The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-08
PRoMo1IoN ron xArAb oFF1oKRs.
TIE Proposed CommissIon or Congress te
Consider the NnvH rersonneL

| NonHner the Navy PERSONNEL.
wAsHiNoToN. Dec. 1.-THE resolution which
has been introduced into Congress for the APP
Dointment OF commission OF three Senators
| and three Representatives to examine the
personnel OF the navy and to make recommen-
dations on that subject, promptly takes up a
subject which Secretary Herbert dwelt upon in
| his report
| That the question is an important one is
| sufficiently plain from his assertion that the
present condition OF the personnel is too Sc
rlous to be neglected any longer. and unless
remedies are adopted looking to some system
| OF promotion which will produce regular
| flow from the bottom to tho top Of the list the
| consequences, not only to the service. but also
to the Government. will soon be nothing less
than alarming" Assuming that the object OF
any system Of promotion should be to produce
efficient officers. he holds that officers OF the
line ought to be made to bear the response
bilities OF actual command by or before
the time they have reached the primo
OF life. since then they will be still
young enough to accommodate them
selves to the demands upon intellect and
energy which are made by tho assumption
OF control OF man-of-war" In order to show
the need OF reform in this matter, he reviews
the causes OF what no regards as the stagna.
ton In promotion and says that the age at
which officers reach the respective grades Is
as follows! Rear Admiral % Commodore.
DSi captain, OQ; Commander, 4Si Lieutenant
!Iomm1ander, 49, iieutenant, ~. and Junior
Lieutenant 81 The two great evils under
which the navy suffers. In the opinion OF tho
Secretary are, lrst that large proportion OF
the line oncers at time when mimi ana body
ought to he at the best are serving in the lover
ranks without command, and, secondly TINT
ment can get tho very flower Of its personnel
Into those positions where they can be OF the
: Two years ago secretary Tracy, discussing
the same question, declared that THO present
system cannot endure much longer. with
the new shpR we must have a personnel whose
efficiency Ii beyond question and whose OK
celence 10 on the increase and not on tho
wane. No country could afford to keep M such
system and maintain a body OF officers such
as the line OF the navy will become in few
could affotd to pension in the higher grades
officers whose whole time in these gtadcs has
actual duty, and who hurry one after another.
as Admirals OF a few months service. to con-
Increasing r"SdityS in his reS0rt Of last Year
Secretary Tracy recommended tho appoint
ment OF Congress commission ON the sub
lect, such as Is now contemplated.
In MIR. Meyers report on the subject n Joint
committee was proposed which should take up
the line. As to the line he held that the prin-
ciple oil selection should. in some form, be In
erder. to secure a remedy Tor existing evils.
The Phythian, the Cowie. and the farwell
bills are among those that have taken up tho
The Ihythan Board gave great consldera-
ton to The question as regards line officers;
the classes that entered the Naval Academy
during and Just after the ciyil war far exceed;
pointed out that the eight classes from 1882 to
1907 inclusive, were at that time represented
classes from 1850 to 1857 furnished 3i0
or course the younger classes would
have fewer dropping out from death. retire;
strength with these allowances should have
been 80 instead Of $40. MIR. Tracy, two years
IafF ftp had tat,, ttfN.N
between length Of service and rank, pointed
out that at the present time the tw.n-
fer By only one year in actual length of
service. though the dates OF their commits
sions as Commanders are over, twelve
years apart ENen among men OF the same
nary extent. The head OF the date OF SGl has
last man Of that date is No. 10 on the list Of
the grade below. and therefore at least two
nine. years between two officers who en-
tered the service almost on the same |
Crowded Classes aash the tor they s will be
retired in a few years. Promotion. II slow be- |
fore that time. will then be abnormally rapid. |
who Wish change that they will not be 1T for
custom ed TO subordination.
The Phythian Board proposed first to reduce |
an active and a reserve list and retiring those |
who should receive a place on neither. Next. |
for future promotions. 1t proposed not to pro- |
mote to flag or command rank unless the on |
Ger had a certain period Of service before him,
and also that compulsory retirement should |
be based on length of service rather than age. |
From the head OF the lst OF Captains . nuIuber II |
oHlesr. .qaAs to twice the number OF vacancies III
given year is considered a. eligible Tor promotion aud
from Ihis number the hest are chosen by the Bosrd
% al TIE vAeAnciss Their relative rank remains
The same as uetorr, but no Captain 10 be
promoted unless ne has tvo years si before
Captains whose names have been IsIcs
without having been selected Tor promo.
t!oE Or wEo have reached period u forty years
Of service retire as CAPTAINS similar plan adopted
IN Promotions from lieutenant Commander to Com.
Eni.r TIE necessary period " serve. In be-
iIs eighteen years instead OF nye.
Mr. Tracy. In making the foregoing sum-
z sry recommended That the selection should
b o! officers hest fitted for sea duty" and
that prior to making 1t. voluntary retirement
On TIE next higher grade should be allowed
10 war veterans and to those who had passed
U ore than fifteen years in ono grade, with vol
uLtsry withdrawal to the rcserv" list by Off
se-s Q, tEeIty years service or more.
EEf M. Herbert has said in his recent re-
IT That he - engaged In the preparation of a
/ - 70 submit 10 the Committees on Naval AZ
e fs a. 70 the Joint committee IL appointed.
fs.cs tLEt plan will undoubtedly form the |