New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-16
+ DISCRIMINATION IN A BILL.
MoRE'oF THE LINE AND STAFF QUARREL
A MEASURE GRANTING INCREASED PAY TO CERTAIN
NAVAL oFFICERs EXCITEs CRITICISM.

| A MEASURE GRANTING INCREASED Fay TO CERTAIN
! NAVAL OFFICERS EXCITEs CRITICISM.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-Some surprise was
manifested few days ago when bill, entitled
To equalize the pay of certain officers OF the
uayy.n was introduced simultaneously In The
Senate and in the House. Thus bill succeeds
the one which was withdrawn Immediately AFTER
IL was brought to light through the columns OF
IHE Tribune on January 20 The new olii
has been referred to the Committee on Naval AZ
fairs, and Is now under consideration oy tae
subcommittee senator on naval Affairs
TO whom the bill has been referred, ana nc
has echoed the opinion expressed py many,
when the bill was first introduced, thaI IL lis Is
ingenious and quite amusing ms cr .,9 t
has led TO the belief that the bll VIII nO1
come from that committee again, although inc
House committee may report ~. ms Ssctsd TO 20
push it through both houses al once, ana oelore
any opposition was aroused =.
The certain officers include every grace IN III
the line from Rear Admiral down, and the Dill
absolutely ignores any reference TO the pay %. %
the medical, pay, engineer ana an ouneg stssn
officers Hence il is plain that certain Objects
yvas intended to mean line officers and none others
of the same relative rank IN the navy whose
nav is now, in most instances below tnat OF
The line and whose expenses ana huules az
least equal those Of others OF the same rank
And this despite the bold statement made lew
DAYS ago that the staff was responsible Tor the
continued line and staff quarrel" The new
hill really speaks for ITSELF when carefully read
and il suggests or invites opposition. 1t begins
as follows: That certain commissioned officers
on fine active list of the Navy Of the United
States shall be entitled to receive annual pay
at the rates herein stated after their respective
designations"
serving on board ship" $500; on shore duty,
$500; waiting orders, $4,000 This Is an IN
crease of $1,000 in the sea-pay and $500 IN
shore-pay. The pay Of Commodore is to be
increased $500 when on board ship; $1,000 on
shore duty, and $500 on waiting orders. The
pay of all the line officers is increased by the
bin from $500 to $1,000, but when it is taken
into account that expenses OF officers OF the
navy are necessarily greater than upon citizens
in the way of uniforms, mess expenses, room
furniture, entertainment OF Official guests, etc.
the tables of the pay bill are none too high
But the benefits Of increased pay should extend
10 oil officers Of the same relative rank Ii IS
noticed also that the phraseology of the bill
reads when serving on board ship" instead OF
when at sea-" as the law is now. The change
was suggested because OF the dissatisfaction
caused by the decisions of the Treasury officers
tlat officers serving on training ships and re-
eeiving ships could be credited with shore-duty
pay only. By the passage of the bill the line
officers would receive full sea-pay when serving
on board Ship and all other officers would re-
cpive fun sea-pay only when serving on board
Of vessels in commission for sea-servlce. Other
new features are longevity pay for Captains ana
Commanders, and the increase OF longevity pay
in other grades.
The pay that it is proposed to increase most
is that of the Rear Admirals, and it is significant
that the principal supporters OF il are the twenty
seven of that grade on the retired list who live
in Washington. They have been doing con
siderable entertaining Of Congress recently. II
the bill passes it will give each OF the retired
Rear Admirals s., 625 year. or s1100 more than
they now get and 81, 800 more than any officer
not OF the line, retired in the high st grade, can
get. It will also give line officer full shore
pay when on sick leave, while other officers
will have to be content with leave of absence