The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-05

THE NAVAL CONTROVERSY.
- rRlRNp OF PEACE STATES THE CASE OF THE
LINE WITH cr4EARNxss
To THE EDITOR OF THE HxxAID:-
An article, signed Constitution, I" published in your
paper few days since and necessarily placed the
hands OF great number Of readers In all parts, has
been read and discussed by greamany naval officers,
among others Its tone personal and It's generali-
ties extended to cause doubt among them to
its being written by limo Officer OF tho navy whose
behalf Its claims TO speak, but rather by contributor
hostile 10 them. The line officers emily claim to be
allowed 70 perform thar duties connected with the
service In which they have been educated and
missioned, according to well established rules
and custom, without unnecessary Interference
or collision with surgeons paymassers, cngi-
or other officers appointed for specific
duties and necessarily subordinate when duty TO
tho commander Of the vessel the line officers carry
ing out his ordera II aggrieved in tho manner In
which this they have the opportunity for
investigation and redress which is open TO the line
officers In this routine OF duty the desire and in
tcrest Of every line officer VINO claims ~ be GENTLE
man to concede TO his associates or the stan every
right courtesy aud consistent privilege, and they
terrain such sentiment toward thcm. 90 far tho
writer's extended observation enables him to assert
"
OF the line and staff in service well known
both to be generally by courtesy and per-
discover an III advised and injudicious action by some
OF the latter, In claiming rank and precedenco not
recognized IN any service and utterly subvcrsvc TO
discipline by OF personal importantly and lcgis-
lation that protest ID sometimes necessary against
making staf officers what they are not
educated olncer in any service will readily testify
subversive to the very existence OF efficiency,
which requires responsible head to every
loaf mr. most nj oeb ona
limited to and held responsible for the special duties
intrustod to him. We have given to surgeon, pay
master engineer the assimated rank OF commodore,
captain lieutenant and all the pay and emoluments
attending the assimilation, but when he assumes to
duty, intelligent person will that It not only
changes the Specification OF words, but creates an
utter Generalization, where the real commodore
or captain doing directly responsible TO the govern
ment for his ship and all its officers and materially
qurcs the observance OF his orders through his
tive a limo officer twho may be only lieutenant
MASTERY by any OF these commodores captains or lieu
tenants (by assimiated staff rank, some OF whom per-
haps consider themselves the real thing BY length Of
service In his corps. Many STAFF officers would probably
disavow such claim palpaby inconsistent and sub
versive Of discipline Such rank is inconsistent its
conceded by tradition in all countries 10 whose
special duty it is 70 navigate or fight and smell
Of powder S Not to dbl display aay hoa on orsason
ton q defacaton in his accounts TO pay
master, malpractice or neglect Of his patients
to a surgeon, neglect. and arrangement in his
CINE BY engineer Each OF these officers is
stoned and paid to perform specific duties and as is
necessary have head in each, departments control
their assistants but not equally necessary 70 have
head 10 all subordnates when on duty in command
ing officer, who promulgatcs his orders through tho
line officers, who, In turn, under him In OF
uaty, may command the vessel, which It would DO un-
safe ntrust TO staff officers only qualified paper
by assimilated rank Legslatc may, the stan
c,vil corps although doubtless In many instances
they have given gallant volunteers where nghting was
to be done This question Of relative rank has become
OF increasing dssension in tho SERVICE tho
Beocher trial. and weakens In the eyes OF those who
pay the bill A question, It Is said, has oven been
raised by . STAFF officer occasion coming
the side OF the vessel a 70 the proprety OF sauting
the ocer in charge OF the deck his junior ION the pay
rolf, not recognizing in his punctlious sense Of humi
that through him no merely recognized the flag
and floating section Of the nationality Of the country
to which his allegiance was due and from which his pay
received. In the columns Of the prcss some
times recognize the Of one OF these utuIar COM
modorcs captains IL revives anecdote OF young
attache Of our country who was presented BY our Min
In full Uniform, was suppressed by tho Empcror's
inquiry, 'ln what battles NJ. 10 Colonel had dis
country where titles abound is certainly more
honorable than that Of civil general by some
Cromwell gutless OF his couniry's blood" What
the people, who pay literally for their facilities OF de-
lending their honor aud protecting their commerce,
want Is efficiency In every department. subordinaton
much experience and wisdom have been used with
result in all national struggles hitherto crcditabe
TO this service They take little interest In matters OF
etiquette and consider the whole discussion as wash
ing Of soed linen before the public, the benefit Of
which, II successful may tnure 10 q much smaller
number OF officers than enjoy t. II they fail 70
remember the old adage, United We stand, divided
we TALL " A FRIEND OF PEACE.
THE SIX YEARS CLAUSE THE ONLY GRIEVANCE.
NAVY YARD PORTSMOUTH, N. H, March 80 ls76
TO rHE EDITOR OF THE HRRALD:-
We, the undersigned line onncers on this station,
have read with pain the paragraph in your valuable
paper Of the goth inst, headed "A Line O1cers Views
OF the Proper Position OF tho STAFF" We scarcely
believe that there Is line officer in the servicc 90
lost TO all feelings OF propricty good and
mon dccency as TO have written or expressed such
views and make Of such abusive epthets against
our brother officers OF the stan. However much we
may differ with them in their ambitious efforts to OBJ
tain high and positive ranK-which We think will
seriously injurc the discipline and efficiency OF the
scrvce-we would no. take from them particle OF
the assmilated rank which they now hold BY law,
ceptng the six year clause which consider unjust
No Of people the face Of the earth regretted
more than ourselves the rcopcning OF this question Of
stall rank, sincerely hoped that the law OF 1871,
giving them assimiated rank as high that OF com.
modore (the next highest grade Of the navythat Of
admiral and vice administering been abolished after
the deccase Of the present incumbents nnal Any
who would express such views and clotho them In
friend OF the line aud cannot be overBurdsned win
common sense
BY giving this prominent notice IN your paper you
will greatly oblige, Sc, yours, truly,
YOUNG, Captain United States Navy.
HENRY ERBEN, Commander United states Navy.
J. n AMES Commander United States Navy.
FRAUDS ON ERIE.