New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-10
PERSONNEL BILL IN DANGER.
NAVAL LINE AND STAFF CONTROVERSY
MAY RE REOPENED.
A POINT RAISED By COMMODORE cRowNIN
SHIELD SEEMS LIKELY TO PREVENT LEO
IsIATToS FOR REORGANIZATION
OF THE NAVY AT THIS SIS
cro< or rnScprze
rbr TELEGRAPH TO THE rErpcSZ.l
SION OF CONGRESS

Washington. Jan. Accommodate crownlnshled.
Chief Of tho Bureau Of Navigation. who by reason
OF his position is the most influential line oncer or
the service. caused CONSERVATION throughout the
Navy to-day by declaring that he would oppose tho
Naval Personnel bill unless the word relative
restored In the section relating TO tho rank
OF staff officers. This announcement coming at
the very hour that the House OF Representatives
adopted special order establishing right OF way
for this important legislative proposition for the
benefit OF the Navy. gave promise OF recpenng the
differences which have for so many years embittered
the line and star to the manifest detrment OF the
entire service, but which. II believed had been
smothered in the agreement reached last winter In
the Naval Board under Assistant Secretary Roose-
welt
The bill. adopted at that time by representa-
tive officers Of all the naval corps affected and
approved by tho naval authorities, Invested OF de-
tails provided simply for the necessities of an in
creased and modernized naval establishment
through the amalgamation Of the engineers with
the line. thereby augmenting the number OF officers
OF command rank to meet the demand created by
more ships, and simplifying authority at sea.
When tho measure was afterward under consid-
Grafton by the House Naval Committee number
OF minor notifications were made. and among
them one, at the instance of the paymasters and
surgeons of the Navy who had not been affected
by the departmental reorganization scheme. which
struck out the reference to relative" rank. there
by giving paymasters and surgeons the actual
military titles. similar TO the method which pre-
walls In the Army where the word relative Is
unknown Up TO this time in the Navy medical
directors have had the relative rank OF captain,
medical inspectors the relative rank Of command
er. surgeons that of lieutenant. passed assistant
surgeons that OF lieutenant Junior grade. and as
sistant surgeons that OF ensgns although the pay
Of stan officers Of the lower grades has been much
higher than that OF line officers OF the same cor
responding rank the proportion being reversed In
the higher grades In the Naval Pay Corps pay
directors have the relative rank Of captain. pay
inspectors OF commander. paymasters Of lieuten:
ant-commander to the number of twenty and OF
Lieutenant to the number Of twenty. passed as:
assistant paymasters OF ensign. the rates Of pay
being the same as for medical officers.
In the Army whore there is relative rank,
there is surgeon general. with the rank OF brga-
RANK OF colonel; deputy with the
rank or heuenant-colonel; surgeons, with the rank
- In the Army Pay Corps there are no captains and
actual" or I; used TO be called. positive. rank.
that under certain circumstances az il anything
happened to the commanding officer and his chief
INK commsnd This bngbear a' has never ofhered
The Army, and IT is asserted that The naval regua.
the war with spain the only stan Officers OF the
Army who secured command had been transferred
uni such transfer took place they had no author.
ity over military matters. and were confined ex-
ciusivey to their staff affairs. At the beginning
Of the war Major General Leonard Wood was only
a captain in the Medical Department. and Major
General Lavton lieutenant-colonel IN the In
apector- q cnerals Department. No naval staff OFF,
GERS have oe.n for many years 'ransferrei 70 the
line. although naval line officers have been fire.
quently transferred to the staff at their
quest thereby losing the right 10 command.
Most naval ofhcers fear that the point raised by
Commodore CrOwnnshield to-day puts end 70
the chances Of legislation for Tho reorganiza lion cf
tho Nav this session 81 Congress. As few meas
urrs whirn arouse any opposition whatever are
APP 10 receive Congressional approval at short
session. Tho objectionable omission occurred over
six months ago. and until TO-DAY was believed TO
be heartily approved by the entire Navy. which
for the first time IN years supposed TO be per
fectly harmonious 10 proposed legisa ton. 1t IS
tho impression that Il the obiecfon lad been raised
SIX months ago II could have been net and thor
ough agreement reached before Congress reassem-
bed. but his late day the chances are that The
old quarrel between the line and the STAFF will he
renewed. and that what l. termed = mere bubble
viii defeat reforms that have recomc Indispensable
the service.
The House to-day by special order decided 20
proceed with the consideration Of the Naval Per-
sonnet bill as soon as the bill for the codfca ton
Of the laws OF Alaska is out of the way.