Evening star., 1894-03-02
TO REORGANIZE THE NAVY.
Secretary Herbert submits a Bill for
That Purpose.

Secretary Herbert has submitted to the
Senate committee on naval affairs a bill
for the reorganization of the navy. 1t pro-
vides that the active list of the line of
the navy shall consist of 20 rear admiraIs.
81 captains. 90 commanders "a lieutenant
commanders. go lieutenants. Is lieutenants
of the junior grade. and the number of en-
signs sufficient to maintain the total num-
Der of officers of the active list of the line.
including the officers appointed for the vol
unteer service, as now fixed by law"
Provision is made that officers now on the
active list appointed from volunteer service
shall continue on that list. Promotions
shall be made in the regular order, and
there shall be graduated from the Naval
Academy not more than thirty-five cadets
each year to I'LL vacancies.
The grade of commodore is hereby abol-
ished from the active list of the navy. Of
ficers now on the active list and entitled TO
the relative rank of commodore shall have
the relative rank of rear admiral and those
entitled to retire with the relative rank of
commodore shall retire with the relative
rank of rear admiral But the pay Of Of
ficers now holding relative rank is not TO
be affected
'oficers of the line of the navy, appoint
ed from the volunteer service may, upon
ofhcial application to the Secretary of the
Navy, be placed upon the retired list with
the rank and as per cent of sea paw grade
they hold. and other officers of the line in
the grades of captain. commander and lieu
tenant commander. after thirty years of
service, on the active list NAV by official
application TO the Secretary of the Navy he
considered as applicants for voluntary re-
tirement.
To Provide for RetirementS
Should Ii be found that the vacancies
from casualties and retiraments pursuant
TO the processes of law now in force will
be insufficient to provide for as MANY as
sixteen promotions to the grade of COM
mander and as many as nineteen ,o the
grade of lieutenant commander during anv
hscal year applicants for voluntary retire.
ment shall be recorded in such order as the
President may direct to create the stated
number of vacancies. Should the number
of applicants so retired be insufficient the
Secretary of the Navy shall, on or about
June l of the same year, convene a boa nd
of not less than five rear admirals who
shall have placed before them ali the
records of the department relating TO the
qualifications of all officers on the active
list in the grades of captain, commander
and lieutenant commander, and the hoa rd
considering only the efficiency of the naval
service, on or before June 30 recommend
a sufficient number of officers of the said
grades to be retired to create the humber
of vacancies required.
Provided. that not more than four cap
talns and commanders nor more than three
lieutenant commanders be thus selected for
retirement in any one year.
The officers SO selected and those taken
from the applicants for voluntary retire
ment shall be retired under provisions
similar to those now in force for retire
ment by reason of age, and these and the
promotions to fill the vacancies thus
caused shall date from the Both day of
June of the same year.