Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-09
! Ell l. THE M MARINES
But Not in Regard to the Proposed Naval
Bill
Viewed From the Standpoint of the
Marine Corps and Pronounced
Line Ohicers' Measure.
Of the

The Hale naval personnel bill continues
TO De the subject OF severe criticism among
naval officers generally and finds scarcely
more favor with officers of the marine corps
than with officers of the staff branch of
the navy. A gentleman, who claimed TO
represent the sentiment of the members of
the marine corps with regard to the pro-
visions OF the Hale bill, unbosomed himself
to Star reporter today.
1t Is a line officers BILL" he said The
marks are unmistakable. Reductions are
made generally except in the line, where in
creases are provided for. Let US consider
these increases from any standpoint than
that Of line officer. The bill is to increase
the efficiency of the personnel of the navy.
Passing by the twenty rear admirals pro-
vided for (while only two of the six now
on the active list are at sea in command
of squadrons) We find that there are tc be
sixty-five captains, an increase Of twenty,
and yet of the forty-five now on the active
list January 1, 1S9D, only ten are in COM
mand OF sea-going ships, and only three
have had as much as three years sea serv-
ice as captains, although a number have
been in the grade more than ten years.
Captains of from ten TO twelve years SEN
iority and only a little over two years
sea service as such, and yet We are to have
twenty additional.
The commanders are to be reduced by
five. The register shows that Of eighty
five on the active list only fifteen are COM
handing sea-going men-of-war, and only
twenty-one have had three years sea serv-
ice as commanders. Commanders of from
ten to twelve years seniority have spent
less than three years at sea in that grade,
and yet the number is to be fixed at eighty.
The lieutenant commanders are to be in
creased by sixty. although less than one
third Of the seventy-five now on the list
are at sea. Surely il seems to be the i'm
preston that the efficiency of the personnel
will he Increased by keeping these superior
officers on shore instead of at sea in the
discharge of their legitimate duties.
Crowding the staff.
But with AN increase in the number OF
line officers il becomes necessary to hnd
something for them to do. An eNamina-
ton of the Navy Register viii show that
even now this is difficult matter. To
make room for them, the staff corps are to
be crowded or pushed OF the plank. Even
now but u small proportion can md occu-
patton at Sea, although many OF the ships
are oyer-croUded with line officers, having
often twice the number attached 10 ships OF
the same size in the English navy. The
marine corps, with its seventy-fVe trained
officers and 1000 trained and disciplined
men. is disposed OF in few words. An at
tempt is made TO Sugar-coat the pill for the
Naval Academy graduates in the corps by
taking them back into the line. This would
give them 4 watch and division on board
ships, which duty the same men can do
equally we'll as marine officers. The 100
marines are to be replaced by 1000 seansn
1000 disciplined men to be replaced ny
1000 recruits. A rough calculation, pro-
porlioning these men equally among the
corresponding grades in the navy and MAJ
rine corps, shows that 1000 men Of the sea-
man class will cost the government ABOUT
sl4O,0U year more thai the same num-
ber Of marines. while the latter are today
we'll able TO man the guns on board ship.
he ma inprta III
very considerably of late. and the Germans
have recently put marines back On the
larger ships at The battery, II being held
that they have their we'll performed duty
as sharpshoottrs 10 perform in action, the
weapon only being changed TO the secon-
dairy battery gun. Even in the French
navy, where marines 10000 are stationed
in the home and colonial ports il has
been found Necessary TO form a COM
pany Of rinemen from the seamen, and
10 specially train them TO perform
the duties performed by our marines; the
difference in cost TO the government has
already been spoken of. The bill provides
that the duties of the marine officers With
drawn from the corps shall be discharged
by non-commissioned officers. In the same
way, TO promote efficiency, why not have
the petty officer in the navy perform the
duties they have in the British navy, and
reduce the number of line officers on board
ship to the number allowed in her majes-
tvs ships. This plan would find favor both
with the taxpayer and the legislator who
believes In reducing expenses.
1t would appear that the trainers of the
bill desife to spend most OF their time on
shore. A naval officer now receives more
pay at sea than shore. but while the
proposed bill provides for a reduction of 10
per centum in pay when serving on shore
this sum is TO be increased by - per CEN
tum unless quarters are provided.
There is TOO much selflshness shown. In
trying to make more room fer themselves
in the lifeboat the trainers and their SUD-
porters have attempted to push others over
board such ehorts,when the sea is troubled,
are likely TO result disastrously."