The record-union., 1898-03-12
HOPING FOR The BEST,
PREPARING FOR The WORST.

from the Court of Inquiry, according to
the statement of Secretary Long, who
says that he has received nothing
whatever from the Court itself or
Judge Advocate Mark.
NO WASTEFUL EXTRAVAGANCF.
The Secretary has determined that
there shall be no wasteful extravaganza
in mis- Department in the expenditure
of the funds SO generously provided by
Congress, anq to this cid he has ad-
dressed the Moving letter to the As
sistant Secretary of the Navy and the
colnlnandant of the marine corps and to
each bureau of the Navy Department:
Sir: Under the emergency appropri-
alton of $50,O000G0, made Wednesday,
you will increase no expense or la
bility. except after written statements
and estimates made by you and APP
proved by the President and Secretary,
all in writing A special record must
be kept of every such requiSition. Ii
any such liability or expense has been
incurred by you or at your direction,
make such written statement and esti-
mate and submit it at once for such
approval.
BY order of the President. Very re-
spectfully, JOHN D. LONG,
Secretary.
RETIRED NAVAL OFFICERS.
In anticipation of a rupture between
the United States and Spain, many ma
val officers on the retired list have no.
titled the Secretary of the Navy of their
Willingness and readiness to perform
and duty in the line Of their profession
that he may deem suitable for them.
AS there seems to be considerable mis-
apprehension on the part of the gen.
eral public as to the availability of
officers on the retired list for active
duty in times of war. Section 1862 Of
the Revised Statutes bearing on this
subject provides as follows:
NO officer on the retired list of the
navy shall be employed on active duty,
except in time Of war"
Under this section it is apparent that
if war should break out all officers
on the retired list competent to serve
will be subject to the orders of the
Secretary of the Navy Another stat
ute bearing on this subject contained
in Sections 1463 and 1464 is as fol-
lows:
In time of war the President, by
Will he I'D, Of h..
Senate, may detail officers on the re-
tired list to the command of squadroEs
and single ships when he believes tina t
the good of the service requires that
In making said details, the President
may select any officer not below the
grade of Commander and assign him
to the command of a squadron. with
the rank and title of flag officer, and
any officer so assigned shall have the
same authority and receive the same
obedience from the commanders of
ships of his squadron holding commits
sions of an older date than he will be
entitled to receive if his commission
was the Oldest"
1t thus appears that the President
has power to assign any retired officer
of the navy to duty during the progress
of war, but that he can only assign
him to the command of squadrons or
ships by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate.
There are many officers on the re-
tired list in the full enjoyment of health
and mental vigor, despite the fact that
they are now 81 years of age. whose
ability and experience would undoubt-
eddy be of great advantage to the ma
ton in case it proved necessary to go
TO war in the defense Of its honor and
dignity. Notable among these is Rear
Admiral John c. Walker recently re-
tired for age. and who is now engaged
in special duty as President of the
Nicaragua Canal Commission.