Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-26
PASSAGE OF TME NAVAL BILL.
Full Text Of the Bill as Passed by
Congress.

men to that Of ensign, and that of master TO
that of lieutenant. and provides that midship-
man and masters now on the list shall con-
stitute junior grade of ensigns and Junior
grade of lieutenants respectively. The pro-
vision in regard to the paw corps of the navy,
| is that whenever vacancies occur there shall
be no original appointments to till such va
cancies. but promotions may be made accord
| ing to the existing regulations from those re-
manning in said corps, officers in line shall be
| admitted to perform the duties of paymaster,
| under the same rules and regulations as now
| required of paymasters, but such officers are
to be entitled TO increased compensation in
consequence of performing such duties.
| The bill also provides that the various
boards. constituted and provided by law, for
! examination (other than physically of officers
of the navy. for promotion to a higher grade
! in service shall conduct such examination
as far as NAV be in writing and make records
thereof and certify the same and their con-
illusions thereon, under their hands and
upon their honor. they shall prosecute and
carry such examination strictly in all
| branches and requirements necessary to dis
charge the duties of higher grade, and par
ticularly as to the professional fitness of the
officer examined to performed all duties of
| hi CHER grade at sea.
| On the subject of promotion the bill con-
tains the following proviso: That hereafter
| all vacancies which occur in the various
grades of line, or staff OF the navy, shall be
| filled by promotion as follows: For each
two vacancies there shall be one promotion
| in each Of the lower grades until such grade
shall be reduced below the numbers fixed by
the provisions of the act of August 10, 1882.
The provision abolishing the grade of COM
modore is As follows:
| Provided, that hereafter all promotions to
the grade of rear admiral on the active list
shall be from grades of commodore and
captain, according to seniority and under
regulations now provided by law; and no
more promotions to the grade of commodore
shall be made, that grade being hereby
abolished
! Provided, however, no commodore now in
| service shall be reduced in rank or be de-
prived of his commission by reason of this
act.
All officers of the navy shall be credited
with the actual time they may have served
| as officers enlisted men in the regular or
volunteer army or navy or both, and shall
! receive all benefits of such actual service in
| all respects in the same manner as If all said
service had been continuous and in the reg
ular navy in the lowest grade, having the
graduated pay held by such officer since en-
tering service;
|
be construed so as to authorize any change
in the dates of the commission, or in rela-
tive rank of such officers
| The President is authorized to select from
the army and navy five officers who shall
constitute board for the purpose of exam
lining and reporting to Congress which of the
navy wards OF arsenals owned by the govern
ment has the best location and best adapted
for the establishment of government foun-
dry for the manufacture of ordnance adapted
to modern warfare for the use of the army
and navy of the United States, the cost OF
all the building. tools and implements neces-
sary to be used in the manufacture thereof,
including the cost of a steam hammer of suf-
| fcent size for the manufacture of the
heaviest guns
And the President is further requested to
report to Congress the finding of the said
board at an early a date possible
Provided, no extra compensation shall be
paid an officer serving on the board hereby
created. The Secretary of the Navy is
authorized and empowered, at his discretion,
to constitute and introduce as a portion of
the eqUipment of the navy, life saving
dress. adopted and approved by the life saw
ing service of the United States.
The bill provides that no part ofthe sum ap-
propriated for the bureau of construction, and
repair shall be applied to repairs; any wood
| en- ship when the estimated cost of such re-
pairs shall exceed 30 per cent of the estimat
| ed cost of new ship of the same size and
like material;
Provided further. that nothing herein con-
tanned shall deprive the Secretary of the
Navy of the authority to order repairs of
ships which are damaged in foreign waters
or on the high seas, as it may be necessary to
bring them home. The clause relative to the
| fha lattn Of fha lnnh la-f TN ato1, ,ap,
tor is as follows To be applied by the Sec
rotary of the Navy, under appropriate bu-
reaus for completing, in accordance with rec
| concentrations of the naval advisory boards
the engines and machinery of the double
turreted iron clad, which the said board NAV
advise to be first completed in the govern
ment navy yard, under the direction of the
navy yard departments by the officers and
employees of the government, and not by
| contractors;
Provided that he can do the work of the
same quality in the navy yards as cheaply
und thoroughly, and with lis much advan-
tage to the government, and,
| Provided that if he shall not decide to do
this work in the navy yards of the United
States. he shall then invite the proposals
from all American ship builders,
whose shipyards are fully equipped
for repairing, or building iron or
| steel ships. and from constructors of engines
boilers and machinery, and shall build the
same by new contract, or otherwise, as the
secretary may think best for the interests of
the government, but the execution
of no contract shall be entered upon for the
completion of either of these vessels, until
the terms thereof shall be approved by the
advisory board, who shall approve only such
contracts as may be to the best advantage of
| the government, and fair and reasonable ac-
cordIng to the lowest market price for SINH
lar work, from responsible and competent
bidders and at a total cost not to exceed the
amount estimated by the advisory board
! The clause in the bill for the construction
of new cruisers, is as follows: For the CON
structon of steel cruisers of not less than
1900 tons, the displacement is now specially
authorized below; two steel cruisers of not
| more than 5000 nor less than $500 tons dis
placement each. and one dispatch boat, ST.
| 100000. For the construction of which the
Secretary of the Navy shall invite proposals
from all American shipbuilders.
| A Leaky Steamer.