New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21

gradeH
GERS at $50 the number having been 74o previous 10
the reduction The machine proceeded to crcum-
vent the intention of Congress as roiio"s ihey pre-
sented 10 Congress scheme. which was iilcorpo-
rated in the act Of March g. 1888. changing the uue
OF master 10 lieutenant Junior grade. ana cnae-
ing the title OF rnidshipnln' 10 ensign Ju'iior
grade the wording Of the latter part OF the act De
ing as follows: 'Ninety-one mldshipmen the TUE
OF which grade "a hereby changed TO that OF ensign
and The midshipmen now on the Iist sha
a Junior grade OF. and be commissioned as etslgns'
having the rank and pay as now prOV'ueu oy
law for miishlpmen; but promotion 10 ana from
said grade shall be under the same regulations an"
requirements as now provided by law for pronouoh
to and from the grade OF mdshipman; ana notnns
herein contained shall be so construei az 70 Of said
grade Of officer OF relative rank, ,ease
n mot h That H T was ce DOWN to and including
the grade OF ensign above the NUMBER n nfea Of mid
shipman I'm into the new junior grade q ensign hay
ing the rank and pay as mdshipinah sS1 stiil
liked ihe numbers OF the limited grades
This the first step in the game This inno-
horse for what was 10 follow. The next step was
bill In Congress sprrTyf June raatS S Of the Naval
Academy, upon their aseignment TO IN me Ths
bill provided That. from and after the passage sh OF
this act. all graduates at the Naval Academy VINO
full completion OF the six years course shall be com
m.sslon.d ensigns in the Navy -. ,,,.o- o,s,.r. ,r
the Navy is hereby abolished and the junior enslgs
the list shall be commissioned ensgns IN IN
the Navy provided that nothing In this act sna De
so construed AZ to ncreaee the number OF officers In
tho Navy allowed by law.
ONE BEAUTY OF THE SYSTEM SHOWN.
Up to that moment the only law which fixed the
numbers OF officers the act OF August o. NO.
which limited the ensigns to seventy-five as soon
a. they could be reduced to that number by making
only one promotion to every two vacancies The acts
OF 1853 and 1884 al not change this. Inc unnmltei
grade OF midshlpman was changed to junior grace
Of ensign but with the same rank and pay ana the
same requirements for promotion Ia ana from Ue
grade ~ was then fixed for midshipmen. Then they
were, made ensigns instead OF Junior ensgns, Dut
without increasing the number now allowed by law,
Is that plain enough? Can you lor a nlo'ie. .
shoIid be 80 construed as to Increase the number
OF line officers when they had but shor 'i IN o
the debate on the bill In Congress shows that there
intention Of increasing the num9ets. bul
tho machine DID not, and never Intended TO- con.
strue the law II would obviously appear that
Congress intended that IT should be construct, IheT
nd no, evolve the schemes mentioned Tor any, otncr
purpose than to give shadow or an excuse TOT III
reps the nun' Of hsd The m Gt @ o she line
down to and including ensign at go There are
e mo many an as ~ thus is ustrated the beauty OF
system which puts the enforcement Of the law INTO
the hands of the class affected by the law More
than one-eghth os the line OF me Navy nov h0ndnB
their positions contrary 70 law II yGu VIII ,u Elk
anime the law the subject you Will see that this
Is the case
JOHN ROACH AND THE DOLPHIN
"J,u, tho 'nachlne.'" continues Mr.. Ma:tce. has
not confined It's antagonsm to direct attacks on
the engineer corps. but has by various intrigues
sought Indirectly 10 throw dlscredt on that corps
4 few years ago there great hue ana cry
about alleged serious defects In some or the ne"
war vessels The then Secretary Of the Navy was
generally credited with attacking the results OF
4 the previous Administration FOR political effect
Thoaa however. who knew the true inWardness OF
sf.tr kr.
deceived by his advisers In the machine VINO
managed to gain his confidence immedat-y upon
hls appon;rnrnt ~ office. Their ultimate purpose
WIS ~ di.-r.d.t the engineers Of the Navy l"h0
had designed the machinery OF these vessels ana
/ sunorln..utcI construction as means OK
h.ipug through Congress a b.n 10 reorgahlZe inc
Navy IN such way as 10 put the engineers NOR
/ fullv under the thumb OF the machine IT, mat
oroI not 20 them that they ruined the Dulder Oh
the ships AZ an incident 81 their attack on the en-
eiuo.rs Moreover. they went 50 FAR a. 70 attempt
:, di.rrcllt American engineers and shipbuildcrs
generally hy Intriguing 20 Rei Englsh hT1ns 70 e.
tabli-h plants his country ana ny trying 70 III,
itc. ,hr Secretary 20 purchase machinery aproad'
when their scheme failed. . -.
1'his IL Mr. Matficc's presentation or state OF
affairs with which thu general pubic Is almost en-
rely unacquaintel. and the most reinarkdDle cviil-
,,r made IN i,s prea-nfaton was the statement by
ne eail hat the engineer wise In getting ont or
"a. Navy before ne save hs Information 70 the
world and that a careful study ot the points pre-,
sruieI would show where the Wiron squire pm
would work a benefit 20 the service IL II ShVuu De-
A