The evening times., 1895-12-11

| A row has broken loose In the line of the
navy which In bitterness and intensity and
power t., continue almost Indefinitely excels
any similar fraCas which las occurred be
tween the maIcontents and these favorable
| to persnnnel niea sure S incc the subject OF
| relief was first considered.
Both sides are arrayed against each
| other. and the entire line seems divided
In itself rather than as opposing the Ell
/. gineers and other staff c,rrs, which gen.
orally have been the bete noirs
! 1t Is a fight between the seniors and
| Juniors, IN VII ich the latter have a majority
and upon every question have outvoted
| their elders. The older officers arc, almost
to 4 man, against the bill presented ti the
Senate last week bySSenator Hale, and
which represents the views of the depart
ment and has the support uf the Secretary.
| The fires which have been smolderng
since Congress adjourned last March seem to
| have been rekindied. and the remarka bic
condition OF line officers OF the navy out
wardly Oppusing legislation which the Sec
retary indorses is presented 10 Congress.
The matter is more serious than IL appears
to be IN the surface. and IL would not
be surprising If Secretary Herbert should
strongly adnlonish several admirals, COM
modnres. and captains, rs well as COM
nianders and lieutenant COMMANDERS who
have formed an organization in which they
outline their purprse OF using every means
to defeat the present measure known US the
Meyer bin.
ADVISED OF THE PROJECT.
Mr.. Herbert, however, les been fully ed
vised OF the project, and has before him
the paper prepared by these officers who
are unfavorablc to his ideas OF personnel,
and he proposes to take some action which
may make it exceedingly uncomfortable
for several men or distinguished rank who
believe they know what is letter for the
interest OF the navy than either Mr.. Her
bert or two committees OF Congress.
1t is only fair 10 some Of tie higher officers
20 say that they are not among thelist whose
names have been attached TO a document
in which, If allowed to go 1nnoticed, viii
be a breach OF discipline amounting al
most to INSTRUMENTATION.
Admiral George Brown, the ranki ng
officer OF the service; Rean-Admiral John
G. Walker, generally regarded as one OF
its most brilliant Officers; RearAdmiral
Francis n. Ramsay. and Commodore Ply
uhian are some OF those who osee the great
danger ahead IN officers or the navy being
permitted to form organizations, adopt
designed to purposely defeat the wishes of
the Secretary, and, for that matter. those
of the President, too. ..I ----.--.-- ...,..-
Besides joint committee, last Congress
after listening for two years TO arguments
presented by the navy, ard in which all
sides, ft was believed, was given ample
opportunity to present Their grievances
and to suggest remedies for existing evils
in the present system of naval promotion.
presumably in framing a bill did not in
tentionally insert provisions which would
benefit some grades at tho expense OF
Others, but reported ODe which it be-
lieved, as did the Secretary. was the best
possible bill that could he adopted.
Now Secretary HERBERT after indorsing
in his annual report this bill and re-
ceiving assurances from leading men in
houses, s uch as Senator Hale In the Sen
ate and Congressman Meyer, Cummings and
Boutelle In the House, that IL was the
most acceptable measure that could be
presented, finds that about one hundred
officers OF the navy are up in arms against
1t and declare without reservation that
they propose cdefeatiHgit.
CONTENTS OF THE CIRCULAR.
The circular, which is being privately
circulated, has been laid before Mr.. Her
bert by two OF the leading Officers of the
service, who have called his attention TO
the wording. This circular, after review
ing what transpired at the recent meet
ing OF line Officers for the purpose of
considering personnel, has this 10 say:
The senior Officers were practically
crowded out OF participation or influence
In the affairs OF the Line Association,
now to be used as an instrument for
promoting class legislation. which is most
injurious to the navy. The whole action
OF the meeting was subversive OF the OBJ
jecis and principles of the association,
which were to resist attack and to ad-
vance by all honorable means the best in
terests OF the navy.
AT a meeting of some of the senior
officers recently held in Washington, it
was resolved to oppose schemes of legis-
lation Of the character already named, and
to eDdeavor to secure a measure which
will commend itself to all grades as just,
and to the best interests of the service.
This movement has taken the form OF an
organization under the name of the Naval
"The undersigned have been appointed
a committee TO manage the affairs OF the
Naval Association, pending permanent
organization, upon the following basis OF
and conduct: To support by
the improvement of the navy in organization
and efficiency; TO oppose all methods, meas
ures and policies Injurious to the navy, and
10 pTOiuotC udftIOuy HI Tue stTNlCe.
I'm pursuing the immediate object of op-
posing any measure which embodjes the
essential features of the Meyer bill. the or
ganizatiOn will endeavor to repress publica-
tions by newspapers of articles abusive of
any class or grade Of officers. which publica-
tions do not influence legislation, but do
great harm to the navy. With modera tiOn
of expressionit will seek Just considera-
ton of the arguments which mag apply.
at is proposed to cOnfine the membership
to line officers of experience" says the cir
cular, which means that the juniors are to be
denied admittance. All officers opposed to
the Meyer bill are invited by the oreaniza-
tion to line up and prepare for stiff work.
'.This is the committee; Commodore Mat
thews, Capt. George C. Remay, Capt-P II.
Cooper, superintendent Of the Annapolis
Academy; Capt. P. F. Harrington. Com
Charles d. Sigsbee, Commander B.
P. Lamberton, in charge of the Maryland
light house district; Commander "a Walk
er, at Annapolis; Lieut. Com. B. F. Tilley,
Lieut. Com. Dunlap, and Ljeuts. |
Kilburn and Mahan.''
ROBY RACE people DEFEATED. |
4. a TT. M.