The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-27


again
The senior passed ndshipnlsn now in the vice are
older than Perry, Decatur and haedonoash wnen
they achieved their victories with SO much reno~ " the
duty il required the citizen 10 the militia and The COM
mandors and captains proportionsiy older ipe Asp-
ring youth entering the navy may not nope % feAeh
The rank Of commander 10 the period wheh y asesr'
tained 20 he tbs average duration Of human HE
SECRETARY nsssEps Oh NAVAL REFosH
CAS- subject Of great interest 20 the efficiency OF the
navy beg leave renew the Recommendations heretofore
made by this department for the gradual reduction OF tho
number Of officers who incapable OF useni servee 9
the adoption of suitable plan ior rei,ring all Of this
character from the sphere Of ordinary duly.
SECRETARY NAVAL REBORN
1Tlls great evil in our present sysem is that neither
merit nor seaservce glagiry capacity but mere
seniority Of commission, regulates promotion snh pay
The gallant chigairons men q The navy iee snnanea ds
pirited discouraged their aTdor s chilled TIE hre oil
their young ambition and pride Is wel-nigh exngpshed
Many leaving the service 10 which they have long
opdiy cu1g many remain only because Of the ehershd
expectation of reform The ocer all the
peh the deep wins the admiration Of the world Tor nus
brilliant achievements and makes bis conntrymsn pouaer
than ever OF their country returns TO rest awhile from ns
tolls but to feel mortified In seeing the ndoen the moe
cile who have known no tos and have never met the
enemy, daily promoted over him..
Again in 1854:
q have no hesitation In saying that there are many
officers now in tho navy whose do not adorn the
register. There those incapable Of performing duty
from age aficon There are also many good onietfs
Is blocked up by the incompetent and the atnre sns 70
them so unpromsng. But i Is my pleasure as wen as
my duty % say that he corps y SUI fl e SD
danger but would sustain the proud repdaAon q our
navy which has won so many antes Tor oaE county, aau
by It's brilliant victories cheered the heart o many Dc
spending patriot"
| A CONGRESSIONAL CALL REFORM IN TIE sAyY.
Extract from the report Hon + r Stanton chair
man Of the Committee Naval Affairs made in februa-
ry 1851:
That there are droncs 10 service so large a the navy
of the United States is beyond dispute ana =, iefe ~
and for many years has been Retired lst ~ pacieai op
eraton is also clear IL is ony necessary 70 rder 70 me
Navy Register that there are officers ana NOT small
number either who have retired from active service some
are on perpetual perpetual fariough ana II u eV
dent to the whole service that they will never be sent TO
again These officers are practically g macA on he re-
tired list as ii is possible for officers 10 be
Extract from the report Of the Senate Committee Ma
val Affairs made in 1852 ~
aThe system OF promoting by seniority Of eommis
sion without previous selection and carefa pruning Oh
its material based ss Il Is upon the neo ~ ~
service IL the moral incubus which Il crushing ~ e-
ctasy excludes energy, zeal ability and earing rom
without regard 10 old age and mental and phyea imoe
cillty the controlling elements in the selection o. cop'-
mander'
.. rxAnsIss OFFICIAL RECORDS
The report continues a@
aWe find from the official records Of The Navy DEPART
that from the year 1910 10 the present time period
Of sixteen years. there have been tried by naval courts~
mar,s q the ssa ocer seven captains. eleven md nd
shipmen and II may be regarded established that ony
oneha Of the offences committed and represented
by statements form the basis OF formal charges are
every tried by courtsmaria the department being ever
disposed to svod calling court unless the puoc inter
ests cannot be advanced without one.
The offences which the foregoing courts wsre eslled
upon try md which usually form the subject Of COM
pnint 70 the department drunkenness iegleet of
duty seandalous conduct, tending the destruction of
good morals despect or contempt TO superior officers
on The one hundred and fourteen trials above menon
ed eighsesn only resulted in acluittals"
rHH NECESSITY OF EXAMPLE.
II Is also worthy of consideration that since corporal
abolished in navy the good character
high and bearing and Official proprety ofeonduc OF
officers have become far more essential to the discipline
and efficiency OF the service than for the seamen are
less Influenced by the evR examples OF their su
pcrior and longer subject 10 ths CONTROLLING fear OF
the former prompt punishment But instead OF an i'm
provement In those qualifications which are essential to
moral their crews it evident from Official
fetal proprietes Of the service
s#RKIss prrr.
That disposition avoid service existed to avey
injurious aud remarkable extent will be BY reference
10 any register for the last The nterees-
sion OF friends III hoalh real pretended private business
and other similar pleas In behalf Of officers determined not
70 go 10 generally followed every stiempi OF the
Navy DepArtment 10 send cruising ship abroad, while
shore stations eagerly and pertinseiously sought
now MUCH nrEs rAYns ofriorrs VINO hEsDKHKo
NO SERVICE
The grade Of captain Ia restricted TO sixtyeght The
annual number Of these unemployed during the
ten yesrs previous the passage Of the Act TO promote
efficiency OF the navy thirty nine and Tor tbs
year preceding the psssagc Of the law whoe par
unemployed attending TO their own affairs,
farming kc x2,5o0 per annum- Thus y viii be seen
thai the country paying lin one grade aone thirty
nine captains the OF S975oo per annum TO many 81
whom no Secretary Of the Navy could be found willing 10
inust the command Of ship and three OF whom bad r.
ceived an aggregate about 100000 pay since either hal
performed any dnty ALL We have but 10 refer 10 tbs
preceding from The report Of the Naval Conmite,
f the Senate show thai the grade Of commander was
in similar condition
H# oovRr-xARTtkL
After giving the late promote the efficiency Of tho
navy with from The debate In the House Of Rep
reseniatv pending its passage Ia which lis necessity Is
enforced and Acknowledged the report proceeas'
Cour ~ martial needed, for the power 70 call
them existence any moment already existed and
their powers and duties totally inapploabe to he con-
dillon Of things which was known 10 exist An ohiter
be moral and correct ia character and department
and 10 all relations OF social lite unexcspuona6e ss
citizen sphere OF his usefulness and The cirte q hts
friends be large and Influential snd yei rs navat
commander he may he utterly and hofeesy aeomPeteh
nj. inconpetency may arse from age inhfm.y mcnAt
physcsl original want of ineect ann ensraeter lo'
or sdaptsbity TO- sosmsns duties and Wiinal Courts
martial would not necessarily take cognizace y s un-
fitness . commander while promotion ~ senorV aone
would place him step by step withont an enort or merit
Of his or n Ia positions where 81 the energy Ni power,
and ntsusnrc of man guided hy the cooness courage,