New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-08


resulting from age and long continued service,
or from other causes connected with the duties
of their profession, untitled for the performance
of active duty. Several officers Of the subordi-
nate grades are likewise incapactatcd. Some
of them are suffering from wounds received I'D
the scryice of their country during the war.
The carrying upon the roll of active officers
the names of so many who are incapable OF
active duty both seriously impairs the service
and bars the way of promotion for the younger
and deserving members who perform all the
work of leadership without any OF its honors
and only portion OF its reward
The bill provides for a just and satisfactory
1isuositiOn of this undesirable state of affairs.
All officers who have attained the age OF sixty
five years are retired on three quarters pay, and
any officer who has been forty years in the ser
vice may mt his own request be retired by the
President on the same pay. All officers IN
caparitatcd for active service, and whose IN
CAPACITY is a result of an incident of service, are
retired on thrcc-quartcrs pay; those whose m
capacltv is not result of any incident OF the
service are retired either on half pay or on one
year'p full pay from the date of retirement, ac-
cordipg 70 the decision Of the Examining
Boaid, approved by the Secretary OF the Treas
IVY. The vacancies thus created are to he
filed by promotions which are to be made after
connective examinations The bill also pro
vidcs for the appointment from the list OF cap
tains of four post-captains, who shall be chleiS
of the various divisions of the service.
These provisions seem 30 us wise and dcsr-
able Of the value of the Marine Service, it IS
scarcely necessary to say anything. Aside from
lis revenue work it has made an honorable re-
cord in every war since its organization III
1919 Its vessels are accounted part OF the
Navy and arc subject to military duty whenever
the President commands. In the work which
more strictly belongs to them, aiding the en-
forccmcnt OF the custOms-reyenne laws ana
aiding vessels in distress, their record Is an adj
mirable one. In the eleven years between loCO
and 1871 they seized or reported Tor violation
of law ,259 vessels, an average OF | II year !;
assisted 1906 vessels in distress, an average OF
II9 a year; and saved 1872 lives, an average OF
II year. During the fiscal years beginning
with June 1871, and ending with June, loSl,
the showing is even more striking. The whole
number of vessels seized and reported was
2O.911, yearly average, 2,O9l; vessels as
sisted l. : 70, yearly average, Isl; lives saved,
al, yearly average a. These figures show
that the amount OF work performed has
greatly increased within recent years. TAX
ing the five years beginning with 1877 and
ending with 1851, this increase in the num-
Der of lives saved alone is very striking
The whole number was 531, an average
of 1906 year. The number of vessels in dis
trc,s which were assisted was SOS, and the cStl-
mated value Of their carSocs, which would
have been lost without that assistance, was
nearly fourteen million dollars.
ANY legislation which tends to Increase the
efficiency of service 80 valuable as this Is evil
DENLY desirable We believe thc bill before
Congress is admirably adapted to secure That
end. II Will not only relieve the service of a
large number OF ucapactatcd officers who have
earned retirement by fithful work, bat it will
award to the younger officers, who now bear
the burden Of the labor, the rank and rcmun
Grafton which are their due There is no
reason why the principles of retirement which
prevail in the Navy and are being agitated for
the Army should not he applied to a service
which requires in its officers even greater
activity and zeal. The personnel OF the Reyc-
hue Marine Service is and always has been
high. and has long deserved fuller rccogni-
ton from the Government. We trust such re-
cognition will not he longer delayed, and that
Congress will make amends for - previous IN
difference by passing this bill at once.