Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-27
PERSONNEL OF THE NAVY
The Coming Investigation by Joint Con.
gressional Committee.
1t Will Affect Omcers Both star and
Line Plan Proposed by the
Phythfan Board.

Phythian Board.
The passage of the joint congressional
resolution providing for an Investigation of
the personnel of the navy. with a view to
its Improvement, is a source of considerable
qualification in the navy. especially among
the younger officers. The resolution pro-
vides that special committee. consisting OF
three Senators and three Representatives,
tricate subject. in order that Congress may
have an intelligent basis for a change in the
existing system of promotions in the service
in the event that such a course is shown to
be necessary or desirable In the interests of
the public welfare.
stan and Line Affected.
The movement to secure a revision of the
laws relating to the personnel OF the navy
has been under consideration for a long
time and would have made better progress
than 1t has but for the failure of united &C
ton on the part of the officers concerned.
The question affects both star and line
alike, but is extremely difficult of satisfac-
tory adjustment. Engtneer-ln-Chief Melville
says that in view OF the large number of
new vessels with valuable and intricate
machinery, there ought to be more engf-
neers. with an improved standing common
surate with the increased responsibilities of
their duties in the modern ships. There IL
also a movement to reorganize and extend
the usefulness Of the corps OF civil engineers
in the navy.
Better System of Promotion.
The main object. however. is to provide
better system OF promotion in the line
Noteworthy efforts In this direction have
been made by a special board. OF which
Capt r. L. Phythian, superintendent OF the
Naval Academy. was the principal member.
This board submitted q plan for the better
ment Of the service and 1t has been pre-
scented to the consideration of Congress. but
SO far without action. According to this
plan. a reorganization board, taken from the
finest line officers in the service was to ex-
anime the records and qualifications of
every line officer. from the highest admiral
to the ensign, and then weed OUT the list
from top to bottom in the following manner:
First By dismissing entirely from the serv-
ice those who were totally inefhcient through
their own fault. Second. BY retiring those
who. through no fault OF their own were
unfit for sea and shore duty. Third BY
placing on permanent shore duty. out OF the
line OF promotion, those who were well
suited for such duty, but not SO well for sea
duty
This being done, the list would be in a
normal condition for the application of a
general plan OF promotion. except that part
embracing the officers who entered the navy
between 1850 and 1867. inclusive There were
then 80 officers in that part, and this num-
Der was to be reduced to 10. So those of
the 80 who were left after the FIRST wedding
out were to be allowed to retire with the
rank and retired pay Of the next higher
grade II sufncient humber asked to be
retired, well and good. II not, the board
q
duty, out Of the line of promotion, as would
reduce the number to 200. -
Increases and Reduction.
Next. the number of rear admirsls would
be increased from six, as now to ten: that
Of commodores from ten to fifteen; that OF
captains from forty-five to seventy: that of
lieutenant-commanders from seventy-four
to $50 and that Of lieutenants from go to
80; while by reducing that of the comman-
ders from eighty-five to seventy. and that of
the Junior heutenants and ensigns combined
from $50 to las. there would be exactly the
same number of line officers TO- and vet
plenty of room for promotion.
The officers left on the active list, as al
ready spoken of. after the weeding-out pro-
cess. would then be commissioned in the or
der of seniority, and the result would be
about $50 vacancies at the bottom of the
new active list. In other words, there would
be no ensigns and Junior lieutenants The
oincerS OF these two grades retained for the
new navy list would be lieutenants. and all
OF them on shore would be sent to sea to
relieve the officers placed on permanent
shore duty. Younger officers then would be
promoted, but would ALSO for a number of
years to come, perform very much more
than the present allowance of sea duty:
since there would be vacancies in the lower
grades for a number of years. An exception
to the foregoing rules was made in favor OF
volunteer officers.
Future Promotions.
After all these special remedies had ac-
complished their work, promotion was in
future to be as follows: Ensigns promoted
to junior leutenants after three years ser
vice. two and one-half Of which must have
been at sea on a cruising vessel; junior lieu
tenants to lieutenants by seniority; lieuten.
ants to lieutenant-commander by seniori-
ty; lieutenant-commanders to commanders
annually, by selecting commanders from a
number of lieutenant commanders at the
head of the list equal to twice the number
of vacancies. And there were other i'm.
portant rules for this grade No lieutenant
commander was to be promoted who had
less than eighteen years to serve Lieuten-
ant-commanders overslaughed were to be
allowed to retire, provided they had served
thirty years.
captain was to be by seniority; from can
tain to commodore annually, by selecting
from a number of captains at the head OF
the list equal TO twice the number of vacan-
cies on the commodore's list. No captain
having less than Iive years to serve was 10
be promoted. Captains twice overs,aughed
were TO be retired. Finally. promotion from
commodore TO rear admiral was TO be by
seniority.
AS to retirement, all officers were to be re.
tired after forty-six years service. Captains
and leutenant-commanders who would be
retired under the nve years and eighteen
years clause IL not promoted during the veal
were also to receive a chance TO be pro-
NOTED. 1t was evident tnat none OF the
heutenant-commanders on the new list
would be declared from promotion by the
eighteen years CLAUSE.
The above Interpretation of the plan OF
the Phythian board was made by a line Of
ficer who was not a member of the board
Objections have been made to several fea-
lures Of the plan, especially where selection
for promotion is substituted for seniority
Secretary Herbert has prepared a plan said
TO meet all important objections TO the Ply
THAN plan, and 1t will be submitted TO the
consideration of the joint committee I'm the
event OF the Senate's concurrence in its or
ganization.
Worlds Fair Goods.
The collector at Chicago has Informed
the Treasury Department that 1000 pack
ages of foreign goods which have passed
fhrorph the hands of cuStov,S o<Roa~- . -,