The New York herald., 1866-07-22
rfuMoT 1ss N THE NAVY.
TO rur ypiror OF rur HERALD.

TO THE EDITOR OF rHE HLg,LD.
Near The end OF our civil Congress passed bill
authorizing the Advancement in rank OF naval officers for
gallant end mertorous This 70 be effected
through tho recommendation OF the Navy Department
aud by confirmation by the senate In March, 1863 al
the adinrais the active list except pahgren lwhose
services The OF South Carolina supposed
importantly, known to have been assembled in wash
ngton advisory board for carrying out the proy
sions Of this law II matter OF general belief that
they discussed tho question very satisfactorily them
selves, aud adjourned sending in their report 70 the
Department. They were reasse n,bled last December
Admiral Dahgren being then member, tho supposed
object being 10 enable him such officers
had served with distinction under him. and the sup.
posed Object Of delay tho par, or the Navy Depart
psrtrcnt 10 enable th. claims OF all ofcerz 10 be
relatively considered by the officers of high rank who
bad commanded them The Advisory Board then ad.
lOurnod For unknown % the public ihs whole
matter then put In pgcOnholc aud doub,y locked
that tho proceedings OF this board profound
rret The fact Il apparent that either officers
deemed sufficiently meritoriouf. oni there
mirhs, or extr9neous can-ra having no relation
to tho Officers OF 'hcir serycer have prevented
uuexccutef. II will not BE- supposed that tho
eleven naval officers advanced for distinguished
and mertorious services PRIOR 70 tho enactment
of tho law were all who deserved advancement
else tho Law would not have been enacted Then
What may have boen the cvirsncors which
prevented actong Can II be- that tho and
mcriorioas naval officers around Washington and h
who have seen little % service before the enemy have
been potent enough to prcycni the consideration Of The
81 the officers a0aat and who engaged in
tho grand actions beginning With tho occupation of
Port Royal ant terminating with the iali ~ Port
fishefr In tbs view q The cnse will MOI, in
future war. the d,paaitlon on the pars
of officers b. murh increaEtd 10 their
dsnctous in Washington and thcreabouts where thsir
devotion aud zeal 10 the service and the country may be
made Immediately sfBAreLt tho Department and 10
the history makers of the sfrptsg The fact
ndapu'ablc that afier advisory boird called by ne
nepnfim nj bad made their report actinn
taken by the Department, any reason given Why
officers had no; been recommended Tor Advancement
accor'ascc with the provisions % The law.
Mould i not he iuss the Board oi Adroras tha, the
Department should publish tie opinion a. regards ,he
neIisotous cIcefN = tnc ivy y y nj asm?is md
oeTncd since they hare aeknoweds.
mcnt that they we're supposed 70 he mc-to-
should Prove ,o bc the cases world d 10, sso
he worth while for the Department 20 state why no
action bad been taken y carry out the Law and ,hai pro
motion ana Advancement DO not depend upon faithful
before the enemy and not % DO obtained b
tbeinf
Before the rebellion the officers of the higher grains
allowed by law were one senior DAG ofcor sixty scvsn
captains and nncty.slx commandefs--to,al one hun.
drcd and sixty.fouE The Navy Register of this
year contains ave admirals. tblrty.nve captains
aud Frvcniy.on" ronmAnjers-tntal one hundred
and thirty. In other words thirty -four leo
tenant commanders would now be commanders had
rcmsined before the rebellion. Surely refucon Of
the number of ocerr the ims Of and following dis
tngufhef serviees below normal peace establshment
IA without precedent In this lla ~ lieutenant
nasders officers Of age and experience who have
performed arduous and dsingu ahed snryio, even
unarknowiedged and apparently 10 be forgotten.
The fnesger lists Of the higher grades given above
would TO oHer favorable opportunity 10 their
advancement In rank. Tho happy occaa0n however 70
acknowledge the worth and nfeify of these oscers
passed over ana Al the time the actual necessities
Of the service.
The aciiye list of Great Britain ~ the beginning of
rebellion contained nlnefy.nise admirais ~ the
various grades which ~ only thirty IN pouh~r le*
thar whole active st Of sfnrsis cot,nss nderw.
captains and lirntrnant c0mnsBdrrv Tbs. too amer
q prutrS~sed civil and with lsl ~ isruaenant
rnsndsrs forty Of HON have weahes~S The ~
. quarter Of century and tie battles ~ four years
surely infrrasng higher grades 10 tb9 naukrr ~
officers fhsy contained before tho do~s nos
like undue fcw1d 70 men Who have served va lons
A bin pax.rd the = nate weets AGO ~hNb
the lumbar of officers of the higher gf~ie~ % afsous
the nnfnt1r bfors tbs II acted up<n by us
House thry.nes of these Old llr.iepui commanders
would b. promos~d; hD ~ y nat MI untrly that this
BIN will - lOfgptt~n ~ pssN"d oywn
THIS " certainly n0t - Il shonld b.. 10 10 The
uav 10 make ~ fasintsin sflrisnt navy. en-
pee, continued usefune~s Artfvity and snsrgy w or
o.cerx ~s should look 10 soms ack knoviedrus M ~
rats sumhrv an our active navy wholly rsdseasfs
10 even pssce e~,sbllshmeni, and utsh u lnfe.
r,os y tsai - sy Infersof possn