Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-04-21

The Washington Chronicle is, we believe,
the only prominent newspaper 10 the United
States that takes ground against the "stan''
officers Of the navy. A few days since Il
equally astonishes US by protesting against
any change In the civil appointments at tho
naval academy, which has for years been
run In the interests Of the Democratic party.
The political complexion Of the city Of
Annapolis has always been controlled by
the civilian employees Of the academy.
They were appointed with that object 10
view, and were kept In their positions for
that purpose. Now that Republicans are
applying for these positions, the Chronicle
expresses a desire that the old Democratic
officials shall be retained, virtually asking
that nothing shall be done to weaken the
Democratic party atthe capital Of Maryland.
With the State government, the Judiciary
and the local authorities entirely Demo-
cratic, they must still be allowed 10 retain
| control Of the civil employees Of the naval
academy. 1.-THE rule is to be carried out as
laid down by the Chronicle, II ought to ask
for the retention Of all those employed at
the Washington and Philadelphia navy
yards under the administration Of President
| johnson.
with regard to the "staG' officers Of the
| navy, the Chronicle Is for unfolding the
claims for supremacy put forth by only a
degradation Of the "stafI." It's Ia favor OF
throwing open the position Of naval sur.
geon to the appointment OF every man that
eau secure diploma, aud doing away with
the examining board Of surgeons. Why not
also abolish the Naval Academy, and allow
every man who has had experience In sea-
manshlp to contest for cline" appointments
Certain 'line" officers have made II a sub
jeet OF complaint that an engineer demanded
- II. Nt..a4 Ia H.
10 get up steam and put bis engines In mo-
ton, when they were not, In the opinion Of
the engineer, In a flt condition to do so with
safety to the machinery or the ship. The
absolutism Of the commander was offended
by the demand for written orders. 80, also,
on another occasion, a surgeon who had
pronounced a sailor as too sick to be placed
on duty, gave moral offence TO the dignity
Of the commander by protesting against
his order that the poor sick sailor should be
compelled TO take his place before the mast.
II the engineer Is not to be the Judge OF the
cOnd ton Of his engines, and the surgeon
Il not u be allowed to protect the sailor
against the brutality Of Il commander, why,
Il would he as we'll to pick up men for these
positions from the tug boat, In our rivers
and the youthful holders Of medical dlplo
mas.
The question Of "staH" and "llne " was
extensively discussed In 1913, and the ChroH.
ics takes up aud comments upon a para.
graph from an editorial that appeared IN u
leading Journal VI that time, ami speaks Of
1t as "from an article recently published In
the interests Of the medical olilcers." Tue
extract Is as follows;
1.-THE great evil 10 our navy 10 the absolute
power Of captain over the whole navy, and the
arbitrary power OF the military over the med.
Ieal officers The medical ofieers should Do
masters In their department. when heg
speak upon anything concerning the health of
the ship the captain should have no other re-
sort than implicit obedience to their orders,
In this department the medical onlGers alone
do or eau know what 10 necessary. II the cap
tain pay due attention TO his own duties he
can have no leisure for learning those OF the
surgeon; therefore he should not be allowed
to interfere with them. When n captain turns
up his nose In opposition to the suggestion Of
a surgeon he insults the country ~ much ~
when he does the same thing 10 a project OF
the Secretary OF the Navy"
In commenting upon this paragraph the
Chr0Hicle saysi
"Of course the captain should make the
movements OF hts shi conform TO the wishes
action II the surgeon thought the health Of
the crew did not warrant u, and In = thousand
other circumstances involving the discipline
OF his ship he should be careful to conform to
the wishes OF the surgeon"
Now, II our readers will pcruse the other
paragraphs Of the article from which the
above extract Is made by the ChroHiclc they
will see that what was right aud proper In
1918 as to the position of naval surgeon IL
equally right and proper in 1870. The
above paragraph was mere introduction to
the following statement OF facts, which II
did not suit the purpose Of the Chronirle to
give Its readers;
report In the American Journal for Medical
| Sciences for lsts' upon icorbWus, or the scurrg,
as II appeared in the American squadron
bloekading the ports Of Mexico 10 the uulf 10
the summer OF isI6. This report shows that
| the medical oftieeTs gave their advice and
/ warning but were not needed by the commNu-
| ders and that the result was seuFyy, trhich
diIdbled The squadron FROM aeiiag dgdiHSi As cRs-
/ NY Dr. Foltz says: 'ScuTvy occurred in a
| most aggravated form on board 4 large portion
| OF the squadron blOekading the coast Of Mexl-
| co during the summer OF 1870, and for some
| months disabled several Of the largest and
most efficient ships, At time whsn their ser
my. The frigates RarllAn and Potomac, cor.
yettes Falmouth and John Adams, flirt
and the steamer tsteAmShlpD Mississippi
suffered severallyi and few milder cases oo.
CURED on board Of most of the other ships.'
"So The advice Of the medical oiiieers was
neglected by the commanders, and the oonse-
queneea were the loss OF valuable life, tho sui.
| fering Of brave and devoted men, the disability
Of = Meet and the Illustration OF governmental
plans against the enemy Of the country A
| commander And all commanders concerned
should be compelled TO meet It, though II
| should involve dismIssion from the navy,
| hoEEinE, or even shooting, We hope that "a
| InVestigatiOn will ensue, and be followed by
reformation. II inaolenee 10 to be = surgeons
penalty for plain speaking the souFyy may
rage, the Meet may be disabled, and the public
know nothing about It, During the last year
the newspapers have been reaOunding with
complaints against the Meet for ineficienoy
We were told that the men and junior Officers
would fight, but had no opportunity, And 10 !
out comes DR.. FOltE, telling the country that
opportunities were abundant, but the fleet was
10 no condition for fighting, being disabled by
sickness, caused by neglect In the commanders
OF the advice given by the medical officers"
The Idea must DO abandoned that any
| branch Of the naval service 10 created for the
glorihcatlon Of any special few, but II must
| be remembered that all are equally the ser.
wants OF the country, and that, for the In
terests of the country, Just so much use oil
power should be legaliEed as will prevent
Its abuse, and will enable II 10 fulhll Ia
proper function Of holding the heads oil
staff departments TO their proper reSponsl.
bllity without destroying that responsibility
by overwhelming their Independence. Even
with such legitimate restrictions the power
will remain OF crushing all, upon any sup
posed reason Of right or necessity.-Bdlh
mors .lmsriem.
THIS f. TO OWE NOTICE THAT THE SUB
| sGRIBER has OblAinsd from the orphans
CouTt Of Washington e9uaty, IN the District " 90