The times., 1899-01-16

gress seem 10 be somewhat imperfectly un-
derstood. As the bill, with or without
amendments, is likely to pass the House
in day or two and TO become law very
soon. brief explanation of its provisions
seems to be in order.
This explanation was excellently given
in a speech in the House on Friday by
Representative Foss of Illinois, Chairman
of the Subcommittee on Naval Affairs, hav-
ing charge of the bill. 1t was given in his
Introductory speech and in the course of
the running debate that later occurred
upon the bill. and has not been published
except in fragments. Mr.. Foss said:
Measures have been introduced time
and time again in Congress purporting to
organize or reorganize this or that branch
of the naval personnel and yet all of these
measures have failed for some reason OF
other About one year ago the Secretary
of the Navy appointed board of naval
officers TO consider this question OF the re-
organization of the naval personnel. Upon
that board was Mr. Theodore Roosevelt,
who was appointed its chairman; Commo-
dore Melville chief of the Bureau of Engi-
neering: Commodore Crowninshield, chief
OF the Bureau of Navigation; Capt. VIII
liam T. Sampson. Capt Alexander McCor-
mick. Capt Rodley d. Evans, Commander
Hemphill Lieutenant Commander VAN
wright. CAlet Engineer lkde OIAtA i-h7i
neer Kearney, Passed Assistant Engineer
Mcfarland and Lieutenant Key.
That board after careful consideration,
formulated bill and made its report to
The Secretary of the Navy, which was att
erWard referred to Congress. That Dill
was disc ussed in the Committee on Naval
Affairs. and has been substantially incor-
pnrated in this substitute which the COM
mittee reports TO the House.
The first important proposition in this
bill is contained in the first section. which
provides for the amalgamaticn OF the line
and the engineer corps. There are today
in the line 726 officers There are today IN
the engineer corps 1875 officers. Under this
bill Il is proposed 10 amalgamate the two
corps the line and the engineer, into a
new line a composite line, which shall
hereafter perform the duties on deck and
below in the engine room.
The older engineers under this bill viii
still perform their engineering duties. For
the most part they came from civil NE,
and consequently have not had education
and practice in the general duties OF the
line officer. The engineers in the middle
grade have all OF them graduated at the
Naval Academy but they will be required
to pass an examination in the duties OF
the line officer before they will be assign
ed to the composite line.
The Younger engineers in the navy have
all of them taken for three years at the
Naval Academy the same course as the
line officers. The course at the Naval
Academy IS the same for all cadets for
three years. but it difTerentires at the
beginning of the fourth year. part ci
the cadets going into the Engineer Corps
and j part into the line Bat these young
er engineers will be required 10 quailiy
themselves in the duties Of the line OH
Ger before entering into the composite line.
Trfi1 1sa
qualify themselves in engineering duties
and I may say in this connection that the
duties of the line officers today are more
or less of an engineering nature
Under another section we provide for
al increase in the number Of officers. The
increase via be ninety-nine. or, TO be eA-
art ninerv-eight The necessity for that
increase is apparent to anyone who stops
for a moment to consider the question.
We have purchased los ships during this
war. Some Of them we viii keep; most
OF them We will sell. We have today un-
der construction. according to the report
OF the chief Of the bureau Of construction,
Gfty-fiVe new vessels. Consequently il is
important that we should have an increase
in the number Of officers. and / may say
that under this amalgamation scheme we
shall not need as many officers as We
should if We allowed the two corps to re-
main separate, as they now are.
The next question is. Where shall we
get these new officers? We shall get
them from the Naval Academy. In 1872
we did not need very many officers. we
were not paying as much attention to
building up cur navy at that time as We
today We added TO the course At An
n2polis two years. and we called that the
sea course. Now. We propose under this
bill TO abolish that two years sea course
and bring in those cadets who are now out
upon the sea Every member Of Congress
VIII be compelled TO appoint a cadet once
in four years, instead Of once in six years,
as al present. TO the Naval Academy. That
is the way in which under this bill We
snail get our new officers.
The next proposition is that which pro-
yides for the relief OF the present con
gestsd condition OF the line. This CON
gestiOn includes about 200 officers, and
the effect OF il is to retard promotion OF
those in the lower ranks until they become
really too old TO assume the duties of COM
mand
This applies principally TO the grades
of commander. lieutenant-commander. and
lieutenant. Take. for instance, the senior
lieutenant commander in the navy. as
appears in the Naval Register for 1898.
He entered the service in 1862, and in 1891
he became lieutenant and has
not reached command rank yet. He is Il
man Of fifty years of age; and what is
true OF MN IS true OF every nan IN lle
grade or ieutenaut-commander They are
men OF more than fifty years Of age.
They have been in the service OF IhaT
country for thirty years and more, and
yet they have not reached command rank.
This is not only bad thing for the
men. but II is a worse thing for the Gov
ernment. All our naval authorities are
OF the opinion that a man ought to reach
command rank when he is at most forty
five years Of age. before he has lost the
nerve, the dash, and the ability to com
mand.
Ii Is provided in this bill. in order
10 relieve this congested condition and IN
order 20 prevent it from arising in the
future. that there shall be provisions made
Tor voluntary retirement and also for com
pulsory retirement II is not proposed
10 invoke the provision for compulsory
retirement in the navy except as Il be
. comes necessary by reason OF the passi-
biiity OF 2 deficiency in the number OF
voluntary retirements.
The clause for compulsory retirement
provides that a board OF rear admirals
shall DE- appointed by the Secretary Of
the Navy, who shall select out those least
worthy TO remain in the service. and not
more than FIVE captains, four command
ers. four lieutenant commanders. and two
iieutenants shall De retired in any one
year. ! may say that II this clause or
provision in the bill for compulsory re-
tIrement shall be invoked that ID viii be
= saving 10 the navy OF nearly 5000 OUO
within the lifetime Of those ner no are
retired
'.Now, the next important proposftion