Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-13


preiudices and enmities Before such tribunal
no one would be safe. A clique, or even single
member Of board, might bring irreparable injury
upon the prospects Of any officer in the service
Such proceedings, contrary to all received no
tons of propriey and public Justice, and so OPP
posed to the principles Of our government, l, Tor
one, could never countenance or be party To.
No other course was therefore, left to me, in the
various ballots for the selection OF officers for pro-
motion, than 10 mark on every ballot decline
to vote
In further illustration Of this hasty and obnoxi-
Gus mode Of despatching officers and disposng OF
their regulations, will here state that III one
case papers were presented from the files OF the
Department calculated 10 create prejudice against
the officer whose fate was TO be passed upon
papers having no claim to the character OF evil
DEUCE IN any court OF honor or lustice-and yet
al the same time, other papers and testimonials
/ of character highly favorable to the individual,
and designated as such in the synopsis accom-
panyng the case, were never presented to the
Board
Yet so DESTROYS do ! find myself to comply, so
far il is within my competence, with the re-
QUESTIONS Of the Hon. Secretary ofthe Navy, that
| ! feel IT my duty 10 state explicitly my opinion
upon the chief inquiry Propoundcd, on the deci-
sion Of which rests his subsequent requirements.
These, also, conceive fully responded TO in the
opinion | have now the honor 10 give.
The Hon. SecretGrys main proposition, upon
which depend all others embodied in his letter Of
the 2ist July, 1916, is in the following words:
''You viii express your opinion whether, in
your Judgment, promotion in the Navy should be
mace with exclusive reference to seniority -
In obedience to the injunction contained in this
param, aph, | give IT my opinion that promo
ton should always be made with exclusive refer
encc 10 seniority, except where great gallantry
before enemy shall entite the officer TO the ex
allied distinction ot preference over his peers, or
where immediate guilt or Incompetence shall be
declared to exist BY tribunal legally and ex-
! preSslV constituted To determine the question.
CHARLES STEWART,
| Presiding Officer.
I WAsHISGroN Cry, D. G., July %, l646.
| The officer referred to by Com. Stewart was
| Commander Henry, Of the United States steamer
| Plymouth, who was furloughed by the Board, then
in session, and The following is the paper with
| held:
LEGATION or THE UNITED STATES,
hio DE JANEIRo, Dec. 20, lo45.
Ny DEAN SIR--Since my visit to the Plymouth
| with His Excellency Hollanda Clvacanti, Min
ster and Secretary Of State for the Affairs Of the
/ Marine OF the Imperial government OF Brazil, on
| Monday, the 22d inst, have not had the oppor-
| tunIty unt now t. make the proper and due ac-
| acknowledgements Of the pride elt an American
| cit2cn--as public iunctionary of my country,
| and as ever alive 10 the improvement and
1 prosperity OF our navy, in the exhibition of the
/ perfectly beautiful and efficient ship under your
command. You, your officers, crew and corvette
are entitled tony testimonial, and you sha have
| it.
4 For beauty of naval architecture; for order,
system and comfort Of internal arrangements; for
man-o f.wdrlike appearance; Tor apparent etfci-
cncy; for battery, and particularly its preserva-
| ton; for cleanliness; for space TO fight or work
for ventilation by ports or pumps; tor adaptation,
| especially III ali respects TO warm climate; Tor
total absence Of all ''gimcrackery;" for lightness
and yet strength; Tor elegance without one extra
vagant or useless ornament; for quiet discipline,
and for the sweet and cordial shpshape enter
! tainment which makes so favorable an impression
OF our country upon strangers abroad, have
4 never a ship of our own or any other nation
to surpass and in some essential respects to equal
the game-ooking Plymouth.
lis Excelleney the Minister of Marine, who has
good eye, looked inquiringly about hmi and
was struck with admiration al the naval model
he was inspecting that he will doubtless seek OF
you further information TO enable him to cause
its imitation by the service of which he is the dis
tinguished head.
| ! trust YOU will furnish him with drafts, il re-
| qnired, and / have the honor TO be, with thanks
for the honor you have done our national charac-
| ter, your obedient servant,
HENRY A. WISE.
To Captain HENRY HENRY, u. $. S. Plymouth,
Harbor Of Rio de Janeiro.