Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-28
THE REVENUE MARINE.
What Naval Officers Think OF the Pro.
posed Transfer to the Navy.

| It is generally expected that the bill now
pending in the Senate providing for the trans
| fer Of the revenue marine service to the navy
will become law, but during the debate upon
| il, in which Senator Sherman has taken an
opposing stand, naval officers are considerably
worried rs to its outcome. They are, a rule,
| opposed to the move on the ground that the
| list OF officers will become even more choked
than 1t is at present, and they do not hesitate
| to express their Discrimination to receiving the
! revenue marine officers into the fold as
brethren. This attitude is not inspired by any
personal antagonism toward the latter. but by
wholly selfish motives. An officer speaking to
STAR reporter the other day On this subject
said: I'VE have to wait long enough now before
we get to any sort of rank, and it will
De worse when the revenue marine is
spliced on to us. Then. too, we did not enlist
for the purpose Of boarding smugglers or
chasing tariff shippers. There a good
many advantages to be gained by the other
fellows, but very few by us. The only posi-
bic advantage that can come to us is that we
would have more actual service in plotting
vessels in and out of harbors There are but
Few harbors on this coast that have ever ran
into on my own responsibility. We do not get
any chance to Fl nd out the nature of the har-
bors, for when we take a vessel into a port the
commander always takes charge himself and
this keeps the practical knowledge of the
ranges and channels out of our sphere II the
other service was transferred it would probably
lead to wider diffusion Of acquaintance with
the harbors of the coast than now exists But
that Is the only advantage that l can see before
me. As for the revenue people they would get
a retired list. which they ought to have but
which can be given to them by direct legisla-
ton instead of doing it in this way l do not
deny that they deserve more than they have
now, but they should not get it at our expense"
On the other hand there are some very high
ofncers In the navy who are positive friends of
the proposition. One of Them a chief of a bu-
reau, remarked: "This should be done as soon
as possible. 1t will be combining two services
that are really allied and which are neither as
strong now as they would be when combined.
The introduction of the revenue service into
the navy would give our officers something
positive and important to do, instead of leaving
them to simply study and make preparations
Tor the future. There has never been any rea-
son why the navy should not do this revenue
business. 1t is naval service, it has to do with
steaming and sailing, it requires high knowl-
edge OF seamanship and it is q valuable service
TO the government. Then, too, it would be
much cheaper to combine the two than to keep
them separate. and where there is something to
be gained by 1t economy should be exercised"
1t Is undoubtedly true that all the opposi-
ton on the part OF the naval men comes from
their fear that the move would prejudice their
own opportunities for advancement and from
an idea that the work that now falls to the lot
of revenue officer is in some way beneath
their dignity.