The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-27
Our TopheavY Navy.

What MIR. BLAINE said on Wednesday
touching tho disproportion between the
numbers and pay Of the officers and the en-
listed men of the navy was not new, and IL
is surprising that the figures have not been
often presented to the Senate, however un-
palatable they may be 10 the friends and
advocates OF that pretentious humbug, the
United States navy. But the Navy Ring,
like the Army Ring, is strong at Washing
ton, both in society and in the Hobbies Of
Congress, and 1t uses all ito arts and blan-
dishments 10 defeat any legislation which
promises TO be injurious TO its selfish inter-
ests and bring about the reform which the
best men in the service are well aware Is
necessary.
Though the figures given by Mr.. BLAINE
have been frequently published and dis
cusscd In The Sun, they are so startling In
their significance that it is worth while to
repeat them, and that many times.
The number Of the enlisted men Of the
navy, as fixed by Congress, is 1900, force
ample to furnish crews for all our ships and
do the hard work OF the service. To com
mand these men We pay 1920 officers. That
is, we furnish one officer TO n little over
three menl Counting them all, there are
thlrty-elght vessels in commission. Hence
we provide about lifty-three officers for
every vessel, large or small, and about two
hundred men. In tho British navy, the
most powerful in the world, while ours is
one of tho least effective in the world, the
total number OF vessels Is 404, and yet the
number of officers is only a little moro than
double our aggregate 1890, against 2,O20.
In the English service there are over GO,00O
men, eight times a. many as in ours.
Coming TO the matter OF cost, we find that
We pay our officers on the active list over
3, s22, 900 annually, and ON the retired list,
SGlj, OOO-a total Of 81, iG7, OO0i while the pay
Of petty officers and seamen amounts to
only $2,3OO,OOO per annum That IL, tho
shoulder straps cost us about twice as much
rs the blue jackets, although the sailors are
expected to work, while the officers are
largely engaged in nothing moro arduous
than killing time.
Not only have we this ridiculous super
lulty OF officers, but we are also paying
heavily every year to increase 1t. The
Naval Academy turns out annually about
fifty mdshlpmen, who, having been sup
ported by the people while they were get
ting their training at Annapolis, are grad
uatcd to become permanent pensioners on
the public purse. All Of those who do not
resign must be supported by the people so
long as they shall live, at an increasing cost
! Mr. BLAINE proposed that after 1883 the
graduates from the Naval Academy should
not be entitled to commissions except upon
merit, and to fill any vacancy which may at
the time exist. better way would be- "a
shut up the school altogether, and train
boys for the navy as we needed Them by
actual experience at sea, after the old sys-
tenn, in use before the starting of this pre-
tcntious institution; n system which gave
tho service a better lot of officers than the
Academy has ever furnished.
The enormous navy Of England requires
only two great navy yards and two subor
dinate ones, and yet, for our feeble little
service we provide seven navy yards, all o.
them seats Of political corruption and gross
extravaganza One, or at most two on the
Atlantic coast, and one on the Pacific coast
are all we need and yet local influence II
their favor Is 50 strong that Congress goc'
on approprlatlng vast sums yearly for tho
maintenance OF these worthless loallnl
places for officers.
Mr.. BLAlNEs facts and figures We're valu
able and convincing, but he is not an hon
est man, and therefore did not draw thei
true lesson or supplement them by Others
Of equal force. 81 do not intend to crltlcs
any administration OF the Navy Depart
ment either present or past" he said il
beginning his remarks; and perhaps botl
consistency and fidelity to his party for
babe his doing so.
He was Speaker Of the House while SEcol