The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-28
RANK AFL0AT AND ASHORE.
Brevet Rank i'm the Army. and Acting
Rank in the Navy.

Probably no country gets more or bet
ter work from its servants than the
United States The pay Of the lower
ranks Of our army and navy officers, 10
be sure, is larger than that Of officers
Of equal grades in other services But
our pay is the end of it. In foreign
services there arc perquisites, though
they are not called so, and in the higher
ranks the pay is likely to be higher
than with us.
Besides IN every country but our own
there are decorations of various sorts.
In Great Britain a naval captain Is knight
ed almost as a matter OF course when he
becomes rear admiral, and before that
time he has received orders and badges,
as a rule, and il is the same way In the
army. In France the Legion OF Honor
goes about 10 everybody of a certain
rank IN the army or the navy and pro-
motion in the service means promotion
in the Legion. So too in Germany. But
we nave nothing Of the sort as every
one knows. Congress has passed vote
OF thanks 70 Commodore Dewey. and has
authorized the President 10 appoint a
seventh rear admiral. but Dewey comes
home and on his retirement sinks out OF
sight. II he could be lnighted and 20
for tho rest Of his life as Sir George
everybody would know him and recall his
exploit.
But even I'm honoring our distinguished
soldiers and sailors we are singuarly
economical. We have heard how the
President has made Captain Sampson an
acting rear admiral. but few persons
understand that the honor means
simply increased expense for him. As
as admiral he has q staff and increased
expenses i'm the way of entertaining but
our very thrifty Government does not
give him admrals pay. Dear, no! In
the army an officer assigned 10 duty by
his brevet rank gets the pay OF that
rank. but not in the navy. That's why
the wife of "A recently made commodore
known as the most popular woman IN
the navy. said that she fervently prayed
that her husband would not be sent of
as an acting rear admiral, the expense
of an admlrars maintenance being 80
much greater than that Of a plain COM
modore
Here IS list OF the various grades IN
the army and navy:
General Admiral
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Vlce-Admiral
Nlafor-General Rear Admiral
Brigadier-General commodore
Colonel Capt1lh
Lieutenant-Col0nel Commander
Major Iieutenant-Commande
Captain Lieutenant
First Lieutenant Lieutenant, Junior
Grade
Second Lieutenant Ensign
Now. in countries where they 30 IN
for accuracy in nomenclature, and have
large armies and navies, a general Is an
officer who commands an army OF two or
more corps, a Northumberland Is one
who commands a corps OF two or more
divisions. a major-general commands
division of two or more brgades. We
are the only people who have permanent
brigadier-generals, and We are logical
i'm having them. In other countries Sc
nior colonies command brigades as tenn
porary acknowledgements. and when they
have finished their work as such they
are likely to be promoted major-generals
II is the same way with the naval rank.
An admiral commands 4 feet, a vice adj
miral the leading squadron. rear admit
Pal the rear squadron. Commodore Is
simply the senior captain. who as such
commands one or two vessels on detached
service.
Now, i'm the army we have a system or
comforting brevet rank on officers VINO
have distinguished themselves. That -.
we give them the right TO be called by
the title OF a grade higher than that
which they hold. It's not a cheap honor
I'm the regular army by any manner or
means. vet sometimes II Is too cheap
for several officers now in service have
declined to receive brevet rank. because
their seif-respect forbade them to do so
In the navy the only form OF hrevet rank
Is tnat TO which Captain Sampson has
been subjected. The chief result OF 1t Is
that Sampson, Instead OF flying the Sc