The New York herald., 1869-03-20
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.

THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ef GHs
TIE Work Dsae-The Energy and Pluck Of
the New Secresary-9crvices Of Admiral
Perter-A NEEDED Department.
WAsHMaroN, March lS. 1899.
The Navy Department at length shows sigma OF
awskening from It's Rip Van Wrinkle slumbors-
The spirit OF Old Wellss has departed and the reign
Of inertia and somnolentia d over. Even the old
fashioned building from which the navy Of the nation
draws tts inspiration seems to have shaken the
drowsiness out OF tts antiquated timbers and puts
air OF business and OF brisk rejuvenated youth
refreshing 70 observe. The Navy Department as 1t
now 10 and - It was three weeks ago marks about
the same degree Of comparative difference
a. between Peter stuyvessnts time and
A. T. Stewards. In Grandfather welss era
the whole establishment from the kinky-
headed porter at the door to the sleepy
headed genius up stairs, was pervaded BY an atmos-
phere like unto what the l0tos eaters found in Ten
nyson's island OF eternal afternoon. There was
quiet, slumber0us charm everywhere. The books
slumbered on the shelves, and the dust in broad,
unbroken layer, sumbered on top. Sacred dust till
Borie's advent blew 1t all away. Pens slumbered in
ink bottles and the very ink itself moved sluggshly
across the paper. Newspaper men rarely found an
item worth recording at this department Of the gov
ernment. Once in while letter OF interest from
some naval squadron might come lmping along from
the venerable Secretary, with instructions that the
information therein embalmed might, without detri-
ment TO the service, be furnished TO the anxious
public press Then the Under Secretary, with
q trace Of sleepy pride in MIS- eye went
over the document, and, having discovered
it to be OF the requisite soporific standard,
handed IL over to the expectant reporter. Visitors
found the somnifer0us influence OF the place grad
nal orn n mi n m
versational powers apsng into dreary and languid
effort in the vague m0nosyllabic line For those OF
nervous temperament visit to the institution In the
days OF Daddy Weles was cheap, powerful and
salutary sedatlve. Opium, morphine and hasheesh
are good in their h but tas sna n %
pile, with its venerable ngurehead, beats opates and
eectuaries all hollow.
A change, however, has come over this heavy
dream OF things, and, like giant refreshed after
eight years OF slumber, the Navy Department
G o raos s nGer au ran ore %
hardly week at his post when he has run half
way through the gamut Of naval reform; but
to Borie. Behind him, with every rope, boom and
spar at his fnger's ends, with mind that takes In
whole American navy and its erTaniSatiop rom the
cooking galley to the etiquette Of an admirals re-
ception-ts wants. Its wastes, its capacity for I'M
stands Admiral David D. Porter who comes at the
request OF General Grant and Secretary Bore to
Ing an and % renovating % Inc zen entire navy Il IS Her
cuiean task, but Porter Is just the man for
the moment. Down there, in that dull, silent
Academy, he has devoted much OF his time
to this very subject in hopes, no doubt,
available In practice It viii, therefore, be less q
source OF astonishment to the public who have been
so little accustomed to hear thing OF the Navy De-
parment at the recent rush OF orders and regulations
when 1t Is known the real fashiOning hand at work
has had his task before him for some time and has
given his deepest attention. Hardly has he assumed
his 0eqk SeCretary ROfiefa with The EXCEL
lent aid Of Captain Walker, OF the Naval Academy.
at hts elbow when straightway out goes new set Of
regulations to traverse the wide, wide earth where
the Stars and Stripes uter over the naval tars
OF America, and nstructing our gallant officers at
duty .sSpars OF ships-of-war shall not be painted
yelow;'' good; none but yellow fever ships should
thus be DISTINGUISHED "a return to the old
painted black.n Away In the Indian seas
about the attn Of July this order viii reach some
viii y for their favorte tar and restore the old COM
pexion to the yards. They have had for many years
custom in the navy yards OF indicating the bureaus
to which different departments belong without ndi
eating the departments themselves, and thus 1t be-
came puzzle to the stranger to ell exactly what
bureau might contain. simple remedy for this
viii hereafter be followed and each department. viii
be designated by plain sign, such as .'steam
o1ice," navigation oIilce, ordnance oilce,n &c.
1t viii tread on the corns Of good many Of those
ambitious young sprouts-and old sprouts too--vain
OF receiving honors and fond Of playing the role Of
commanding officers whenever chance offers
to be told no salute with oars shall hence
forward be offered any one but the commanding
station But the Snkinaest and craeeSt cut Of ali
delivered by the stern, reforming handOf Porter Is
tnat aimed at those darling luxuries OF the service
the staff officers Porter never liked them much. He
thought they put on too many airs and did too little
work. and were air the time urging Congress to give
them coequal rank with the commanders and com.
modores OF the navy. Their glory has departed, and
the gallant band Of fleet surgeons fleet paymasters
and neet engineers who have been wearing the uni
form OF higher grade than they entitled to both
ashore and ahoat must henceforth cease to deck
themselves In surrcptitious plumage. Vdnttds rant
ouby we M saws y Bore
% order snforced." OF Of Course course they viii, viii and and
as q commodore will quickly realize the TACT that a
uniform Is but fleeting show for stan 0fllcer's
asasion gwen n s ms te LAS, straw ofeaKs le DON
how his vertebre could sustain the additional
weight OF stalk after what has been already piled
on. Not content with taking his uniform away, the
relentless Porter per Bore, commands that execu-
tive officers on all occasions shall take precedence
over star % Officers. Think o. It. ye unhappy sur,
cooked hats the executive officer, who might on
some occasions happen 10 be pilot, takes prece-
tends its attention. Secretary Bore Is but day
IN his office when he revokes the sentences
respectively OF Napoleon Collins, Of pirate Florida
and Bahia harbor fame; OF George +. SAWYER and
Commander George M. Bache. That settled and
approved by the President, he next turns his atten
tion to regulating the sea pay OF officers and hits
exactly the arrangement which common sense would
approve by making tine sea pay Of officers commence
from the time OF leaving their domiciles TO obey
orders. Every order Is solid shot delivered be-
tween decks, and smashes oil % smithereens some
cherished traditional regulation. Here Is sample
in two lines:-
'Article TX, instructions to Medical Onlcers OF
the Navy Is annued.u
And there goes by The board lot Of old fogy In
strucuons engraved on the memory Of every neet
surgeon.
Tnen. again, in another line, thereafter the North
and South Pacific squadroDs will not exist sepe-
rare organizations OF course not; all from the
North Pole TO Cape Horn Is ours on the sea, and
patrol will do for the entire beat. But best OF all
from Boric Is his regulation forbidding application
by officers for duty through persons OF influence.
stand aside, Senators and Representatives Clear
out OF the way lobbyists In every shape. Merit alone
shall win. SO bravo for Borle Who In all fairness
can object to the wisdom and impartiaty Of this
arrangement that the serylce Of officers hereaf
ret viii be for period ofthree years, counting from
the dV they RECEIVED their orders until they are de-
tached Oh The fsstfh 6I Iner yssssE y tAs g4lsed
States 0fncers who have been three years At sea
will, on their return, be allowed three years at
shore station; and TO make 1t fair for all, ocera VIII
have 10 take their turns the diferent stations.
Those officers now on the Mediterranean station Will