Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-08
Appointed to Examine Certain Rev.
enue Cutter Officers.
FORTY ARE ORDERED TO APPEAR
Will Be Placed on Permanent
Waiting Orders.
MORE LEGISLATION NEEDED

The President today ordered a board.
consisting of Surgeons George Purviance.
II. w. Austin and II. r. Carter of the
marine hospital service, to convene at the
Treasury Department next Friday morn
ing Ito examine and report upon all off,
GERS now In the revenue cutter service,
WHO. through no vicious habits of their
own, are now incapacitatcd, by reason Of
the infirmties of age or physical or mental
disability. to efficiently perform the duties
of their respective Offices
This action is in execution of a provision
CT the sundry civil appropriation bill, ap-
proved March 2. 1895. which. in addition to
the provision already quoted, provides that
such officers as, under the terms of this
act, may be reported by said board to be
so permanently incapacitated shall be
placed on waiting orders. out of the line of
promotion. with one-half active-duty pay,
and the vacancies thereby created in the
active list of tie officers shall be filled by
promotion in the order of seniority, as now
provided by law. Provided. however. That
no Such promotion shall be made until the
professional qualification of the candidate
shall have been determined by written ex-
animation before a board of officers of the
revenue cutter service, convened by the
Secretary of the Treasury for that pur-
ptse. Provided, further, That the number
of officers upon the active list now au-
tnorized by law shall not increased by this
nct."
Forty Ordered for Examination,
Forty officers have been ordered to ex-
animation, follows: Capts. Douglass
Ottinger, Francis Martin, C. NJ. Scammon,
J. A. Henriques David Evans, Z. L. Deane,
Eric Gabrielson. w. S. Emmons, Thos. w.
Lay l.. NJ Keene and A. d. Littlefield
First I.ieuts. John Morrissey, Geo. Walden,
b. w. Lorng. Thos. Mason, Robt. Barstow
and j. Nj. Simms, Second Lieuts. T. w.
Renham, Samuel Howard and J. L. Davis.
Third Lieut.. Robert Henderson, Chief En-
gineers F. II Pulsifer. Eugene Vallat, A.
l.. Harrison. j. L. Wayson. W. C. Wheeler,
J. NJ McDougall. J. NJ. Case. NJ. D. L.
NJ. Robinson. First Assistant Engineers NJ.
G.. Marsilliot, ]. T. Keleher, Jas. Fftz-
patrick, Z. F. Dyce, W. II. Warren and
Alex, bennett, Second Assistant Engineers
ii. q. Henshaw and O. n. Turner
These officers are all on waiting orders
ana are supposed to be permanently dis
abled Whether or not this is so will be
established by the proposed examination of
their physical condition. Two of them
have been connected with the service more
than sixty years, and several of the num-
Der have served over thirty years. The
two oldest members of the service are
Capt Douglass Ottinger of PENNSYLVANIA.
who entered it in October, 1851, and has
been a captain since December 1876 and
Capt Francis Martin of New York. who
entered the service in June. 1880. and has
been captain since October, 1851. Capt
Martin is the oldest man in the service
He Is ninety-five years of age, and has
been at Detroit on waiting orders since
May. 1877. Capt. Ottinger has been in
Philadelphia on waiting orders since May
1881. Although longer in the service. he
is not quite so old in years Capt. Mar
tin.
On Permanent Waiting Orders.
AS result of the proposed examination,
ihe officers found unfit for further active
service will be placed permanently on wait
Ing orders list, with half the active duty
pay. The vacancies occasioned by these
retrements will be filled at once by pro-
motions from the next lower grade Pro-
motions will be made by seniority, provtd-
ri. of course. the officers first in line are
sound qualified for the advancement
The execution of this provision of law
will have practically the same effect upon
the revenue cutter service that the pro-
posed naval personnel bill would have had
Apon the navy. 1t gives to the service what
has been striving for for years, and es-
tabltshes principle, which places it prac-
tically On the same footing as the army
and ravy, with respect to the retirement
on ray of Officers who have become dis
abled in the line of duty. Although no age
Limit is established. the Secretary of the
Treasury car relieve the existing stagna-
ton by the retirement of officers no longer
able to perform their legitimate duties.
Ever since the war, when many of the
the navy to the revenue cutter service
that service has been top heavy, through
stdgnation and obstacles in the way of ad-
vancemelt. Under former conditions pro-
motions came only through deaths in the
grades above and occasional resigna-
tion. The result was that officers have
been at the tops of the grades long after
they had become incapable of performing
their duties. They could not be retired and
ii would have been uncharitable at least
to have dismissed them, even if there were
legal authorization of such action.
More Legislation Needed.
Although Congress provided for the re-
tirement on half pay of the officers now
incapacitated and urable to perform the
duties of their respective rank, it has SO
far failed to make any provision for the
similar retirement of officers who may
hereafter become incapacitated. 1t is be-
liev.d that legislation to remedy that con-
dition will be enacted at the next session.
If it is not done it will not be from lack
of effort on the part of those interested in
such legislation.