Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-21

[PUBLIC-No. IL
AN ACT to further promote the efficiency of the
Navy.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, That whenever the name of any
naval officer now in the service, or who may here
after be in the service of the United States shall
have been borne on the naval register forty five
years, shall be of the age of sixty years he
shall be retired from active service and his name
entered on the retired list of officers of the grade
TO which he belonged at the time OF such retire
ment.
Sec. @ And be it further enacted. That the nresi
dent Of the United States be and he is hereby au-
thorized to assign any officer who NAV be retired
under the preceding section of this act 10 shore du
ty, and such officer thus assigned shall receive the
full shore pay of his grade while so employed
Sec, 3. And be it further enacted, That the presi-
dent OF the United States By and NTH the adcice and
consent Of the senate, shall have the authority to de-
tail from the retired list of the navy, for the com
mand OF squadrOns and single ships such officers as
he may believe that the good of the service requires
TO be thus placed in command; and such officers
may, II upon the recommendation of the president
OF the United States they shall receive a vote of
thanks OF congress for their services and galantry
in action against enemy be restored to the active
list, and not otherwise.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted That the presi-
dent of the United States shall have the authority to
select any officer from the grades of captain or
commander in the navy, and assign him to the COM
mand of squadron, with the rank and title oil a
flag officer - and any officer thus assigned shall
have the same authority and receive the same ODE
dience from the commanders Of ships in his SQUAD
ron holding commissions of an older date than his
that he would be entitled to receive were his com.
mission the oldest and to receive, when so employ
ed the pay TO which he would have been entitled
if he were on the active list OF the navy.
SEC 3. And be it further enacted, That all officers
retired under the provisions of this act shall receive
the retired Pay oftheir respective grades as fixed by
law.
SEC 6. And be it further enacted, That promo
lions shall be made in place of the officers retired
under the provisions of this bill as is now provided
by law.
SEC Z, And be it further enacted, That the secre-
tary Of the navy be and is hereby authorized to
cause two hundred medals of hOnOT' to be prepar
ed, with suitable emblematic devices which Shall be
bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, lands
men, and marines, as shall most distinguish them.
selves by their gallantry in action and other seaman
like qualities during the present war, and that the
sum OF one thousand dollars be and the same here
by appropriated out of any money in the treasury
Tor the purpose of carrying this section into effect
SEC. s. And be it further enacted. That the hours
OF labor in the navy yards OF the United States shall
be the same as in the private ship yards at or near
est to the post where such navy yard is established
and the wages paid to all employees in such yards
shall be- as near may be- the average price paid to
employees Of the same grade in private ship yards or
workshops in or nearest to the same vicinity, to be
aetermiHed By the conlndnddHt of the nary yard.
Approved, December2l, 1861.