The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-06-21

hoard met and organized yesterday As the senior Off
80 Commodore w b. shubrck presides 10 delibera
Nm. The following communication, imbodying the rules
d regulations for the guidance Of the board received
from the Secretary Of the Navy;
- NAVY DEPAaTaEsr, June 20, 1855.
asvxis, The President ''caused you TO be
MAJ with view 70 carry into execution act approved
February 49, 1885, entitled An act to promote The eeeny
Of the navy a.. ,. .,,.s
& a. sha be prescribed BY the Secretary Of the Navy"
Your path duty marked out so plainly and with such
by OF the statute TO enable you
assed with technical questions, and UNI
.urbed by difficulties those necessarily Incident to
The delicate and responsible task Of passing upon the relative
NH and ineapacity Of officers attached to your honor
he branch Of the public service In prescribing regulations
LII narayor 70 be very brief and concise in order to
% ammeinr your deliberations by multitude of rules
aaen more calculated 10 confuse than to direct.
Repong confidence IN your integrity ana inteiigenee
az your experience and your personal and Official
ociaton with your brother ocers entertaining no doubt
T our having the Independence discharge duty with
ss, and steadiness purpose however delicate pain
M have abiding faith that the honor and reputation Of
tba service viii be safe in your hands, and that need not
duge elaborate argument or appeals TO your pride o
GERS and patriotism citizens TO cooperate In causing the
standard of capacity in the American navy TO be maintained
Al an commanding the confidence and respect OF the
country Considerable statesmen look to the the
theatre which future national conflicts 10 large
extent be settled, and the commerce. oil the country
gds the navy merely friendly ally, but pro-
ec,or wonderful expansion nation, the necessary
multiplication grave questions with distant foreign powers
And our wide commerce. have attracted with great
concern the attention Of the legislative and
te departments government to the condition Of the
navy and the Importance OF securing rgor energy, and
pa in its personnel In order the eaectuaiy to at
tain that object and yet not do injustice from haste or ignor
ap Congress has authorized the assembling of board Of
officers whose duties shall be merely Of ap advisory
ture and aid to the Executive in promoting " the
efficiency OF the navy The Executive has appointed you
under that law and it becomes your duty to make
careful examination, and report in pursuance thereof
And here gentlemen a9. me to ays your attention 70
y but it stops not here for it must be capacity to perform
Hal duty"-'ashore and aloat But it stops not here
for il is not content with capacity to perform duty
but demands that it shall be done not merely promptly
but efficiently" The Ian, therefore, has fixed the
You advisory board TO assist in enforcing it, Your
sound common sense aud acquaintance with the duties
Of officer will guide to the practical intefpreta
ton Of this. Efficiency, ge,eney-aa is what is required
ia order promote the efficient. Neither the law the
country asks for anything unreasonable In examining to
who incapable Of performing their whole duty both
ashore and ahoat, need hardly suggest to you that
officer may be incapable either mentally, physically,
ay for although he possess strong mind and robust
Frame yet his moral perception Of right and wrong be
hunted and debased render him unreliable he could
hardly DC anked as the capable oicer 70 Dc nrnsted Win
the lives OF his counrymen and the property and honor OF
bis country.
You viii perceive that there distinct classes and
that OF those classes subdvded You required to
report the of officers who should be, in your Judgment
placed the reserved list and then designate those Of the
reserved who, in opinion for service rendered and
for fidelity in the discharge Of duty, should receive full
pay and those who should merely receive
THROUGH or half "eave- absence pay.
You required to advance step further in your eIam
nation and discrimination and report the OF such Off
GERS as You believe have become incompetent "from any
implying sufficient blame the part of the officers
ast your recommending them TO be stricken altogether
from the rolls And this point venture suggest the
opinion that officer to blame il he has become incom-
pnt from neglect Of duty and nattenton and indifference
70 bis profession well from dissipation and immoral
dulgehces.
liea misapprehension may exist in the minds of 10
regard the position before the country of officers placed
desradation il is rather high compliment. The pay is
LIBERAL and amply sufficient to the comfortable support Of the
officer and his family. Indeed it is the generous act OF
government saying to the meritorious officer you have
served with fidelity and you have become incompe
tent to the duties of naval life you from the
bors Of profession without anxiety your
support as we have provided for it," Nor, gentle
men, DO consider that it will be necessarily degradation
placed furlough which half leave absence pay be-
ause he may have become really incompetent to the dis
charge Of his duties and VET may hare .erred long and
~apsnsafioa to the reserred
According my conceptions of the spirit Of this Law and
'r'' and shoald Be high enabys officer Sc
Placed GA ne reserved lie Nth M iearecfab-ence pay
question having arisen the Interpretation Of
e poyo to the fret section the opinion the Attorney
extract
think, therefore, that the effect Of the provso ia to
e the board to be subdvided in the process of its action
and 70 make three distinct subrepor which together shall
That say, the entire body win sit together deliber
m ana determine and by proper authenticate their
after that the ieutsnants win have to retire and the captains
hd commanders will act in regard all officers of the rank
o. commanders when the commanders retire. and the
captains viii act to officers Of that rank All the exam
nations having thus been made and the proper judgments
reached In the contemplated by the law, the
oa Of the opinions will be certified the Secretary in such
om o aathencation he in his regulations shall fit to
The records and files Of this department are your service
animation I"
esteem it but proper to say you that
@ Effort to avoid them. both my predecessors and myself
nay have committed mistakes in issuing orders TO officers
vac IN the Judgment OF the board be competent
.oaing to the spirit and meaning of the law. You will
allow such cases. ii there be the slight
~ embarrassment. calm, concilatory spirit in your de-
VIII do much to prevent discord irritation and
.ouFnings, All that you expected to do is To
1Sas your opinonyour judgmerto aid the Executive
heer the provisions Of this liberal statute relieving the
ee Oh the inefficient and thereby promote The efficiency
aar transmit herewith, for the information Of the
Hat copies OF the act under which il is convened.
lou will therefore assemble, deliberate, ard determine
u careful examination in pursuance of the law
a mdsbpmen, masters, and ieutenauts, during which
NJ the junior lieutenant will the secretary OF
BOARD, Whereupon the said secretary will make record
each grade separately and, after certifying to its
tI shai deliver the 10 the senior officer, who
st ~ and the -utenans will then retire, but
sNu . themselves detached from duty.
After the retirement OF the eutenans the captains and
myers VIII assemble, deliberate, and determine, after
EXAMINATION IN Pursuance Of the law as to com
~ nStf1etary. Wherenpon the said secretary will
@ tseoru IN the nature Of sub report of the judgment
spians snd commanders 20 the grade Of comman-
@ AFTER certifying to its correctness, will deliver the
y Ne senior officer, who shall attest IT, And the
a WI then retire, bat consider themselves de-
ssaea rom duty.
III after the retirement Of commanders, the captains
deliberate, and determine, after careful
rh.L IN pursuance OF the Law captains during
W. aeberaon the Junior captain will act as secretary
No. The said secretary will make record, in the