Washington sentinel., 1855-02-04
THE NAVY.

The following is copy of the bill passed by
the Senate on Friday to promote the efficiency
of the Navy by providing for retired list, &c.
1t has yet to be considered by the House Of
Representatives;
A BILL to promote the efficiency Of the Navy.
BE 1t enacted, de-, That as soon as practica.
BILE after the passage of this act the President
Of the United States shall cause board of
naval officers to be assembled, to consist of
FIVE captains, five commanders, and FIVE lieu
tenants, which board, under such regulations
as the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe,
shall make a careful examination into the
efficiency of the officers Of the grades herein
after mentioned, and shall report to the Secre.
tary Of the Navy the names and rank of all off.
GERS of the said grades who, in the judgment of
said board, shall be incapable of performing
promptly and efficiently all their duty ashore
and ahoat; and vacancies occurring in said
board shall be filled by the Secretary Of the
Navy, 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.
SIC. 2. And be it further enacted, That all
officers who shall be found by the said board
incapable Of performing the duties Of their re.
spective offices, ranks, or grades, shall, if such
finding be approved by the President, be
placed, in the order Of their rank and seniority
at the time, upon list in the Navy Register,
to be entitled the reserved list; ID they shall
receive the leave of absence pay or the furlough
pay to which they may be entitled when so
placed, and shall be ineligible to further pro-
motion, but shall be subject to the orders of
the Navy Department at al times for duty /;
and vacancies created in the active service list
by placing officers on the reserved list shall be
filed BY regular promotion in the order Of rank
or seniority. And officers who may be pro.
NOTED to fl the vacancies created by the re-
served list shall, while unemployed, receive only
the leave Of absence" or "waiting orders
pay to which they would have been entitled If
such promotion had not been made; but when
employed at sea or on other duty they shall re-
ceive, in addition to such "leave of absence
or waiting order" pay, the difference between
the waiting orders" or "leave OF absence
pay and the "sea or other duty" pay of the
grade to which they have been so promoted !:
ftouaded, That this scrutiny and reservation Of
officers shall entend only to the grades Of
captain, commander, lieutenant, passed mid
shipmeD, and masters: And procided further,
That nothing in this act contained shall be held
or construed to authorize any increase of the
aggregate pay of the said grades, or of the
naval service, as now allowed by law.
SEC. 3. And be IL further enacted, That moth.
Ing in this act contained shall be construed to
restrict, apply to, or impair the regular pro-
motion Of officers in the service list Of the navy
who may be at any time entitled to promotion
consequent upon deaths, dismissals, or resig.
nations-nor in any manner TO abridge or i'm.
pair the right Of the Secretary of the Navy to
place officers upon furlough.