The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-07
THE rHrrH1Ax srAoxAr1oN BOARD.
Ways srd Mssss by witch Higher Essk
ihsA ray Ce1lA ne Given to Navy O9eerrs


WARRINGTON. Oct; e.-The Board appointed
last June by Secretary Tracy to inquire into
"the present stagnaton Of officers in the line
ofthe navy" has required only little over
three mohths TO perform this task and to draw
up o system that will produce q more rapid
now OF promotion. But Il was dealing with
familiar problem. Few subjects probably ex-
cite livclier interest In this profession. as In
others, than the methods Of getting more rank
and pay. During the last few years several
elaborate schemes for the purpose have been
under consideration. and In the Fifty first Con-
eresahsyeral bills respectively embodied these
schemes2ss Ono OF tho most prominent OF them
was the PhSthian bill: and since Capt. II. L.
Phythian is senior member Of the present
Board. It Aevident that about all tho neces-
cary facts Md most Of the propositions OF
availabl6aNAe dies were before II to start with.
twas easily possible. therefore. to make re-
portt season for mention In tho Sccretarys
report, and for action by Congress next winter.
But Is there stagnation in the personnel'of
the navyp OF course tho term Is relative; and
what Is asserted is that the current Of promo
ton is4hlt swift enough to secure the highest
efficiency the service and the proper reward
Of It's eea6ers. Tho Board makes o special
point Of the great need Of excellent command!
ing officers for ships with tho greater power
Of movement possessed by modern vessels;
while froxtthe very conditions Of soa warfare
the coNtrol OF an Admiral over the individual
vessels oftis hoet has always been. during
battle. leA9Ahan the control Of a General over
the dlvisionSbf his army. While the factors Of
personal character and requirements are the
main elements in securing competent Captains
Of vessels, one aid can be furnished to success
BY giving adequate practice in command and
In the handling, OF ships at q proper period In
AQ~,.I IA Gx~A
officers now remain juniors on board vessels
up 10 middle life. and acquire habits Of refer
Yfleh nIes q feeling q selt.distrust and this
e AZ ess soafd
HsT Sreat
e. sn hst Tho
WI tSese
siderations arc based upon what is considered
The S1 sapposed degree se! of advaneoment and
Ss% sSS tsa s bls%ses i aos too slow to
gain tue maximum advantage OF youth and
skill in the G9mmand Of vessels. the question
howeyer. Is o6vio%siy special ff IN nature and
y
I ase p not Sns %o
that 81 the BY th lazy Of
w The rS osnse Of y
the main one namely the great number Of
ana darns the porea q the ev As
%aas Salry tssS eo ssS III. st
aasi soisms ., s!adaates, greatly in excess q
sMcsrs whose proSsa ebitty and esnspicaou Us
se TSse are made
sRSss hrss tSa
Hum9er q officers in the high grades: or. as the
Peds the hsaEE
8 having ton V Gommodo!es. i xeula have
*Ssid have sixty. On tie other hand. instead
Of having c'ghty.fve Commanders. it would
ana h,ttS Ieueensnts there would Be two
sn S ana 1 Ensiess com bined; thess ' would Be-
W9sld Be : system 81 higher rank ana SaS
and n & tsg lie
likely also to meot with dissent. 1t Is that In
order to secure promotion to the grade Of Com
modore md Commander a certain minimum
length Of time yet to serve before compulsory
retirement should be prescribed. This would
be combined with O system OF selection for
those grades. which Is set forth at length. The
recommendation OF the Board is that no
Lieutenant Commander should be promoted to
the grade OF Commander who has less than
eighteen years to serve. and no Captain to the
grade OF Commodore who has less than FIVE.
The third principle introduced by the Board
ts to determine compulsory retirement by
length OF service instead Of by age. As the
law now stands. m officer must be retired at
the age OF ~: and instead OF this service Of
forty-slx years would be substituted. This
recommendation Is based upon the fact That
there are margins Of age for entering the Mill.
tary Academy which allow some members Of
tho same class to- enter when older than
others. and thus to DO cut of from chances OF
promotion on the active list Mt an earlier date
than classmates whom they perhaps have
ranked all through the service.
Such are the general provisions made by the
Stagnation Board. They will now. no doubt
be- the subject Of prolonged discussion, which
will increase when embodied in a bill before
Con9ress. The REORGANIZATION provided for
would be arranged by a Board chosen for the
purpose. 1t may safely be said that the first Of
the three proposals, which provides general
system OF promotion. will be welcomed by
majority Of the line Of the navy, whatever may
be the fact as to the other two.
vow rs THE TIME 10 KICK.