The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-01

upon the justice of this case, but there are
some points with which the. public are
not familiar that have an important
bearing. The surgeon of a naval vessel is
required by law to keep an accurate daily re-
cord OF each case under his care, and opposite
TO the name of each patient he gives de-
scrlption of his symptoms, and whether in
the surgeons opinion he is entitled to pen
sion. This record is accepted at the Pension
bureau as sufficient evidence, in case of an
application for pension from the man him
self, or, in the event of his death, of his
WIDOW. When man is taken off the sick
nst, or IN the event of the suspension from
duty of the surgeon of course this record
ceases; and, in case of his death or perma-
nent disability, there is nothing to show that
he is entitled to receive a pension from the
Government.
This case of Surgeon Green is in great
measure analogous to that of Engineer Tower,
who, during the war, refused to close his
furnace doors when commanded to do so by
the captain of the vessel. Mr.. Towers ex-
cuse was that he had already more steam than
he could safely carry, and that he could not
close his furnace doors without imminent
danger of exploding his boilers In spite of
this he was placed under arrest, court-mar-
tailed, found guilty, and sentenced to a
severe punishment. The more onerous por-
tions of the sentence were remitted by the
Secretary, as in the case of Mr.. Green, and the
Engineer was simply reprimanded.
These conflicts of authority show conclu-
sively that there is an urgent necessity for a
reconstruction of the navy, and a more exact
definition of the duties and responsibilities of
the officers in charge of different depart
ments. 1t cannot be disputed that in both of
the instances cited the commanding officers
were clearly in the wrong, and the surgeon
and engineer in the right, and it is simply
an outrage that the one should be upheld and
the other punished. 1t may be necessary for
the sake of discipline that the supreme power
should be in the hands of the commanding
officer, but there ought to be some way of
holding him to strict account for the proper
use of the power entrusted to him.
The result of these and similar annoying
interferences on the part of the line officers
is. that the staff of the navy is rapidly becom-
ing demoralized. There are now a number
of vacancies in the medical corps which it has
been found impossible to fill with proper
persons, because educated physicians will not
submit to this kind of treatment, and they
prefer to give the navy wide berth. We
sincerely hope that Congress will take the
matter in hand at its next session, and make
such a reorganization of the navy as
will do away with the spirit of old fogyism
that now rules it, and by a more accurate
definition than exists at present of the re-
sponsibilities, duties and privileges of each
officer, promote harmony among the staff and
line, raise the standard of efficiency in the
service, and do away with the dissatisfaction
that now exists. There is certainly no en-
couragement for educated surgeons and
engineers to enter the navy as it is now
managed, and these officers are of quite as
much Importance as those who have command
on deck.