The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-10-06

atre of the United States of America in Congress
sembed That the active list Of line officers Of the
United States Navy shall be devded into nine grades
taking rank according to dates of their commits
sions in each grade, as follows, viz M
First Rear Admirals.
Second. CommOdores.
Third Captains.
Fourth. Commanders.
Fifth. Lieutenant commanders.
Sixth. LieutenRnts.
Seventh Masters.
Eighth. En5igns.
Ninth. Mdshipmen
Sec 2 And be Il further enacted, That the num-
Der OF officers allowed to each grade shall not ex-
coed nine admirals, eighteen commodores thir-
ty-six captains, seventy-two commanders, one
hundred and forty-four Lieutenant commanders,
one hundred and fOrty-f lieutenants, one hun
bred and forty -four masters, and one hundred and
forty-four ensigns.
Sec g. Aad 6e further enacted That the vessels
Of the United States navy shall be divided into four
classes, to be commanded, as may be, as
follows:
First rates, by commodores.
Second rates, by captains.
Third rates, by commanders
Fourth rates, by lieutenant commanders.
Lieutenant commanders may be assigned as first
lieutenants of naval stations and of vessels not
commanded by lieutenant comm n lers.
Sec. a. AMd be Il further enacted, That tho Secre-
tary of the Navy shall appoint an advisory board
of less than three officers, senior to those to be
reported upon, VINO shall carefully scrutinize the
active list of line officers above and including
the grade of masters in the line of promotion, and
report TO him in writing those who, in the opinion
Of the board, are worthy Of further promotion, in
the following words We hereby certify that -
- has the moral, mental, ph ysical, and profess
sional quaf atoms to perform efficiently all his
duties, both at sea and ON shore, of the grade to
which he is to be promoted and recommend him
for promotion.
Sec s. And be Il further enacted That the officers
recommended shall he Immediately commiss Toned,
corling TO their present seniority, in the follow
ing grades and numbers, viz: eighteen commo-
dores, thirty six captains, seventy-two command
ers, one hundred and iorty-iour lieutenant COM
hmm raIr
one hu ndred aud forty -four masters, and one hun
drcd and forty-four ensgns; Progded, That is
number Of officers remain upon the active list after
the action Of the board, otherwise so soon as the
graduates from the Naval Academy are available
for promotion.
Sec. g. And be Il further enaefed, That a similar
advisory board shall be appointed at least once in
every four years Provided, That the same officers
shall not b. eligible for two successive term.
Sec l. And be t further enacted That nine
adnirals may be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent OF the Senate, who shall
be selected, during the war, from those officers up
on the active list not below the grade Of command
ers, who have distinguished thenlselvi, or shall
hereafter most eminently distinguish themselves,
by courage, skill and genius in their profession:
Propidsd That no officer shall he promoted to this
grade unless upon recommendation Of the Presi-
dent by name, be has received the thanks of Con-
gress for distinguished service. During times of
peace vacancies TO this grade shall be filed by
ular promotion from the list OF commodores, sub
ject to examination as aforesaid.
sec. g. AHdb ehf9rther enacted, That whenever,
upon the RECOMMENDATION Oh the PreSluenb OF tie
United States, any officer of the navy now upon
the active list, not below the grade of commander,
has received or shall receive, by name, during the
present war, n vote Of thanks of Congress for dis
tDguished service such officer shall not be retired
except for until he has been ffty-vc years in
the naval service of the United States.
Sec 5. And be Il further enacted That any line
officer of the navy marine corps may be advance
ed grade, if upon recommer dation of the Pres
ident by name, he receives the thanks of Congress
for highly distinguished condu in conflict with
the enemy or for extraordinary herOism in the limo
OF his profession.
Sec H. And be Il further enacted, That any per-
who shall have received shall hereafter II
ceive temporary appointment acting volunteer
lieutenant or acting master in the navy from civil
life, authorized by the act of Congress Of Jul,
twenty-four, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, may
be confirmed in said appointment in the navy, and
placed in the line of promotion, from the date o
said confirmation fupon the Recommendation o
the President, he receives the thanks Of Congress
for highly meritorious conduct in conflict witt
the enemy; Propided, Tie number Of off, ers al
lowed in each grade by this act shall not he in
creased thereby. Scamen dsting gushing then
selves in battle, or by extraordinary herosm il
the line of their profession, may be promoted t
forward warrant officers, acting masters mates
az they may be best qualified upon The recon mend
q ion of their commanding officer, or apprt d b
the flag officer and the department. Upon sue
promotion they shall receive gratuity of one hun
bred dollars and medal of honor to be prepared b
the Navy Department.
Sec. Ii. And be It further enacted, That the str
dents at the Naval Academy shall lie sty[l led miC
shipmen and until their final graduating examine
tion, when, if successful, they shall be commi
stoned ensigns, ranking according TO merritt. II
number allowed at the academy all be two I,
every member and delegate OF the House of Repr
sentatives, two for the District of Columbia, az
ten at large They shall be between the ages
fourteen and seventeen, physically sound and We
formed, and OF robust constitution They shall
examined for admttance into the academy accort
ing to the regulations which shall be issued by Il
Secretary Of the Navy, and If rejected shall n
have the privilege ofanother examination for a
mission to the same class unless recommended
the board of examiners The President shall sele
the two from the District of Columbia end the 4
at large, and the President shall also be allow
three yearly appointments Of midshipmen, W
shall be not over Citizen years of age who shs
be sele ted from boys enlisted in the navy al
who have been at least year in the service, S
months Of which shall have been sea service. Fro
and after the fifth Of March, eighteen hundred o.
sixty-three, the nomination of candidates
admission into the Naval Academy shall be made
tween the fifth of March and the first Of July
each year, upon the recommendation Of the mel
Der or delegate, from actual residents of his d
trict, and they shall be examined for admissi
in July: Prorided, That when any candidate W
has been nominated shall upon examination
found physically or mentally disqualified for
mission, the member or delegate from whose q
trict ne sonominatcd shall be notified to rocco
mend another candidate, who shall be examined
September following. And it shall he the duty
the Secretary of the Navy, soon after the NTH
March as possible, to notify, in writing, each me
Der and delegate Of any vacancy that may exist
his district; and If said member or delegate Il
lscts to recommend a candidate by the first of j
In tlat year, theD IL snail De uuIy OF the sec
tary of the Navy to fill the vacancy lIidshipn
deficient at any examInation shall not be contin
at the academy, or in the service unless upon
recommendation of the academic board nor 81
amy officer of the navy who has been dismissed
sentence Of q court-martial, suffered to resigI
escape one, ever again become officer of
navy: ProUided, hoTegeT, That no greater mum
of midshpmen shall be appointed by the Pr,
dent at large under this under any other Law
Congress than shall be allowed bv the provision
this section
Sec. u. And be 70 further enacted, That the Il
senior rear admirals shall wear square blue fla
4 the mainmast head and the next three at the #
most head ard all others at the mizen.
: Sec. %. And be further enacted, That the r.
tive rank between officers of the navy and the al
shall be as follows, lineal rank only 20 be consit
cd.
Rear admirals with major generals
CommodorQs with brigadier generals.
Captains with colonies.
Commanders with lieutenant colonies.
... Lieutenant commanders with majors.
Lieutenants with captains.
Masters with first heutenants.
Ensigns with second lieutenants.
Sec. "a. And be Il further enacted That {
may be allowed upon the retired list nine rear
mirais and eighteen commod0res The rear 30
rails shall be selected by the PRECEDENT, by and
the advice and consent Of the Senate, from
captains who have given the most faithful ser
to their country. The eighteen coIanicdores
be recommended from the list of captains by an
visory board Of aimirals After the above u
- bers are commissioned, promotion to those gI
upon the retired list shall be bv seniority su