New-York tribune., 1885-01-05
PROPOSED CHANGES IN TIE NAvY
THE M'ADoo BuL-A CoMMoDoRE's OBJECTIONS
To IT.
hill ,,o,y bafora EooOreSs iptrn1ucpI by

A bill now before Congress, introduced by
ongrrssman McAdoo which proposes making radical
changes in the official personnel OF the Navy Is meeting
with bitter opposition from officers OF the higher grades
II sacrifices personal Interests of officers for
the advancement OF others. and selects arbitrar'
ily some officers for retirement and others for
promotion The bill provides for the creation OF seven
viceadmirals instead Of now. ten reGradnifals
fifty captains, ninety commanders, 127 nenenant com
manders 300 lieutonants and 80 engns II abolishes
the grades Of commodore and unior-lieutenanis The
stationary retiring age sxtytwo years but under the
McAdoo bill some captains would be put the shelf at
a much earlierage while others would I've promoted and
continue in active service board OF officers Is TO he
appuited 10 designate in the OF each vacancy
~ the rear-ldmris list two captains, ana IN the
of every onrth vacancy IN Inc eAail st' one one
commander bc retired" The bill also provides that
immediately upon the passage or tho act an ohcefs
who within years from July l. 1888, will attain the
age Of sixty-two years. must be retired such bil II
is claimed VIII do great Injustice To tho Objects thus io
A commodore on the active list made the following
continents the bill yesterday II should be rcneul
bered that every placed the retired list increases
the pcrsonnel OF the Navy just thar extent THIS bill
would add rearadmrals three comm"dores
tweniy captains, and eleven twelve commanders
retired llt and many To the active sl TO take
their places from the grades below The retired ist and
the country not snier this For three years past
the secretary O the Navy has filed The Of Congress
and the country with incessent cianor OF Top heavy
Navy and now - proposed not ohiy 70 ake ms h-
crease add entire corps OF Wee adurals Tor
which the country and tie Navy have mo use hccehty
the grade OF midshipman was abolished, and these
officers are to be promoted to enaigs me 5raae OF
master was also abolished ana tDcse 0iHccIs neoalie
senior and Junior eutenauts. J. IT well for Congress
10 abolish grades to promote the officers to higher
grades Tne proposition In the bill would retire several
cumnandants OF squadrOns abroad ana stations AZ
home; the Chief OF the Bureau OF Yards ana Docks
and the president Of the Foundry and Advisory boards,
whose duties are credably and efficiently performed.
The bill would retire officers before they out OF
their Gites. makes four and half years difference
between the retiring OF the Army and Navy officers,
the dsavor O the Navy Ia spite OF the fact that
the statutory retirement age Of the former Ia sixty cur
wears and sxtytwO years. IL IL special leg
isation therefore suspicious for II seeks 10 retire
fopfy OccaHlOn
anime the OF those who 10 pront by 1t, IL
becomes dOibly suspicious
MANY of the officers to be retired Ivy this special
act fought battles in China IN the Mexican war and all
through the Rebellion. and their retirement would IN
nct lifelong arnis upon their wellearned reputation
aud character Tho list of reaT-admras established IN
the peace basis IS to be retained This might be
increased fourteen with benefit 10 the service the In
crease to be made by promotions from coIrn0dores.
which wond thus reduce the latter grade 10 the number
established by Congress In 1882. This would njure
one and wOnd O"en tho way 10 faster promotion than
now which is the plea for the McAdOo bill"