The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-27
Naval Line aud star omeers.

! in the service entitle tnem may De seOureu
bv LEGAL enactment, or, in other words, that
! the law will guarantee that they shall be
treated like gentlemen. This is our own way
of stating the case; but 1t represents the
actual facts in manner more understandable
to the majority of persons unacquainted with
the subtleties of naval etiquette than would
the wording OF the petition itself. Many of
the line officers have entered an energetic pro.
test against this petition of the surgeons
They claim that the privileges of promenading
the quarterback and messing in the cabin
belong exclusively to their body; that they
are the navy; that discipline would be imprac-
ticable, and the service would go to the bow
vows, il the surgeons and other staff officers
are allowed to perpetrate such outrageous
innovations on the most sacred quarterback
traditions. And how the navy clings to its
traditions few persons who have had no actual
experience in the matter can form any adequate
idea. Etiquette has been reduced to system,
and the whole code has been set forth in a
general order by the Secretary of the Navy,
stating how many guns shall be fired to salute
an admiral, how many vice admiral, how
many side-boys shall stand at the gangway to
doff their caps when an officer Of certain
rank comes over the side, and whether the
boatswain, or one of his mates merely, shall
give one, two, or three toOts on their whistles
on such awe-inspiring occasions. An admiral
coming into port salutes with so many guns,
or is saluted, according as he may be senior or
Junior officer, and it would be an interesting
item to be set before intelligent taxpayers,
who hope that with economy our national
debt may possibly be paid off some day, how
much money is expended by our naval officers
in the course OF a year in doing honor to each
other.
With the very highest opinion of the yalor,
patriotism, and ability Of the officers of the
United States Navy, we nevertheless think
that the teDacity with which they adhere TO
such pompous ceremopisls is childish in the
extreme. When in foreign ports these matters
OF salutes, pipings, call-boys, and other fiddle
faddle have to be attended to in receiving and
acknowledging the courtesies and attentions
OF foreign officials, but among ourselves they
ought to be abolished. Much of the stately
etiquette which once distinguished the army
has been done away with, and most certainly
without detriment to that branch of the SER
vice, aud without in any way interfering with
good discipline. 1t is anti.republican, and
lore than anything else it has had the
effect of keeping alive that aristocratic
spirit which animates the line officers
of the navy, aud which excites their
arimosity against those who wish to claim
tqual social privileges with them.
Ever since the surgeons of the navy have
been organized into regular corps, they have
been engaged in a contest for assmilated
rank and the privileges which belong to that
rank. They have been joined in turn by the
engineers and paymasters, and they have
gradually worked their way along to the
position of officers, and have compelled the
line to recognize them as such.
All this may seem matter of very little
mon ent to landsman, but on board OF a
man. of-war the number of gold stripes man
wears upon his sleeve determines his social
status and the exact amount of Difference to
which he is entitled from his brother officers
The staff officers have never asked
anything that an impartial person would not
say that they are justly entitled to. Neither
the surgeons nor the engineers have con-
tended for the right of military command.
This is the duty of the line officers, and the
line officer, from the very necessity OF the case,
must have military authority over every
person on board ship, no matter what the
relative rank of the staff officers NAV be-
The surgeons contend, however, that they are
gentlemen by education and association, and
that in every respect, except that of military
authority, they are the peers OF the Naval
Academy graduates. They ask for the same
privileges, as regards quarters, mess accommo-
dations, aud other purely social matters, as
the line officers enjoy, and the line
officers have never yet shown any good
reason why these privileges should not
be granted. The navy is not what it was
twenty or even ten years ago, and il steam
! aud the other appliances Of modern civilizs-
ton have reyolutioni2ed the old-lashioned
state of affairs that we read about in Marry
/ att's novels, the line officers should submit
with as good grace as possible, even il their
supremacy and importance are somewhat en-,
croaohed upon, and the engineers, surgeons
and paymasters shoNld be protected from
snubs, and their authority and influence il
their respective departments secured by
making them the equals of the line officers il
rank and pay, with all the rights and privi
leges thereto pertaining.