New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
REORGANIZATION OF THE NA'I'
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS TO The HOO'
WELT BILL WHICH MIGHT REMOVE
OPPOSITION.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.


To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Having in mind the interest you nav
ALWAYS shown in the public particularly,
perhaps. the kindly feeling given 10 ""t"
branches Of the military service-I am here 70
tell you a little story. For obvious reasons
would not wish my name to appear. but II by
any chance yoI find you can use what Say II
would give me much pleasure. With no un-
kindly feeling, l may mention one tning patent
to all who have followed the course Of flie pres
cnt war. DESPITE the amount OF work done by
the Navy-Dewey's success at Manila Samp-
sons MAGNIFICENT victory of Santiago-the
BENEFITS and the promotions In the Navy can Dc
counted on ones fingers whereas In the Army
am we'll within bounds when say that nearer
80 than 90 per cent Of Its officers hold hisher
position now than they did three months ago
Much of this-mayhap most Of this-has peeh
necessary. In any event God FORBID that
should grudge to a brother Army ofhcer Wha'
recognition he may have received. l desire only
10 speak OF the Navy.
II Is. | think. generally admitted that the
present condition Of things ought not TO exist
Repeated efforts have been made to chanse
things. but failure-usually our own fault, IL
you will-has resulted.
year ago the so-called Roosevelt Board got
up a scheme. The line has no person more az
gressive than Captain Evans. and ne ana .hc
Chief OF the Engineering Corps agreed on this
scheme. 1t has not become law. The reasoh'
| think Is plain. 1t ignored the needs or inc
Medical and Paymaster's and other corps, and
they. In self-defence. were bound 10 oppose H.
not because II hurt them. but because they. be-
ing the smaller corps. were bound to be injured
in the future If your great paper could but IN
I hai
only have the service reorganIzed. but could
promote peace and efficiency where at present
friction and trouble must exist.
My idea Is that the Roosevelt bill would escape
the opposition Of the other staff corps with just
one or two changes Commission the members
OF the Medical. Paymaster's and other corps as
commanders lleutenant-co commanders. lieuten-
ants etc. in the special corps. This would do
away with the stupid dependence Of one corps
on another for It's promotion. lieutenant In
the Pay Corps would be entitled by his commits
sion To precedence on boards and courts. 10
quarters and to authority on his own corps
precisely as is the case OF majors and pay
masters In the Army. He could no more inter
fere on deck or In a boat than can major OF
paymaster interfere in command OF troop
ashore; and, mind you by this simple step all
the troubles now experienced would disappear
\ man on entering the service would know just
Mnat MS OUTLOOK WAS III tNc toibN Hc
he would know that his promotion did not de-
pend upon vacancies in some other corps, and
better than all. the glaring Inequalities IN pay
would 20. too Every Lieutenant. matter IN
what corps. would get n lieutenants pay. Add
to this three lines providing that officers In the
Navy should receive the same pay and allow
anccs as officers OF the Army. grade for grade.
and ! am sure the bill would meet with lttle or
no opposition. Surely II is evident tina. on the
merits 0f the case IL l. n" more than equitable
that We who spend more than one-.hird OF our
hue hoo N
ought 10 be paid at least as much as IL IL Tisht
To pay the Army
Certainly II result ~ this war Will be the In
crease Of the active force ahoat In the Navy
Never again. trust. shall We see our Govern
mcnt forced TO the disgrace, on threat Of war
81 buying the world over such stray warships
as 1t can ind. Given the number OF first rates
second rates. etc. IL Is proposed To keep In com
mission. and ono easily solve the problem
Possibly In the Pay Corps the present NUM-
her ~ directors and nspectors-thirteen each
would bc sufficient although with an increase
In the service probably fifteen OF each. the
number allowed In the Medical Corps In those
grades would not be too many. The inspectors.
mandcrs would 20 fagships Then come tho
hlg ships not hagshlps. "a they always have FOR
executive officers lieutenant commanders II Is
Proposed to send commanders In this billet. as Is
done in England. IL would only seem fair that
the surgeon and paymaster should have the
same rank The next ships. now known as sec
ond rates. should. on the same reasoning. have
stam officer Of tho rank Of Lieutenant. and 50
on down t. tho fourth rates. where the rank
~ onegn would serve Given the proposed force
~ shipping 20 be- kept 1n0at and II would be
easy 10 size up tho number of stan officers need
cd In different grades. Does II not seem reason
able 10 you that. put on such plan. much of
the friction and bad feeling would disappear
from both sides
IL has been my thought that with the praises
Of the recent action Of the Navy ringing through
out the country no better time could be had FOR
putting things into the proper shape. The
Roosevelt b may not be the best In the
world. but II is the best at hand, and It secured
The friendship OF men M aggressive as X. n
Evans and radical as Melville Nv sugges-
ton would. am sure. secure The support Of the
staff. and there YOU are. The country wants
10 do what II can for the Navy and herr, al
Las is something the Navy favors L. < ~
Ncw-York. Sept. q. 1893.