The sun., 1898-03-15

eide what officers should be retired. On tba
point Mr.. Roosevelt has this TO say in tho repor
accompanying the draft Of the bill submitted Il
Secretary Long:
Some evils will attend the adoption Of AM
system, but the essential contrast between tn,
TWO possible methods is that offered by the two
diverginR views which obtain among the mem
bers Of the board. The majority deem that In
separating tho best officers from the worst 1t Ii
safest to trust TO body Of the highest officers in
tho service, who have the interests OF that ser
vice peculiarly at heart The minority believe
that In this most important of functions
we should exclude the operation Of that human
intelligence upon which we rely for all functions
less important, and should trust to n blind
| chance, which would DO exactly ms apt to strike
| the future Farragut or Cushing as 1t would be
to strike the man whose one ambition is to go
through his term Of service with as little trouble
to himself and with az much avoidance Of re-
sponsibility as 10 compatible with escaping the
overt oensure which alone would at present bar
him from promotion"
In explanation Of some Of the features Of the
bill Mr.. Roosevelt had this TO say:
When the vessols now building and under
repair are commissioned the least possible mum.
Der Of additional officers needed in order to
enable them to get to sea will be $50. Unless
the increase We ask 10 granted, therefore. we
shall be unable to man all our ships in the
event OF war. This proposed increase merely
allows for a bare complement of officers for the
ships. 1t does not allow as many as should be
given them If they are to bo fought effectively.
1t represents tho minimum number Of officers
for which this nation ought, in justice to itself
to provide.
In case the increase In the number OF officers
10 allowed, however, and they arc all granted
the pay now given to the engineers instead of
that given to the line, the net increase would
be about $135,ooo. II there Is no increase in
number-that is, II the present limo and on.
gineer officers are amalgamated and nothing
added-then. with tho proposed marine corps
pay. the increase would be less than Sl6O, ,OOO
II, under the same circumstances, they were
all given engineers pay, the increase would be
less than $4,000.
In providing for the rearrangement of sala-
rtes, 1t has been necessary to make an increase
In the amount paid by tho Government to the
officers Of the now line. as 1t will be when the
old line and engineers are united into one. Part
OF the increase Is due to the fact that we provide
the additional officers imperatively called for
by the needs Of the new navy. We have not
enough officers now to man all of our ships and
even were some Of them laid up in ordinary
the battleshps that go to sea are painfully short
OF their complements.
Furthermore. the pay of the officers has been
graded 80 as to make It equal to the pay Of the
other servants Of the Government engaged in
similar duties At present the line of tho navy
is the most poorly paid branch OF tho entire
Government in proportion to tho duties per-
formed and the responsibilities involved It Is
dimcult to speak with proper restraint OF q sys-
tenn which cuts down below the pay of
all similar servants Of the Government the
scanty salaries of those men to whose valor,
energy and lifelong zeal the honor of the nation
is especially intrusJed. The engineers arc paid
at a much higher ratio than the limo officers. and
in the event Of the two corps being combined It
Is certainly desirable to raise the pay of tho
old line officers rather than to diminish the
pay Of the old engineers. All that has beon
done is to equalize matters by giving tho
new body the nay now granted to the
marino officers and the army. At present
tho anomalies in the navy grotesque Ont
of given number OF graduates from Annapolis
the mon who 20 into the line-the men out of
whom We are to make the Perrys, Foote'S and
Hulls OF the future-are paid the smallest |
rate Of ALL The men who take charge of
the marines are paid more, and most of |
all Is paid to those who stay ashore to |
build the ships which tho others handle. The |
board has sought to raise the standard of the !
enlisted men in two ways. In the FIRST place, we |
have, as above outlined. provided for warrant |
officers among the machinists, who form so con.
siderable q portion of the ships crews |
This Is q reform which had Just been |
adopted in the British Navy. In the next |
place. We confer the Same rights as re-
CARDS retirement and pension upon the sail
ors that are already conferred upon the
soldiers, lengthening at the same time the
period Of enlistment. or late years the Depart
nent has steadily sought. and with a constantly
Increasing measure Of success. to raise the
lone Of the enlisted mon. Year by year the per-
,entaRe of the NATIVE born grows larger, while
the number Of thosGtyho are neither native born
nor naturalized is being gradually eliminated.
"The grade Of Commodore 10 abolished, save
or tho special temporary purpose OF command
If a small squadron and the chiefship Of a
bureau. To send one Of our fleets abroad with
\ Commodore in command. as Is now frequent
y necessity, means that We put the American
in position Of inferority in point Of
'ank to the commander Of every European feet
which he encounters. and this certainly should
lot be DONE"
Under the provisions of the bill the engineer
'ficers are transferred to the line of the navy,
o take the rank next after the officers with
whom they were graduated from the Naval
academy.
Two years after the passage OF the act enRi-
eer officers transferred to the line shall be
equired to pass an examination for the grade
hen held. The active list of the navy
i'll be composed of eighteen Rear Admirals
The grade of Commodore being abolished,.
o Captains. 112 Commanders. ITO Lieuten.
mt Commanders. 800 Lieutenants. and not
nore than $50 Junior Aeutenants and Ensigns.
Ifter Ensigns have served three years they
1ill be eligible to promotion. II there
re not in ono year 13 vacancies in
no list of officers above the grade of
20 above Lieutenant Com
handler. 20 above Lieutenant and 40
bove Junior Lieutenant, the President may
lace sufficient number on the retired list,
nth threefourths sea pay Of tho next higher
rade. in accordance with the provision explained
) Mr. Roosevelt concerning retiring board OF
tear Admirals. Not more than five
aptains, four Commanders. four Lieu.
,nant-C Commanders. and two Lieuten-
nts are to be retired in any ono year. The
romotions to I'LL the vacancies created
re TO take effect on June 80. 1893. students /
the Naval Academy are to have the title of
id.hi haf fxvo .