New-York tribune., 1900-05-28
Cohoes n. Z. May "a 1890.
PLEA FOR THE NAVY OFFICER
EFFECT OF THE BILL TO PROVIDE DUTY FOR RE
TIRED OFFICERs-TTs ECONOMY.

EFFECT OF THE BILL TO PROVIDE DUTY FOR RE-
TIRED oFFICERs-rTs ECONOMY.
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: T notice that an amendment to the Naval
Appropriation bill in conference. provides that.
for the period Of twelve years. ANY officer the
retired list may. his application. be ordered
to such duty as he may be able to perform at sea
shore, and while employed shall receive
the pay and allowance of an officer of the active
list I observe also that of the officers
the active list opposed to the measure. and as
sert that IT is regarded extremely vicious by
the entire naval service"
do not view this amendment as vicious
do think that any who will analyze the effect
that this bill will have will regard it For
long time 1t has been represented to Congress and
to the country at large that there not enough
active officers TO the ships and to perform
duty the naval stations. and that Congress
should provide 70 meet the emergency. One of
the results Of this deficiency of officers to-day is
that II has been found necessary to put some OF our
ships Of commission, and reports come from the
Philippines and other stations that more officers are
needed on the ships It has seemed to me that
Mr.. Chandler. MI Perkins and other members of
the Senate Naval Committee found a solution 10
this problem when they framed the amendment
quoted. 1t would not entail hardships on the off,
present the active list IL this amendment
should be passed nor would II increase the payroll
OF the Navy 100000 year. as has been inti-
mated
There a law several years ago proVlding tndl
officers the retired list should be ordered 70 do
shore duty, and the experiences Of the Spanish
War proved that its repeal was most unfortunate
If the law had been continued in operation the
hundreds of retired officers who asked for
duty in the Spanish War and detailed for
various stations and boards and did valuable ser
vice, would have been more familiar with the I'M
provemenTs in naval architecture, equipment, gum
merry and machinery. hence been better quaIlned TO
perform the duties required. As it was, they were
efficient but II they had been required by reguIa-
tions do duty such their physical ability al
lowed then they would have been better qualined
professionally II the law was IN eject TO-DAY
retired officers could perform the duties for
which many active officers now detailed ana
thus give to the Navy Department the relier
needed.
I would not for one moment suggest that officers
Of the active list be kept at sea all the time out
three years at sea- alternating Win one year or
two years on shore duty, would not be hardsnlp
The officers on the retired list receive an annual
pay, and there is a large percentage or those re-
tired by OF wounds sickness VINO could
Jr<ilized for duty at the various naval stauonS
and they would be glad of this duty-at least have
heard themselves. Il IS not tle
retired officers fault that he Is on the retlreu
list: 1t is a result of the law or Congress Whlch
requires in a most mandatory manner mar Wnen
an officer is found physically lncapacltated from
performing duty, as an incident OF tne service
ne shall be placed the retired list; and many or
these officers nave become lncapacltated oy ardu-
os service or exposure while still young, ana are
obliged sacrifice their amblLlonS TO reach nlSh
1a-1t5 living record. If they restored to
dutv SUCH as their physical strength may permit
them 10 do II will add more officers 70 tne active
service and relieve the present emoarrassInent OF
The service; they will be thus ophged 70 Keep
themselves efficient in their profession instead OF
6eooming rusty by having nothing TO do IN the line
for which they were fitted the expense TO the pay
roll will be far below that est1In1teu' anu a''u
' ONE WHO EXPECTS TO RETIRE
Brooklyn. May 1s 1900