Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-02-03
wAsHrNeros NEWS AND GOSSIP

Reform Bill Of Mr.. hailornI throush the sem.
ate, by a unanimous vote, which toSk place
yesterday, is regarded as sign that sonething,
a, least, will be d me to increase the efficiency
Of that branch Of the public service ere the
session terminates However, there Is little
prospect that the House will dispose OF it in
so business like manner. Yet it is possible
that that body, too, can be induced to give it
its sanction ere the 4th of March next, and it
behooves ell the members not bitten with the
idea that the Government will be better with
out = navy, or with the notion that periodical
refornsars not As necessary in the military
and naval service Of the United States, as in
all other branches Of the public service, to
put their shoulders to the wheel to that emf.
The following is the bill in question:
BILL to promote the efficiency Of the Navy.
Be- snaetsd;; &c, That as soon az practi.
cable SITTER the passage Of this act, the Pre.i.
dent OF the United States shall cause q Board
OF Naval Officers to be assembled, to consist Of
nve captains, i've Commanders and Eve lieu
tenaats, which Board, under such regulators
as the Secretary Of the Navy may prescribe,
shall make q careful examination into the
efficiency of the officers of the grades herein
after mentioned, and shall report to the Sc.
crstary q the Navy the psmes and rank of all
officers of the said grades who, in the iudg
ment Of said Board, shslfbe incapable Of per-
forming promptly and efficiently all their duty
ashore and shoati and vacancies occurring in
said Board shall be filed by the Secretary of
Ndvy, who shall preserve the number and
grades of its officers, as aforesaid Provided.
That no officers upon said Board shall examine
into, or report upon, the efficiency Of officers
Of grade above them. ~rrf ',aElfI
Sec And be further enacted, That all
officers who shau be found by the said Board
incapable OF performing the dates Of their
respective ofdces, ranks or grades shall. if
such hndipg Do approve by tie President, bs
placed, in tae order of their rank and senierity
at t1e time, upon list in the Navy Register,
to be entitled tbs reserved list, and thew shall
receive the leave Of absence pay or the fur
Tough pay to which they may be entitled when
so placed, and shall be ineligible to further
promotion, but shall be subject to the orders
OF the Navy Department at all times for duty;
AMI vacancies created III the active service list
by placing ofiee.s on the reserved list shall be-
hlied ~ regular promotion in the order of
ralk or seniority. And officers who NAV BIO
promoted to fill the vacancies created by the
reserved list shall, while unemployed, receive
only the "leave of absence" or sswaiting
orders pay to which they would have beer
entitled II such pronotion had not been made;
out "nen employed at sea, or on other duty,
they skall receive, In addition to such s'Ieaye
OF absence. or "waiting orders pay, the diff
ference between the waiting orders or sleave
OF absence" pay and the ''ses, or Other duty
pay of the grade to which they may be 90 pro
noted: PROVIDED, That this sor utiny and re.
servstion OF officers shall extend only to the
grades OF captain, commander, lieutenant,
passed midshipmen, and masters: And prort
ded, Further, That nothing in this act oon-
tanned snail be b I'D or construed to authorize
any increase OF the aggregate pay of the said
grades, or of the naval service, a. now al
lowed By law. I'LL.
Sec 3 and be 1T fhythsr enacted, That
nothing IN this act contained shall be con
strued TO restrict, apply to, or impair the regu-
lar promotion Of officers in the service list of
the nsvy who may be at any time entitled to
promotion consequent upon deaths, dismiss
sails, or resignation-nor in any manner 10
abridge or impair the right Of the Secretary
of the Navy to place officers upon furlough.
The Patent Laws Tho bill for the amend
nent or reconstruction Of the patent laws,
reported at the last session, We believe, BY
Senator James, is a measure Of great public
importance, and, as such, is entitled 10 proper
consideration at the hands OF Congress. II
was matured only on consultation between
those members Of both Houses ma disriu
guished by their familiarity with tho wants Of
the country and the public service in such
connection. We learn at the Patent Buleau
that its enactment is regarded there as being
of pIims public importance. Such, we under
stand, is the opinion of the Commissioner of
Patents, with whose assistance the measure
IN question has been arranged. There is no
doubt that general legislation on tho subject
is greatly needed both for the interest of the
public and that Of pstentess and their as.
Hgnees All are losers by the existing condi.
ticn of the patent laws, which is more prolific
Of law suits and violations Of public and pri-
vste rights than result from the condition Of
the laws Of the United States Government on
any ether subject of business interest what.
ever. The Commissioner Of Patents having
proved, by his admi nistration of his Office, that
his judgment on all matters appertaining to
its duties is eminently reliable, we feel it to
DO our duty thus to urge prompt compliance
with his earnest Recommendation in this
m after.
Private Business. House deserve great
credit, indeed, for their busi,ess.like work of
yesterday, in disposing Of their private calen
dar. We never saw matters conducted moro
efficiently or sensibly in their hall Their
days session f0rcibly exemplifed what they
can do in the way Of driving business up, ss
private individuals Of business habits do,
when they get their Honorable heads And
hearts earnestly to the work in hand. No
speech Of more than FIVE minutes duration
was made, and everything said was clearly
understood and appreciated by all the mem.
ben present. Thousands of heretofore desc
late hearts will, doubtless, rejoice over their
days work, wherein nOught was done but jus.
tics, 50 manifest that not single member was
found to object to any portion Of their favor
able action. ..... =.