The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-28

Commodore Philip, formerly captain in
command of the Texas. has written to the
Secretary of the Navy protesting against
his own promotion, as an act Of injustice
to many Of his fellow officers. Commo-
dore Philip will not decline the promotion,
since he could not do so without severing
his connection with the navy. A promo
ton is practically an appointment to the
service, and to decline to receive one is
equivalent to declining to enter the ser
vice. Commodore Philip, however, re-
specially invites the attention of the Sec
rotary of the Navy to the fact that his
own advancement by several numbers has
the effect of setting back other good men
as effectively as If they had been court
martialed and punished for serious Of
lenses.
The officers of the navy are like a spell
ing class standing in row. each striving
TO reach head" or as near that position
as possible. Whenever an individual is
sent up several numbers ahead of those
who formerly led him, the former leaders
are thereby reduced In position. There is
neither reason nor justice in reducing
those officers who were not so fortunate
as to he I'm the Manila battle or that at
Santiago. They are all good men, and if
it had been their fortune to meet the enc
my, they would have given as good as
counts of themselves and their ships as
did those officers who took part in the
fights and who have been nominated
for promotion.
There is a good deal of humbug about
this business of advancing by numbers.
anyway; and particularly is this true in
the higher grades of the navy. Very lit
tie pecuniary advantage goes with the
advancements. An authority has been
figuring up how much the principal COM
manders have profted by their promo
tons, ard here is what he says about it ::
admiral Dewey viii be just $3.50 better
off. Sampson and Schley will receive
about So 500 more from the paymaster dur
ing the rest of their lives, and Capt.
Wide Of Dewey's squadron has improved
has financial status by exactly $34."
In many instances promotion by mum
Lcrs is very much Ike the game of see
saw, which children play with a board
stuck through the crack of a fence. After
Dewey's victory every one of his captains
was advanced several numbers, over the
heads of captains in SIMPSONS and
Schiey's fleets After the destruction of
Cerveras ships, Simpsons and Schley's
captains were advanced, many of them
over the heads of Dewey's men who had
recently been see-sawed above them. Capt
Clark, for instance, was advanced five
numbers in recognition of his eminent SER
vices. and was set back four numbers by
the recognition of the eminent services of
others. In some cases the men after the
latest shuttle have found themselves just
about where they were at the beginning,
while many others through no fault of
their own, have been set back in both
rank and pay. And another injustice here
becomes apparent; 1t Is not the govern
ment that pays the slight increase in sal
airy which an advancement in number
carries, but 1t is those officers who have
been set back A part of their pay is
cut off and given TO the officer who have
gone up.
In European navies there is a different
and much more satisfactory reward sys-
TEN. The hero who has distinguished
himself is given something substantial He
generally receives a brevet title with in
creased pay, or an annuity for life, and
probably also a medal. 2