The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
xATAb orr1oEns sHoUpD CRU1sB.
Secretary Lsns,s New order ana the Abuses
II L. Aimed 20 Correct.

bccrotnry L0nH'H New Oruor hha tue h1As~
Il Il Aimed TO Correct.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE SUN-Sir I: The de-
cislon lately given out from the Secrotarys OF
fec at the Navy Department that naval officers
will DO allowed to remain on shore but two
years will be received with smiles and growls-
growls from the senior officers with pulls and
smiles from tho seniors without pulls and from
the junior officers who have heard of alternat-
ing with three years on shore and throc ut sea,
but have never had an experience of the kind.
or course, midshipnen and ensigns so to sea
about alltho time. rs Is cmincntly 1T and proper,
hut in these piping times Of peace they get we'll
long In life before they reach tho grade OF junior
Lieutenant, the age being from thirty.two to thir-
ty.four, and consequently put in n goodly
amount of sea service. 1t requires sixteen years
from date OF entry as n cadct-midshipman to OBJ
tain n junior Lioutenant's commission. The
senior Lieutcnnnts have generally served twenty
7cars or more in that grade and have been in the
service thirty.threc years when they are pro-
NOTED. These officers have done the brunt Of
the work in the navy. Quito a number OF them
have more sea service thnn officers on the list
of Commodores, and they far surpass In this re-
spect the Commanders and Captains.
1t cannot DO denied that 1t Is professionally
injurious for q naval officer to return from a
cruise and then go to steel inspection, the Bureau
Of Intelligence, or q department c~lorkship for
three years. so as to get entirely out Of touch
with the profcssionaswork of the navy. Surely
tho directors Of the Cunard Company, tho White
star line, or tho American line would not DO
willing that the officers who ommand or hold
responsible places on their ships remain on shore
three years at a time. getting rusty In q profes-
cal skill, besides talent, courage, and nerve Of
the highest order.
For years official sinecnres. have been created
in order 70 give opportunity for employment Of
naval officers on shore. The result has been TO null
tiply red. tape n hundred fold. and 1t is n subject
for rejoicing, that Secretary Long has discoy.
cred this and purposes to put an end to 1t. 1t
seems very strange that enough officers cannot
ho found for the new ships now commissioning
actual naval service; leaving out torpedo
e son,s @%H f fST whish Sda' aty R Me 6aSo T forty,iiT SS
Captains, eighty-tivo Commanders, and seventy
four Lieutenant Commanders.2O4 commanding
officers in ali, or nearly four for each ship. 1t
would seem that no special amount OF hustling
would be necessary to get those ships command
ter reveals the cause. OF eiehty.6ve
ers sixty-four are on shore, OF forty five Captains
E iGsn.saHatc ons 1% saSF'i ih anc 9a iSven afo ROM on
shore; or of 2Ol commanding officers, 126 arc
on shore. Some Of the Lieutenant Commanders
are executive officers Of the first rates and In
command Of vessels Of the Treasury Depart
ment.
Tint the junior officers go to sea and accumu-
late sea service Is shown from the fact that los
Lieutenants are on shore and las are at sea.
Coast Survey. and Fish Commission take
many Of these officers, and the duties are very
beneficial. OF course. 1t cannot DO expected
that naval officers should remain away from
their families, all the time; Three years alb
crnmped, uncomfortable quarters on ship
board, is n severe trial to an officer, and when
or even Europe, he should receive some com
pensation. should be permitted to enjoy. some
l home life, ito to 9 eco ne ae 60 faint. mi With wife hst and
n department clerk OF him. .
We will soon have a fleet OF battleships and
with a large number of torpedo boats and do.
s~troyers. At each Of our principal ports one or
the complement OF men being a total of half a
crew for each ship and the crews of several tor
Years cruise should receive three MONTH leave
OF absence on full pay: They would then be
available for duty on these ships. At these
stations there should be constant practice with
the torpedo boats and destroyers, in target prac-
tice, with gun and torpedo, in mining. counter
q complete study Of the hydrography. of the ad:
iacent coast, and OF plans for defending 1t and
tain's command, with Commanders in command
of the larger ships and Observation-Disclosures
and Lieutenants of the smaller ones. Comm9.
coast and the Gulf. Each year the ships could
be modified under their Commodores and could
cruising ships. and with the Naval Reserve TAX
inE. part.
houses in the photographic Office or doing the
work of department clerks. The duty could be
stationed and he could be with them nearly, il
ing ship at New York. or course some shore
duty must be performed, and enough Off
could still be found to fill the important Offices
which duty should never exceed two years in
duration.
1 have considered thus far the line officers in
important branch OF the service. Much has
been written OF the overworked, engineers OF
the navy which is extremely ludicrous to any
one that has bcrthcd anc messed with them.
OF the first twenty-six with the relative rank
Of Captain and Commander, but seven are al
seniors thirty:eight are on shore and thirty-twc
are at sea. or the juniors thirty.two out OF
siNty.siy are on shore. OF those ranking witt
only fifteen at sea, while OF the line in this rank
sixteen are on shore and ~hfty,nine at sea Tit
form their duties we'll; but let us have ne
hcroics. No one is killing himself with worl
on t age n arc ,en 1H1iS e esred for sna 10 sh Chief s'e en-
Ginecrs with the relative rank OF Captain are a
sea. They. arc provided with exceedingly com
have in our navy a very intelligent body o
young men who hold the rate of machinist
the greatest value to tho commissioned en-
ginccrs on board, as engine driving Is about al
that is required in the department. unless a bat
accident happens, which thus far we have beef
free from. All important work is done oil
shore, only temporary repairs being made oil
board. These machinists arc petty officers, re
years they get three months leave on full pa!
II they re-cnlist before tho three months er
pirc. They would no doubt hail with delight
scheme Of harbor service for shore duty. s,
would all right minded officers who prefer thei
pro SchST,m to the sIe duties poorly p p=eTfS GaHsf. o
NEW YORK. July ID.
They saw the President