New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-19
NAVAL REPRESENTATIONS.

The bin for the reorganization of The per
sonnet of :he Navy. now pending III congress.
deserves fhc support of every Representative
who is interested in the permanent welfare OF
the naval service
IS is well known. the leading feature of this
measure is the amalgamatlon of Inc now ms
,inct bodies of line and engineer officers. ana
the formation in their stead of new ana
modern line which shall perform all duties
above and below the protective deck. mis- az
first sight. would appear 10 be startling IN
UOvaton. having no warrant In naval orSaniZa-
ton abroad. and so experimental in charaSter
as 10 inspire serious doubts as 10 the result
History teaches however that the sea officer
IN each age has changed with the changes IN
his ship. In the galley era he was soldier
pure and simple. In Nelson's day he had be-
come n sailor; later still. he developed into a
navigator and when gunnery became science
he added the supervision Of gun fire 10 the list
of his duties and accomplishments. In our
day. with from one-fonrth TO One-half OF the
ships complement in ire and engine rooms.
still newer conditions present themselves. and
their logic leads TO one conclusion-the comba-
tant or line officer. 10 know his ship. TO COM
inand II in whole and in part. must become. as
Colonel Roosevelt aptly puts IT. "hghting
engineer" This evolution has been foreseen
to some extent in years past both here, and
abroad Gideon Welles. the famous War Sec
rotary OF The Navy; Admiral Key, II. ". and
Admiral Fcllowes. r. ~. each in his day made
recommendations foreshadowing ii. General
Miles IN his proposed rotation OF officers on
stan duty now advocates practically the same
system for the Army and "Engineering.' OF
London the foremost technical journal Of Great
Britain, In discussing the subject recently. leans
strongly toward similar amalgamation in the
British Navy. The advantage Of the change
is clear To all who study II. Ii brings Increased
strength of the fighting line. greater elasticity
Of organization. and the removal Of that fric
ton which in this age prevails in all the great
nayies between the engineer and the deck Off
Ger.
The personnel bill Is also 10 be commended
for securing a steady flow Of promotion in the
alnalgamated line. Under existing regulation.
an officer Is removed from the naval list only b,
death, misconduct, illness which incapacitate'
him from duty or his arrival at the retiring
age Of sxty-two years. The number OF officer
in the higher grades is relatively small, and a
a result, there is inevitable stagnation In III
lower ranks and galloping through the grade
from commander 10 admiral 1t Is well-es
tablished principle Of naval history that th
successful commander. as rule Is young ii
has not spent years as subordinate, leanln
on the will of others. That principle our nava
system dsregards wholly. We have gray
haired lieutenants OF fifty-fve, with sons o
the same rank.
In the British Navy there is an age limit 70
each grade. and when an officer reaches TIL
limit without attaining promotion he Is re
tired. regardless Of his talents. experience o
value to the service. The personnel bill oner
q system which is not open TO the serious oh
1ections which attend the English practice
Under It's regulations a certain number OF OF
fcers will he selected yearly for retiremen
from the higher grades. II promotion has no