auditor Dead Oar readers, we are
sure, will all deeply regret The demise of the
venerable Stephen Plsasanton, ESQ Fifth
Auditor of the Treasury which took place at
his residence in this city, last night. lie was
one of the very Oldest officers in the service OF
the Government, having come to Washing tor
from Philadelphia, in the public service, when
the Governments head quarters were removed
to the former from the latter city
The Current Operations of the Treasury
Departmental yesterday, the 3lst of Jan
there were Of Treasury Warrants entered or
the books of the Department
For paying Treasury debts ...... q. 1871 1f
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