The evening times., 1900-03-10

Navy. This question is more fully dis
cussed in a letter addressed to you eight
years ago, by the then Secretary Hon. B.
F. Tracy.
Practice in England.
The general questions adverted to have,
naturally, arisen in the experience of 9TH
er nations having an extended maritime
organization. Great Britain, for example,
has what is termed the Coast Guard Ser
vice. performing duties in many respects
similar to those of the Revenue Cutter Ser
vice in this country. and the Coast Guard
Service is part Of the navy. The expert
ence and training of the British navy is
also ayailed of in that country in the
handling of the transport service.
The more general questions Of policy
brought up by this measure, in the judg-
ment of the department, are of SO impor-
tant a character as to render a discussion
of incidental features OF the bill of COM
paratively small significance: but it is
proper to invite attention to the following
details: III Section 14s2 OF the Revised
Statutes provides:
The officers OF the Revenue Cutter Service. when
serving. in accordance with law. as part OF the
Navy shall be entitled to relative rank, as fol-
lows: Captains, with and next after lieutenants
commanding in the Navy; first lieutenants with
and after heutenants in the Navy; second lieu
tenants with and after masters in line IN the
Navy; third leutenants with and next after en-
signs IN the navy
Taken in conjunction with amendatory
provisions OF Law substituting junior lieu
tenants for master this section as IL
stands fully meets all requirements, and
no difficulties have developed in its prac-
ticai administration. The words relative
rank have no significance since the pass
age OF the act OF March 8, 1899, commonly
called the Naval Personnel Act
The 4th section of S. 72S. however, does
more than bring section 1892 up to date.
BY emitting the words next after. and by
making Revenue Cutter Service captains
rank with utenant-commanders in the
navy. instead Of as now, within. but after
lieutenants commanding. such captains
would in fact. by reason of their longer
service and consequent seniority. take
command when serving with most lieuten-
ant-eommanders. Under section 1892 such
captains rank after all lieutenants COM
manding in the Navy.
"(2) s. 72S. while providing for line off,
GERS. engineer officers, and constructor,
contains no provision for medical officers.
Under section 10 such officers are to be
obtained from the Marine Hospital Ser
vice, when required to serve upon medical
boards. Since they thus perform the 1
duties in part Of the medical corps of the !
Navy it is assumed that they would pres
entity claim appropriate rank.
"(S) S. 72S maintains a separate engi-
neer corps, a system abolished so far as
the regular Navy is concerned.
"(4l Section "a OF s. 72S contains inflexi-
BILE requirements on the subject OF official
honors and cOurtesies which would put
the Revenue Cutter Service In an anomal- |
Gus position, particularly in the presence
OF representatives of foreign military and
naval services. The honors and courtesies
referred to are the outgrowth OF long
usage I'm the military and naval services
OF civilized nations, and are subject to
constant change to suit changing condi- |
tions"