Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-18
The NAVAL PERSONNEL BILL.
One Seeming Abuse which It VIII Serve
tn {nrrecf.

to Correct.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.-Should the
new navy personnel bill as prepared by
the joint commission become IA law,
such u mu!uplex for flag rank AS has
just been contaminated would never
again be looked for.
Promotion by seniority is now the
rule in the navy, from ensign to rear
admiral. This made possible the
friendly plan carried out by some OF
the commodores to help their Juniors
to promotion by sacrificing themselves.
These sacrifice hits were made in a very
curious way. The first project turned
on a possible arrangement for the vol
uutary retirement of Rear Admiral
Gherardi, who will leave tho active lis,
on November 10. When that sugges.
ton bore no fruit it became necessary
TO resort to another scheme.
Rear Admiral Skerrett was to retire
for age in January, 1895; Commodore
Stanton, July, 1896; Commodore Fyffe,
July 26 last, and Commodore Erbeu in
the following September. 1t was,
therefore, proposed that Skerrett
should begin the series by retiring
voluntarily in July of this year. That
would bring Pyle to te a rear admiral
before his retirement was due. Then
Fytfe was to give way to Stanton and
he WAS to be retired on the forty years
service law Immediately after his con
frmation as rear admiral. Then under
the seniority rule Erben would be
reached and would get about a month
of service as rear admiral before retire
ment.
The plan worked we'll and it's steps
were taken according to the schedule
the last Of them, Erben's confirmation
being completed August :. After ar
rangements had once beon made among
the officers concerned, the only anxiety
felt was as to whether the senate
would be willing to confirm appoint
ments, giving increased rank and pay
to a series Of officers having such very
limited service in new grades. How
ever, that proved groundless. All wa
skilfully managed, even to the smallest
detail.
There have been some famous com
pick projects for promoting colonies &c
brigadier generals, notably that at
tri to Secretary Elkins, General
Schofield and eN.Secretary Proctor,
through which the candidates favored
respectively by each one Of the three,
Colonel Carr, Colonel Carlin and Colonel
Otis were to have the star in success
sion, Colonel Carr resigned before time
of retirement 80 that Colonel Carlir
might have it, and he in turn retiring
n few months later.
Returning to the naval project which
has proceeded very tremendously, /
remains TO be said hat 10 never coule
have been contaminated under the plar
now proposed for reorganization, sine,
that makes no officer eligible for pro
motion to the grade of rear admira
unless he has four years yet to serve
l. may have seemed strange to fine
such u provision pending while thi,
series of rapid promotions was going
on. But the new rule is only one feat
ure Of u much more rapid system O
promotion than now exists, SO that thu
four years condition would be NOR,
suitable. That bill also provides no
for seniority promotion t O the highest
grade in the navy, but for selection by
the president from candidates recon
mended by a board of rear admirals
with confirmation by the senate.
The present year will show n com
plete clearance, with one exception
Of the list of rear admirals who began
it, and n complete clearance also o
several additional rear admirals pro
NOTED during it's course. 1t begar
with Rear Admiral B~elknap's retire
ment in January; then came Benham'
in April, followed the same month b,
Twins; then Admiral Weaver's il
July; then Admiral Skerrott's, Admira
Fyffe's and Admiral Stanton's later. a
noted, while Arben's will be due II
September, and Gherardi's in Novem
Der. Admiral Greer will remain, no
being retired till February, but tn,
promotion of nine officers to the grad,
of real admiral in a little over min,
months is certainly remarkable.