New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20

A SUDDEN RUSH TO GET THE CINCINNATI
TO SEA.
THE PoRTsMouTHs FLAG HAULED DowN-MEI
ICAL MEN AND THE PERSONNEL BILL

Thursday and Friday and went on board the
Cincinnati were shocked In place or the trim'
neat cruiser with everything about spick ard span
they found vessel whose iron sides were grimy
and streaked with black whose deck was a quarter
OF an inch deep with finely powdered coal, and
whose crew might pass for white men in Africa,
but could not in Brooklyn. Coal was going into
some bunker holes and ceulose into others and
tho combination was destructive to the shp-shape
annearance OF the cruiser This state Of affairs
cannot be charged up against the officers, as the
fauIt lay elsewhere. When Rear-Admiral Meade
sailed for Norfolk he left instructions for the
cincinnati follow soon she was ready for
sea Now II seems Naval Constructor Hichborn
informed the Department that she would be ready
on the 18th of this month, and when that date
came there a hitch, with the result that
such hubbub and hurrah as is seldom seen. even
in war times was centred around and on the
cruiser.
Yesterday showed the different crews at work.
scrubbing and painting. and at l15 p m. ,he
cruiser hauled out into the stream and started 10,
Tompkinsville. where Lieutenant John e. CoiMeii
will he relieved according to Geographic ORDERS
from Washington. The officers OF the snip orc" ,
Commander. Henry Glass; lieutenaht-coi',,''""O,
James D. J. Kelley: leutenants, ~ = Di,l'is nam
John C. Colwell. c. A. Gore. H. MI" %
A y MAYER Ensigns Roger Weiies, Jr. anu w.
PAYNE. cadets S p Fulenmder, 5 " GFahaln'
A G. Kavanagh, W. S. Whitieck shu t. W. De
I.any: Chief Engineer James H. Chasinal ou eco"
C. A Siegfried. Assistant surgeon A Is ruse!'
Passed Assistant Engineer G. +. Burd, Assistant
Engineer w. s. Burke, Ia! hiaste' L. ID 'oe'''
Gunner Patrick Lynch.
The Cincinnati, in the warm waters OF the CARD
bean Sea- will not be pleasant ship Tor junior OIL
GERS Her steerage is about the size OF one OF
the NETWORKS larger staterooms. and IN IL are
eight Junior officers. 1t is crowded and uncom-
Portable at any time. and in warm weather VIII
be almost unbearabe. That eight officers should
have to eat in space 10 feet by To- from Wheh
a large slice is cut off by pantry. ana -FOUR Steep
there is not pleasant. 1t is only due TO the ques-
ton of rating and the influence of red-tape that
this condition exists, as there are TWO vacant
rooms which nominally belong to the wardroom
and until there are wardroom officers TO occupy
them it would seem. from the hygienic point OF
view. that the junior officers should be allowed
to occupy them.
The Medical Corps OF the Navy is UP in
arms against the passage OF the Navy Personnel
bill in its present shape. and 1t has framed It's
objections in the form OF a memorial to Congress
Its objections practically in the same line as
those made by others of the stan corps. Its first
objection is TO that part OF Section 10 which pro-
vides that those officers now ranking with com
modore or who may hereafter reach that grade.
shall have the rank Of passed captain" They ask
that the words rear admiral be substituted for
passed captain" because commodores OF the
line become rear-admirals upon the abolition OF
that grade. Thus the promotion OF commodores
OF the line to rear-admirals necessitates an in
creased expenditure OF $1,000 year. whereas by
giving the rank OF rear-admiral TO the surgeon
general there would be no additional expense or
increase Of salary. The second objection is 10
that section which opens the retired list to all
officers after thirty-fve years service. Ihey ask
that in the case OF the medical officer II be maze
thirty years for the reason that the medical oHce'
receives his education in private college, al MS
own expense. and cannot enter the service except
between the ages OF twenty-one and twenty-six
off,
at the Naval Academy at Government expense.
enters the service from fifteen TO seventeen
years OF age
The memorial also excerpts TO Section %. which
makes a change in the rank 10 the detriment OF
the STAFF officer. II shows that while the bill IS de-
signed to do away with stagnation and promote
some members OF the line. hundred members III
a single day. it fastens upon the Medical corps
nearly all the rank Il has lost through stagnauoh'
Another objection is to that part of the bill which
reduces the number Of the corps THIS the me-
mortal says attacks the vital interests OF the
e,rns and In destroying greatly reducing its
efficiency crpples the new Navy beyond description
Ships crowded with machinery and using inachlhe
guns and high explosives call with other aua''oha.
considerations for an improvement In the Med'cai
Corns and not its deterioration The changes In the
hill proposed by the corps have this end in view
without any additional cost
The memorial urges that Section 46 OF the Dill De
taken out. The section proposes that al star, OH,
GERS shall 'be subject TO the authority OF the Oces
OF the line branch regardess OF tneir ss corns
proposes this substitute 0fcers Of the se SIAN dlyo &
partments and under the commanding oncer, Du,,;
w WRITE of their commissions may command All
enlisted men like other commissioned officers The
substitution proposed Is the law under Which tle
q and the two preceding sections become law there
viii be constant cause Of friction ana for the
good OF the entire service The memoria, 1n ina
1.-THE in the sss ns IL fe of
$4,000 per annum. +, .,o r.,, hill I,
to the ssd o Gs @
duce the pay of az medical pay ana engneep G
most gross injustice to class Of officers who
served throughout the Civil War and who are now
that had these stsr officers been advanced at me
same rate a. line officers n, hG b ssrSc 94 they would
now be well I'D on the list OF captains; Many OF
the s Says e qn 5ns wRen these staff IN
active service doing mems duty at sea- TO by from
Sye 10 t ten years What can be thought of the
justice Of measure that. under the gnlse %, 90 &
ing eay OF Whole grade Of officers in three
Win the line branch Of the service calling for re-
lief? The STAFF officer has erst been robbed OF ms
rank. and now II is proposed to ROD MN OF Ills pay
Ocers OF the department, Of construction ana n Is
,Sa, me Government shops are expensive places in
yards They assert that the comparison are re r 30,
Stances mentioned. over the price at which Phlia,
dephia builders offered to build her Is NOR man man
made up by fittings which would nave pee. chaTSsn
as extras by private builders Boats steam
launches. wardroom and cabin httines' ana a donss
nsf Of small but expensive items, are ehuiherdten
TO Onset The difference. and the assertion ~ maze
that vessel ready for sea can be ouI,t as Sp
by the Government ar by a contractor. one thHs
which was overlooked In the figures even s %as
only eight hours a day. against nine or zen IN
private yards which is big factor In determining
the cost OF vessel ~, -. go, ~
The old sloop-o war Portsmouth VAS pun gu, T.,
commission on Thursday morning. AS me capttaIii
OF the ward stepped on board all hands were piped
aft. and the final orders were read. me bugier
then sounded a call and every hat was rilscd ~
the flag slowly nuttered to The deck. ana one %
the most interesting pages OF American navai NJ
tory was brought to end. The oinceTS ,"h"
have been ordered to the Alliance started Tor Nor,