The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-02
THE NAVY.

The Letter from Secretary Robeson Relative
TO the Reorganization of the United states
Naval Force-The Proportion Of Navy and
Army officers In the Military Service.
We have received an advance copy of the
following letter, of which q brief synopsis only
has been published. The matter is one of great
interest not only in the service, bat in society
generally
NAVY DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.--
Sir:-I have this day, in compliance with their
resolution, transmitted to the House of Repre-
sentatives q copy OF the record of proceedings
and papers of the board of officers heretofore
convened by order of this department to take
into consideration the subject of assimilated
rank between the officers of the various corps of
the navy.
At the same time, in accordance with the ex-
pressed wishes of some of its members, 1 send to
your committee such brief suggestions in regard
to the subject matter embodied in the report of
said board as seems to me to be for the good of
the service.
These suggestions have, for the purpose of
giving them definite form, communicated in the
shape of the bill herewith inclosed. But 1t must
be understood that these are merely such sug-
gestions as after diligent inquiry and much re-
lection, seem to me to unite, as far as may be,
consideration for individuals with the true in
tsrests of the services and they to be regarded
as suggestions only, and in no sense as an en-
deavor to enforce the views OF the department
in any other manner.
II will be perceived that the provisions
of the inclosed bill for the benefit of
the various auxiliary corps of the navy,
while they are considerably more liberal than
those of the bill which passed the Senate at
the last session, do not include SO great num-
ber of officers in the higher grades as was
agreed to by the board of officers; nor even so
many as are suggested in the letter of the Vice
Admiral, which was among the papers before
the board and which is transmitted to Congress
with their report
This is a question of much personal interest,
and calculated to excite considerable feeling,
and have hesitated long before differing in this
point from SO many experienced officers; but
felt that their views had been somewhat infu-
enced by Difference to the claims of individuals
and desire to compromise a much vexed and
difficult question, while am not authorized to
yield for such reasons what seems to me In this
respect to be for the public good.
In the line of the navy high rank is neces-
sary incident of command, and Is essential to
organization and discipline; but in the auxiliary
corps it is a matter of personal feeling, dignity,
and comfort, and these, though considerations of
importance, should in common with all others
which are personal yield to the best interests of
| the service and of the country.
Looking from this standpoint have, rs al
ready remarked, been constrained, while recon-
| mending larger number of pay, medical and
| engineer officers of the higher grades than was
| provided by the Senate bill above named at the
same time to reduce the number reported by the
board, believing that number TO be larger than a
| fair adjustment of public and personal claims
requires or will allow.
The board have recommended In the medical
and pay corps respectively, besides one officer
| with the rank of commodore in the navy-corres-
ponding with that of brigadier-g general in the
| army--that there be allowed fifteen officers,
| ranking with captain In the navy-correspond-
| ing with thai of colonel in the army-and ten
officers of like rank In the engineer corps; max
ing forty officers with the rank of captain. Add
to these, two constructors, four chaplains and
| four professors ranking with captains, and we
have on the active list of the various auxiliary
grades, fifty captains; while, in the line corps,
Of ten hundred and ninety-four officers, includ-
| ing midshipmen, there Is but the same number
| of officers of that rank.
This is, certainly, out of all just proportion, OF
| any consideration of capacity or service, indi-
| dual claims or public interest.
The bill which / propose gives the auxiliary
| corps twenty-eight captains in all, certainly q
| full proportion.
The board also recommend eighteen officers
ranking with commanders, In each of the medi
cal, pay, and engineer corps, and fifteen In the
other auxiliary corps, making sixty-nine in all
| Add this number to those of higher grade re
commended by the board, viz, fifty captains and
| three commodores, and we have one hundred
| and twenty-five officers In the auxiliary corps o.
five hundred and sixty, ranking with, or above
| observation-disclosures of the army, none OF whom
are to do duty at sea, except in cases of specia
emergency.
nearly three thousand officers there are, In th
| medical corps one brigadier-general, ont
colonel, and five observation-disclosures; and In tn
pay corps, one brigadier-gsneral, two colonels
and two Observation-Disclosures; making, in both o
these corps, twelve officers ranking with, o
above, the grade of lieutenant-colonel, agains
slxty-six of like rank In the same corps of tn
| navy, with Its eight thousand to twelve thousan
| men and twelve hundred officers.
| Surely, neither Difference TO the personal dig
| nifty and pride of the members of these corps
| nor regard for the true interests of the seryic
l and the country, requires that they should
| placed so far In advance of their brethren In tn
military service.
| 1t 10 true that the organizations of the nav
are much smaller and moro numerous and isc
| lated than those of the army and thus require
larger proportion of officers of sufhcient ran
| for the purposes of separate and responsible
| command. But this necessity does not apply
officers of the auxiliary corps who exercise n
| command; and is particularly inapplicable {
those grades which are not intended for &c
| duty.
The bill which propose gives the auxiliar
| corps forty-hve commanders, ranking wit
observation-disclosures, which, with the thirty-on
officers of higher grades, also recommended
gives them seventy six officers ranking with, {
above, leutenant-colonel in the army.
have retained In the bill eight chief eng
| neers, constructors of machinery In view of th
number required at the various navy yards an
stations
Ihave, also, followed the recommendation
the board In regard to officers on the retired lis
as this seemed to manifest proper respect fo
: seniority, and confer suitable reward for lonI