Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-13
LINE AND, ENGINEER
Secretary Long Approves the Bill to
Combine the Corps.
CERTAIN NOTIFICATIONS SUGGESTED
To Increase the Haimony and Eff
cheney of the Service.
A D o TON IS RGED

Secretary Long today sent Representative
Boutelle, chairman of the House naval
| committee, copy of the proposed bill to
| combine the line and the engineer CORPS
| of the navy and to increase the efficiency
| of the naval service together with CODY
| of the report of Assistant Secretary Roose-
welt explaining and advocating the bill.
Secretary Long says:
Il can add nothing to the force of the re-
port, with the spirit and general tenor of
which. and of the bill accompanying it. 1
| am in hearty accord. I. therefore, earnest
! ly recommend the passage of the bill. with
some slight notifications, as follows:
Qualifications Advised.
''In sections and do not approve of
| the proposition that the officer retired
| should be given the rank and three-fo urths
| the sea pay of the next higher grade He
| should be retired with the rank and three
| fourths pay of the grade held by him at
| the time of his retirement. This modifica-
| ton is especially desirable in section s,
where the retirement is voluntary.
I'm accordance with my annual report
I recommend the modification of section II,
| so that it shall read: From and after the
passage of this act the students at the
| Naval Academy shall have the title of
| midshipmen, and successfully complet-
| ing the course at that institution. each
shall at the end of one years course at
sea (and without further examination, ex-
cept to his professional, moral and
| physical qualifications before the examin-
| ing board for commissioned officers) be
| commissioned in the lowest grade of the
| line or marine corps.
THAT section Il be modified so as to
| read: That upon the passage of this act
| all the naval cadets of the line and en-
| gineer divisions who have completed The
for Woo re- OF fhn A nl,roH
| and have performed one years duty at sea
| shall without further examination, except
as above provided, be commissioned in the
| lowest grade of the line marine corps,
| and the members of each class shall take
| rank among themselves according to their
graduating multipes determined at the end
! of the four years course at the Naval
Academy
And that section 10 be amended to read
as follows: That the commissioned officers
of the line of the navy on the active list,
and those who may hereafter retire from
the active service, shall be entitled to re-
ceive the same pay and allowances, except
forage, as are may be provided by or in
pursuance of law for the officers of like
relative rank in the army and marine
corps.
with regard to section IS, l suggest
that no enlisted man he entitled to the
privilege Of retiring after thirty years
service, until he has arrived at the age
OF at least fifty years; for many appren-
tees now enter the navy at only fifteen
! Sehio VI o6S. i
Annual Expenses Increased.
THE bill increases the annual expense
but this is absolutely necessary il we are
to have what We actually media naval
service as efficient as amy in the world.
The bill increases the number of officers
now in the service by only ninety, an in
crease which, in any event, is made neces-
Sary by the increased number of ships in
service. AS an offset, however, it is fur
tier reported that the retirement of more
officers at an carly, age. for which the bill
also provides, Will greatly reduce the eX-
pense OF the retired Est! On this subject
The chairman Of the board reports TO me
follows
With these amendments inserted, the
100000 increased cost of putting into eff
feet the provisions OF the personnel bill
will inciude only the increased cost of pay
ing the officers on the active list. For
few years there may be slight annual in
crease of about $1,000, owing 10 the in
creased pay OF officers the retired list;
but 1t is impossible to speak with entire
certainty to the future action of the
annual compulsory retirement clause, due
TO the impossibility OF knowing what num-
Der OF officers may apply for voluntary re-
tlrernent. Taking into account the case OF
retiring the total number provided in the
bill, giving an expectation of life as found
in mortuary tables, and filling from the
bottom the vacancies so created. we find
that these compulsory retirements in
grades below rear admiral will effect
saving to the government as follows:
During the lifetime of two lieuten-
ants retired as such Gnstead of
continuing on the active list and
retiring as rear admiralS under
present laws. ....................... SGS. 900
During the lifetime of four lienten-
ant commanders retired as such
QnStead or continuing them as at
presently .......................... 10000
'During the lifetime of five COM
manders retired such unstead
OF DIS under present law. .......... 161 900
During the lifetime OF four cap
tains retired as such Qnstead of
as under present IaW) .............. I3S 900
This total of SAT-, 900 represents the say
ing attained by retiring thirteen officers
conlpulsoriiy retired in lower grades, over
what would be paid out if they retired as
rear aumlralS under the present law the
vacancies SO caused being filled from be-
10" immediately upon these retirements'
reducing the Number of Retirements
Oh page II. OF the report of the commit
tee on naval affairs of the House, No. 1913
fHty-thlrd Congress, third session, it was
SHOWN that under the present law there will
PROBABLY DE IN 1910 over eighty admirals
| on the retired list. III the proposed bill is
enacted into IL law this number will be cut
down about One-halt,
referring to sections and 8, the retire
mentS provided 1or by those sections Will
feAeVe the distractions that now prevent
proper promotion and the elevation of men
III the early prime of life to the positions
OF command Tor which they are then espe-
clally htted; but the reduction they make
Is compensated for by sections IL and L.
which correspondingly increase the number
OF entrances into the service.
"A very important feature of the bill is
the provision establishing warrant machn-
| ISIS: BY this provision we shall obtain a
skilled and responsible corps OF high-grade
sea mechanics, lifted to 90 the actual WORK
| OF handling the engines in any emergency;
| ana the prospect Of entrance to this corps
Will be an incentive t4i the best enlisted
men among the maGhinists to stay perma-
nently in the service and to tit themselves
| Tor promotion by Jealous and efficient per-
formance of ou.y.j 1t will open the doors
| to class OF men whom the service earn
| estiy desires to obtain. n
In concluding, L cannot better express
| the purpose OF theodepartment in present
| ing this measure to Congress than by quot
ing the following statement presented on
| February 8. 1894, from othe committee on
| naval affairs in the Senate of the United
l toto