Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-04-28
YOUNG MEN NOT IN 1T.
Our Naval Officers as Compared With Those
of Foreign Powers.

Our Naval Officers as Compared With Those
of Foreign Powers.
Especial Correspondence
ANNAPOLIS, April 24.-Perhaps the mos.
striking difference between the personnel
of the foreign naval officers and our own
as at present eXemplitied lies in the COM
parative youth of the men in responsible
command among the foreigners and the
large number of grizzled subordinates on
board the American men-of-war. 4 lieu
tenant in the United States service put it
pithily the other day when he said, ut is
easily possible that my son might &C
through the naval academy and become =
commissioned watch officer before l reach
the rank that would exempt me from watch
duty"
Any landsnlan who visits the wardroom
of United States man-of-war and glances
at the double row of heads down the dinner
table will be surprised at the number OF
grizzled men who are yet lieutenants, called
by no higher title than Mr." and still
years from responsible command. 1t is q
lucky American naval officer who COM
mands ship at As and reaches his cap
taincy under 50.
As a matter of fact men become lieuten-
ant commanders nowadays after at least sc
under is years of age, while many are close
to 50, and only few Of the a lieutenant
commanders on the active list can expect to
command ships Meanwhile there are $50
full lieutenants and IS lieutenants of the
Junior grade, many of whom will, in the
ordinary course Of events, never attain COM
mand. 1t requires from IS to p years. serv-
ice for a man to become Il full lieutenant. or
"bull'' lieutenant. as the slang phrase of the
warClroon is, and from l3 to Is years more
for him to become lieutenant commander.
Compulsory retirement at 62 overtakes
some before they get beyond this grade and
many before they bave held their commits
sions as captains SO long as three years.
The last man in the file of 45 captains has
been 81 years in the service, and he attained
his captaincy only last year. He had the
advantage too. of rapid promotion from en-
sign to lieutenant commander during the
civil war. when officers were scarce. AS to-
the commodores and rear admirals, the
youngest of them has been in the service
since 1850. Some of them entered as poo-
little midshipmites in 1916.
In every important foreign navy mer
come to command in the prime of life
Many British officer attains the rank Of
commander at IS, and there are plenty ot
young men commanding the great battle
ships of France, Germany and Italy. This,
say the American naval officers who vainly
await promotion, insures the commanders
the dash, energy and confidence of youth
The sight of young heads upon shoulders
bearing the insignia of high rank will make
American naval officers more than ever
anxious to obtain legislation that shall
hurry promotion by removing from the
path of energetic and ambitious men those
who are content to do their work just SO rs
to escape court martial and pass the neces-
sary examinations when by seniority they
are entitled to higher rank. The English
system involves retiring man after he has
remained certain number of years in
given grade, and something like this is
what the 325 waiting lieutenants and the
others who find stagnation the curse of the
navy are advocating.
f. n VAJ1AEDIGHAN