Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-08
PERSONNEL OF THE NAVY.
What the Secretary says In Regard to the
Ohicers Of the Service.

Omcers of the Service.
Secretary Tracy in his annual report devotei
a long chapter to the matter of the personne
Of tho navy. He refers to the work Of the
board Of line officers, appointed in June last
under Capt. r L. Phythian, to consider the
causes of and measures against stagnation in
promotion. The Secretary says:
In reference to the engineer corps, whose
\ necessities are of a somewhat different char
acter. no board was deemed necessary, the re-
ports of the engineer-in-chief having pointed
out with clea-ness and ability the measures
considered necessary by him to promote the
efficiency Of the corps A modern man-of-waT
is q vast and complex machine. needing intelli-
gent and trained minds to insure o perfect
| working Of the parts, failure in any one OF
which may be fatal at q vital movement; and
the sense of responsibility, the physical and
| nervous strain upon the engineer officer
charged with the care and supervision Of this
network Of machinery is very great. His
duties are not only Of the highest Importance,
| for upon him mainly depends the efficiency OF
| the motive power. but they are at the same
time arduous and dangerous. Manual Labor
| and subordinates are at his service, but he can
not be everywhere, and he should have the as
sistance Of men like himself to bear their share
| of his load.
1t is false economy to put in our new vessels
az "' 40 NUS ausaneeu III nibn- pressure ni"
vices by which steam and mechanical appliances
nrovide an ivan fsc;ent n,mber ~ ofscers In
control them.
As TO LINE OFFICERS.
In reference to the line officers, the report of
| the Phythian board, transmitted herewith, is
commended to the careful attention Of Con-
gress. The picture it presents is not overdrawn
on I,s al uiu MI III Ia -. y, .easu
.nanse wiz ~. III - "I ~ asa.- III.
s."s III :; 1880 r. 10 a. danar,ant
iGPoseu 10 ye e;;iS, III a. ppaasA;,;as
- az 80 =. ~. .1.,'a,.~.f a. datsiIs iii
.; s.ss 49,. ;I o,;e;;o.
H. 49,. es ..n,' -. ~ o,,o,;o,, :.
20 ,rodn.,a atsn;am; apnr,naard;,a pt,;csrs r.
aocon,nI;.h this ~. w.t. ro,cb ,ba rorL ond
res,nns;h;i;,;as Of cnmmond botora ,hav hayo
nasssaJ Az ,,r;r,a ~ i;to and While tbey have
stiiI = rsasoppahIe ner;od 81 service !, rrosrect
ne Secretarv tben goes on 70 raviaw ~
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES moda nv tba bo.rJ
which have alreadv baen made pubI;c and ne
concindes.
W;.b -, - A.. ...x-.s - A.. .o,-a,,
MAN the dsnsrtment ia fnilv in accord bmt IL
f;nds otharIr thst ara ,ron g. snr;ons oh;oct;on
II be,;eves that a scrptinv sin,;ior 10 tHat snn.
gested in the report is advisable. but it il
strongly Of the opinion that, before the scru-
.iny taxes place, an opportunity should be gwen
to those officers who may SO desire to make, as
a voluntary step, the transfer which the scru-
tiny contemplates.
RETIRED AND RrsERyr LIST
Jxor,d roconr,ord .h,, ,h;s shor,d ho dana
~, :, - -
IN Ahfee ways rns', oy Allowing All onlcefS
VINO are veterans OF the war 10 retire on 'heif
own aPPncauon Win a1VanEeuieht W tne next
.b, 49, .'.ssaS - H. $50 go =,
one grade to retire on their own application
with advancement to the next higher grade;
third, by allowing all officers having twenty
years or more Of service to go upon the reserve
list on their own application, without further
promotion, and subject only to shore employ
ment
These three measures will secure first an
honorable retirement in the nature of a we'll
earned reward for those whose services have
been most meritorious: second. the advance
ment of one stem for those whose who have
suffered Injustice bv reason of lonp-delayed
nromotion. and tbird il will enable such of;
GERS "a nrefer il 10 90 of their own ontion nnon
the reserve list Tins ercbanpino the benefits
of promotion and increased nav for the benefits
of shore duty. These measnres will also nc
comnlisb n considerabIe nart of tho necea.,rv
reduction of the list by a voluntary instead OF
a comnnlsorv transfer
.-
noA 0-'i ~" SEA Dohi'
hlttT tutsc NOiuutdTy tTauSIeTB are COM
pleted the scutiny should be held and the seiec-
ton made, not as proposed by the board, Of
the best officers of the navy which is a some what