The Portland daily press., 1882-04-25
The Revenue Marine Service.
rErnnn the n Y Herald. j

The act Of Congress, July, 1876, for the ap-
pointment of cadets in the revenue marine SER
vice requires the cadet to be only two years in
service before he is promoted to the grade OF
third lieutenant. which grade gives him rela-
tive rank with an ensign in the navy. Four
teen of the cadets who had only seen six
months sea service Of the probationary term
have been promoted to the grade Of third lieu
tenant-all of them deficient in seamanship.
Midshipmen in the navy are not promoted to
the grade OF ensign until they have been at
least seven years in the service, and three years
of that time at sea. The act Of Congress should
be amended to read, flour years in service and
two years at sea- which sea service should be
on our own coast, where the duties OF revenue
marine officers are defined by acts OF Congress,
and where the cadets would acquire practi-
cal knowledge of the whole coast, the entranc-
es into tho bays, rivers and harbors: the head
lands lighthouses and the soundings and cur
rents on the different parts of the coasts.
They would also have the opportunity to
board and examine all vessels sailing within
the jurisdiction of the revenue laws.
The bill to promote the efficiency of the rev
enue marine service now before Congress, Gre
ates new grade of four cost captains, with an
increase of salary of 81, 900 each, but makes no
provision for an increase OF any OF the other
officers in the service. Some of the officers
have been endeavoring to get the Committee
on Commerce in the House to amend the bill
by inserting an amendment which provides a
small increase of pay for each grade, accord
ing to length of service, bat SO far have been
unsuccessful The Chief of the Revenue Ma
rine Division and one or two captains in the
service who drew up the original bill were SO
intent in providing soft places for themselves
that they left all the old captains out in the
cold and nothing was known by the officers in
the service of the provisions of the bill until
after it had been read twice in the House re-
tered to the Committee on Commerce and Or
dered 10 be printed.
The bill calls for written competitive exam
nations for all officers except post captains,
which isunfair and unjust to the officers in the
service, as it gives the Board of Examiners an
opportunity to promote favorites over the heads
OF meritorious and efficient officers, and which
has been done in several cases within the last
six years or more. Competitive examinations
are all right for cadets entering the service and
for their promotions to third lieutenants, but
lieutenants and engineers of all grades should
be promoted according to seniority after they
have passed the examination for promotion.
Nohigher grade or increase of officers is re-
CURED over the number stated below (2OO),
which is sufficient to officer all the revenue
marine vessels now in service, and are also
sufficient for all the other duties pertaining to
the service, either revenue marine or life saw
ing
lieutenants, 30 third lieutenants, "a; cadets,
IA; 4ehiet engineers, "a; first assistant engi-
neers, "a; second assistant engineers, 4-total,
200.
j. M. GOWAN.
The plan OF Capt Gowan's meets with favor
we are informed, from the officers of the SER
vice in this section.