The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-10
THE NEW NAVY PAY BILL.

| The plea for raising the pay of the army of
fcers few years ago was, that their compensa-
ton should be made equal to that of navy Off
GERS, which was assumed to be high enough.
But now we have proposition from Mr.. Nal
lory, of Florida, to raise the navy pay in a still
greater ratio. At time when the Treasury is
bankrupt we think that reuenchment should be
the order of the day, rather than an increase of
salaries. We have not examined Mr. Mallory's
bill, but the following structures upon its details
seem to be just
From the New York Times
There are some points in Mr.. Mallorys bill
for the increase of the pay of naval officers,
that ought to be fatal to its passage.
a. 1t gives an annual increase of paw to
one class Of officers, while the pay of others is
not so increased Captains, commanders, lieuten-
ants. masters, passed midshipmen, are worthy
persons no doubt, but the reasons for increasing
their pay annually for life, while all other grades
are left out of the category do not suggest them
selves to persons acquainted with the service
The officers above named do not compose the
navy.
az. The proposed increase is distributed I'M
equally among the different grades, and there
fore unjustly. Take, for example, the flag
| ship Of the Paraguay expedition The new
bill increases the pay of the commodore $1,000 !;
the feet surgeon, $675; the first lieutenant,
| who is, in age, the Junior of the surgeon by
| twenty years, probably, $795, and the chaplain
not a single dime. The ground on which an
increase of pay is asked for is the increased
expense Of living. But how does it happen
that this increase is so large with commodore,
| is very moderate on surgeon, swells out again
| on a lieutenant, and entirely collapses on a
chaplain? The bill of Mr.. Mallory is evidently
a shocking deformity, and cannot fail of being
condemned by right-minded men.
"The truth is, in arranging the paybill, a
certain line of officers, (they call themselves
sea-ofiieers,' have had too much influence.
To give an officer decent support for himself
and family, should be the basis of pay-bill.
Why should the shelter, food clothing, and
education, of one class of officers, cost twice or
three times as much as for another class? The
present pay-bill is unjust because of its PARTIAL
ty, and the proposed bill of Mr. Mallory will in
crease the injustice. Take as an example the
commanders mot the commodores) at our navy
yards. They have house furnished by Gov.
eminent, free of rent, and $2,l00 per dnaun.
There is another class of officers at these wards
who, in point of education and social position,
are the equals of commanders, who have no
free house-rent and only 5 500 per dnn,tm
Mr. Mallory proposes to increase the pay of the
former by the amount of from 81 ,260 to 81 $50
according to the time they have been in the
service, while the pay Of the latter remains
unincreased by penny. That is to say, com
manders will receive on an average $4,000 pc,
aanum and free rent, while chaplain gets
s 500 and will have to pay $500 for house.
ave do not mean to intimate by this that
! commanders. are at fault, for we believe they
; | would be glad Tn see all their brother of