National Republican., 1883-01-26
MAKING A NEW NAVY.
Midshlpman Easy" to bo an Ensign in the
Future.
The Pay Corps--Examinations and Pro-
motions--AboIshing Commodores.
A Modern Ordnance Yard--The New Steel Cruisers
Double Turreted Monitors.
Naval Cadet Appointments-Disco for
Purchases by Paymasters Prohibited.

Purchases by Paymnsters PrOhibiteu'
The naval appropriation bill as it passed the
house contains many items Of general lcgis-
lation. 1t changes the title of the grade of
midshipman to that of ensign and that of
master to that of lieutenant, and provides
that midshipmen and masters now ON tho list
shall constitute junior grade of ensign and
a Junior grade Of lieutenants respectively.
THE PAY CORPS.
Tho provision in regard to the pay corps of
the navy is that whenever vacancies shall
occur in said corps there shall be no original
appointments to fill such vacancies but pro-
motions may be made according TO the exist
ing regulations from those remaining in said
corps. officers in the line shall be detailed
to perform the duties of paymasters under the
the same rules and regulations as are now re-
quired of paymasters, but such officers shall
not be entitled to increased compensation in
consequence of performing such duties
EXAMINATIoNs.
The bill also provides that the various
boards constituted and provided by law for
the examinations (other than physical) of
officers of the navy for n promotion TO
higher grade in the SERVICE shall conduct
such examinations as far as may be in writing,
and make record thereof and shall certify
the same and their conclusions thereon,
under their hands and upon their honors
They shall prosecute and carry on such exam
nations strictly in all the branches and re-
quircments necessary to the discharge Of the
duties of the higher grade, and particularly
as to the professional fitness of the officer eX-
amined, to perform all tho duties of the higher
grade ut sea.
PROMOTIONS.
On the subject of promotion the bill con-
tains the following prOviso: That hereafter
all the vacancies which shall occur in the
various grades of the line or staff of the navy
shall be filed by promotion as follows For
each two vacancies there shall be one promo
tion in each of tho lower grades until such
grade shall be reduced below the number sllxed
by the provisions of the act of Aug. ., 1852.
ABoLIsHING CoMMoDoREs. ~
The provisions abolshing the grade of COM
modOrc are as follows Provided, that here
after all promotions to the grade of rear adj
miral on the active list shall be from the
! grades of commodore and captain according to
seniority and under the regulations now pro-
vided by law, and no more promotions to the
! grade of commodore shall he made, that
grade being hereby abolished; Provided,
| however, that no commodore now in the SER
vice shall he reduced in rank or deprived of
his commission by reason of this act.
BENEFITS OF ACTUAL SERVICE.
All officers of the navy shall be credited
| with tne aCtUNl tlllle tncy may nave served rs
| officers or enlisted men in the regular or
| volunteer navy, or both, and shall receive all
| the benefits of such actual service in all re-
| speCts in the same manner as II all said scr-
vice had been continuous and in the regular
navy, in the lowest grade having graduated
pay held by such officer since last entering
the service: Provided, that nothing in this
clause shall be SO construed as to authorize
any change in the dates of commission or in
the relative rank of such officers.
MODERN ORDNANCE YARD.
The President is authorized by the bill TO
q. select from the army and navy five officers
who shall constitute board, for the purpose
of examining and reporting to congress
which of the navy yards or arsenals owned
by the government has the best location and
Is best adapted for the establishment of gov
ernment foundry for the manufacture of ord
nance adapted to modern warfare for the use
of the army and navy of the United States
the cost of all buildings, tools, and imple-
mcnts necessary to the manufacture thereof
including the cost of q steam hammer of suf-
, ficient size for the manufacture of the heav-
lest guns and the President Is further re-
quested to report to congress the finding OF
said board mt as early date as possible: Pro
vided, that no extra compensation shall be
paid the officers serving on the board hereby
created.
) LIFE-sAvING DRESS.
|
lied and empowered at his discretion to con
stitute and introduce MS portion of the equip
ment of the navy the lifc-saving dress adopted
and approved by the life-saving service Of the
, United States.
REPAIRING WOODEN SHIPS.
Tho bill provides that no part of the sun
appropriated for the bureau of construction
and repair shall be applied to the repairs Of
any wooden ship when the estimated cost Oi
! | unh iru ghn Of
estimated cost of q new ship of the same size
and like material: Provided further That
nothing herein contained shall deprive the
secretary of the navy of the authority to order
repairs Of ships damaged in foreign waters OF
on the high seas, so far as may be necessary
to bring them home.
DoUBLE-TURRETED MONITOR.
) The clause relative to the completion of &
l double -tufreted monitor is as follows:
To be applied by the secretary of the navy
5 under the appropriate bureaus for cmplet
, ing, in accordance with the recommendation
D Of the naval advisory board, the engines ant
0 machinery of the double-turTeted iron-cla(
(, which said board may advise to be first com
pleted in the government navy yard, undeI
the direction of the Navy department, by of
hcers and employees of the government an(
> not by contractors, provided he can do tn,
t work of the same quality in the navy yard
Q as cheaply an thoroughly and with as mucl
Il advantage TO tne governments ana provided
q if he shall not decide to do this work In tho
. navy yards of the United States, he shall thel
4 invite proposals from all American ship
@ builders whosa shipyards are fully equipped
7. for repairing or building iron or steel ships
and from constructors of engines, boilers
and machinery, and shall build the sam
| by new contract or otherwise, as the
i. secretary may think best for tho interest q
IS the government, $i50,000. But the execution
h of no contract shall be entered upon for tn
completion of either of these vessels until tn
i terms thereof shall be approved by the advis
y ory board, who shall approve only such con
y tracts as may be to the best advantage of tn
government, and fair and reasonable, accord
a ing to the lowest market price for simila
u work, from responsible and competent bidders
aud at a total cost not to exceed the amount
n estimated by the advisory board in its full rC
/. port, required by the act of Aug 8, 1882; an
X the secretary Of the navy shall take possessio
of the double -turreted iron clads, and, If h
I thinks best, remove the same to the govern
It ment navy yards; and he shall ascertain th
: amounts which ought to be paid to the cor
tractors severally for the use and occupatio
q Of their yards with said ships and for the car
" thereof, and report the same to congress, wit
3 all the facts in connection Herewith,
:" NEW STEEL CRUISERS.
The clause in the bill for the constructio
i of new cruisers is as follows:
{ For the construction of the steel cruisers
y not less than 4,300 tons displacement no'
sueCially authorized nv law two steel cruiser