The critic., 1891-01-07
rrnsoxNEL OF TILE NAVY.
The Same Trouble in the English MS In
the United states Navy.

the tuited states Navy.
Fran Ho Brifih Aimy dRd Nary Gdlcve.
SIM | think that the thanks of the lieu
tenants of the Royal Navy are due to the
,hmy oad Nary Ga7c,tc for the extremely
able article upon their position which ap.
pcarcd in its columns ON December u. At
last may say that the right note has been
struck, and that the most potent causes of
discomfort have been exposed to the light
of day. II is Not rs your article puts IT,
thc question of pay, neither is il the qucs-
tion Of want of promotion, which has
caused, and is causing daily and hourly
the growth of the alarming spirit you
notice among the licutcnants. llut II Is
the question Of position and the question
of duties.
With regard TO the former. Not very
many years ago the lieutcnant's position
stood Infinitely higher than IL does ut
present, and the causes are not far to seek
as they arc entirely due 60 the second
question: that Of duties. What the Lieut.
tenants, and particularly the senior lieu-
tenants. feel so bitterly, Is the way in
which they arc, rs your article says, put
to do the same duties as sub-licutcnants,
midshipmcn and warrant officers.
IL should be borne IN mind that, rcla-
lively, The senior licutcnants rank with
majors in the Army; but look at the diff
ference in position \ senior watch-kcep-
ing lieutenant is a "handy billy TO do
any job from that OF commanding officer
of his particular ship to taking turns of
watch-kecping with junior warrant oiii-
GERS. When the senior lieutenant reflects
that his brother, the major in the Army,
is q senior officer and one who, by virtue
of his position as such, is spared much of
the drudgcry oi service, which he has
passed through and done WIZ ,, naturally,
the senior lieutenant feels himself II much
aggricvCd man. lie SAYS tn himself: II
don't see my brother the major, taking
turns of duty with the scrgcani-maior Of
his regiment, and do see him with an rs-
slirCd position of II senior officer, respected
and consulted rs such--whilc |, who have
also borne the burden and heat of the day
for twenty years and more, am exactly in
the Same position now as was as Il mid
shipman or young sub-lieutenant.
Sweep away harbor watch-kecping and
you would remove onc-half of the discon-
tent among the lieutcnants. Every one
knows that ii is an unnecessary relic of
barbarism, and would appeal to the cap
tains of her MajcstY's ships to show more
consideration for the comfort and dignity
of their licutenants. Can they not see
that, in reducing to one level the licutcn-
ant, the midshipman and the warrant Off
Ger, the position of the former receives a
tNuNhN DluN Nllb tp lIltN llbI KNOW
what bitter fostering discomfort this sort
of general "miN-up' causcsP Surely they
must, and might try and remedy it, for
in their hands is the power.
If ! may he permitted to say so, the one
mistake in Your article is in representing
the "child-like faith" of the lieutenant in
the authorities to do Something for
him. lie is under no such delusion, be-
llcvc me, and hopclcssness of any inn
provcmcnt in his condition fosters the dis
content which exists | have written
strongly, but fcel--and know that the
licutcnants as q body Will fcel-not one
whit too strongly.
In conclusion, say that if the authori-
ties at the Admiralty wish the Navy to re-
main an efficient service, and for It's oni-
GERS to be animated by the spirit which
animated their predecessors, who made
England what it is, then let them take
measures, and that quickly, to remove the
canker of discomfort which is slowly and
surely eating out the heart of the licutcn-
ants.-l am, Nc. A.