The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-22

The Retired Naval List.
from the Washington Union, Sept. Il.
recruitment to make public he following papers which
constitute part OF the record, not yet published upon
the interesting subject of the action OF the Naval Board
recently convened uncer the provisions OF the Late law OF
Congress The general orders In execution of the and
ne Of the board set forth in their report ap-
proved the President Of the United States will soon be
issued -
NAVY DEpARrsgST, Sept. s, 1855.
SR-By the provisions Of the Act to promote the eff
came the duty of the Board Of Naval Officers assembled
hereofto report the Secretary Of the Navy
the result Of their proceeding
sued June 1885, They assembled the goth Of june
aud concluded their abors the 26th Of July last.
qurements Of the law and the regulations prescssd
having been made is herewith submitted to you fe
approval or disapproval.
You have, however, informed me that you desire my
views this important and delicate subject and SHALL
therefore, present them briefly possible with much
Difference, yet with frankness.
You will doubt, recollecr that in my two annual
reports urged the importance Of Of reform
by which inefficient officers could be relieved and the eff
Gent be promoted and suggested the interposton OF
board of naval officers, with view to reaching more
surely correct and just result.
The great end sought to be attained by Congress was
from the active service ls all officers found incompe
ashore and aoat and BY dropping entirely the rolls
such as blame themselves for their tncompetency
Some mode then was to be adopted and some persons
the incompetent but also of those who had become
from causes for which they to sbaule." The Law
this point speaks plainly and distinctly 1t does not
impose this task upon, intrust this delicate duty to,
the Secretary of the Navy, the President. 1t
form this work shah be fifteen naval officers" to CON
sst of five captains, five commanders and five leute
nants, ordered by the President After thus Sc
it then provides how it is be DONE This board of ff
teen naval officers sha make careful examination Into
the efficiency tho officers the grades" specified After
this careful examination . what does the law next
quires Its terms are again plain They sha report to
their he facts the evidence he
copies OF records by which they formed their Judgment
but SIMPLY the and rank of all officers of the said
grades who in the judgment OF said board shall be inca
pablo y &C. &C.. and recommend those to be striker
altogether from the rolls whenever said board shall
believe their ncompctency has arisen from causes imply
ing sufficient blame.
1t may not be embarrassing to call your attention to
the fact that this mode Of proceeding by no means novel,
and occasions when Congress directed the reduction of
theamy, by which many officers necessarily dropped
from the service the delicate task performed in
somewhat similar by the President appointing
board Who after examination reported the of such
in their opinion should be retained without assigning
any which them prefer and
exclude Others ! have before me- the report of the
board the reduction OF the army under the act OF 1878
They report Names and give merely the result OF their
examination without facts reasons and their report
adopted by the President.
This finding SO this judgment" Of the boards not,
however, permitted to go into execution without the
sanction Of the President who is very wisely authorized
to dsapprove of their action, by which means safe
guard Il provided to protect the public service from any
hagrant abuse of power.
At your suggestion have carefully examined their
peculiar fitness of the officers selected this de-
cate and aru0us duty has been conceded with ka
BILE unannity by both officers and citizens They were
sion Of the records of the department.; there were
among them of age and experience, whose achieve
ments form part Of the history Of the country and
allied character.
And while should be uncandid to say that
l,a~o 4hoa oSA Tho
classification in regard to each individual precisely
they have done, without single variation yet clear
correctness of their opinion in large number Of the
cases and such is Difference to the judgment Of the
Board and their superior knowledge of what renders
officer inefficient and what constitutes real efficiency,
that cannot withhold from their report my approval,
ad, Use you to do unless your better judgment
shall make suggestions which may have escaped me.
have reflected much, sir, this important proceeding,
under proper appreciation of the trying task devoved
insensibity to the inconvenience and pain to which
many may be subjected
| transmit herewith a copy of the regulations pre-
scrbed by tie department for the board under the law
emit sers mt n0n0' 70 very y DosBIS
To the PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Washington Sept. IL, 1885,
SIR;-Hayipg carefully examined and deliberately
sidered the report of the Board of Officers convened
der the "act TO promote the efficiency of the navy APP
proved February Is, 1885, and also your communication
Of the 9Th instant hereby my approval Of the
orders will accordingly be issued in pursuance Of the
provisions of the law. FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Hon. J. c. DonmS, Secretary of the Navy.
The excitement relative to the report of the Naval
Board be undated The newspapers have taken
up the matter in behalf Of very deserving junior
officers The Long Island (Brooklyn) star says
BY the recent reduction Of the officers in the navy
der the law of Congress- this great country saves the
pitiabie contemplate sum Of Si97 075 The reduction
amounts t. .0l persons: dropped 49, We presume that
among the retired officers are many equal in capacity
and vgor to any in the Board Of Commissioners not
one Of whom should have belonged to the navy in COM
will be likely to inu IT, for the best and most fitting
will seek its service Among those retired
pay Francis b. Ellison, Of this city born and brought
up here and known by most of our citizens, who would
testify TO his capacity and efficiency We have known
HIM from YOUTH aud never saw we better officer But
the department kept him as well as others lieutenant
until he began to grow gray in the service Then he was
made commander and now he Is put inside. We ven
ture TO say that in working ship, or in fight Frank
Ellison would stand shoulder to shoulder with any
on that board who voted for his retiring. Many, per-
haps who have not been in service for years. well
enough to retire or even drop but men like Ellison in
the prime of life and in active service, too to be de-
p,sd OF their position and rank something that hon
Congress will revise this decision Of the naval gentlemen
who have passed Judgment upon their brethren and right
what Is evidently wrong
The Of Lieutenant Dornick Lynch, who has been
retired is also considered very hard Lieutenant
Lynch is considered of the best executive officers in
the service and perfectly competent to perform all his
duties ashore and aaoat.
ConMoDoRE CHARLES STlwART.-We sincerely graft
fed TO learn that the President under the authority of
the act of Congress- in revising the decision Of the late
Board TO promote the efficiency of the navy has assigned
Commodore Stewart to the post Of Captain Commandant
Of the Philadelphia Navy Yard the duties Of which he
has ably and efficiently performed for the last two
years This order necessary from the fact that the
Retiring Board had placed Commodore Stewart the
leave absence list at 81 500 pay and the Secretary OF
the Navy communicating to tho Commodore the vol
untary decision Of the President continuing him in
tive duty makes honorable mention Of his great services
to his country and the ability and zeal that have always
distinguished him as naval ofhcer-Phia. Argus.
The Central Railroad Accident.