Evening star., 1901-03-11
Report of the Naval Board Of
Awards.
MERlTORIOUS CONDUCT IN THE EAST
Present Method of Rewarding or
ficers Criticised.
MEDALS OF HONOR GIVEN

Secretary Long mas MADE PUBIC the re-
port of the board of awards appointed by
him to fix upon the rewards to be bestowed
upon the officers and enlisted men of the
navy and Marine Corps for meritorious con-
duct during the recent troubles in China
and the Philippines. The board consists Of
Assistant Secretary Hackett, Rear Admi-
rails Luce, Benham and Watson and Colonel
Reid of the marine corps. In it's report the
board says:
Wherever favorable mention has been
made of an officer or of an enlisted man,
all the circumstances attainable bearing
upon the case have been carefully weighed.
1t is only proper to state that, in the prepa-
ration of this report, the board has labored
under a great disadvantage, in a number
ton.
Certain reports, commedatory in general
terms, have failed to be sufficiently ex-
plicit to lead to determination of the ma
ture and degree of the conduct extolled.
Much to it's regret, the board has found it
impossible in some instances to adopt the
recommendation of the commanding officer
as to the manner and degree of the reward
named by him.
"Your direction to the board is to report
what rewards may be given under existing
law. 1t is the duty of the board to express
the opinion, which is unanimous, that the
present method of rewarding officers for
distinguished conduct fails to meet IN any
degree with it's approval. By the terms of
section 1906 of the Revised Statutes, an Of
fcer of the navy may, by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, be advanced
not exceeding thirty numbers in rank for
eminent and conspicuous conduct in battle
or extraordinary heroism' Such being the
only provision of law for bestowing re-
wards on naval officers who have not re-
ceived vote of thanks by Congress, the
board has been reluctantly compelled to
recommend that certain officers ne ad-
Vanced over their seniors In rank This
method Of doing honor to one officer at the
expense of others, who may be equally
gallant but less fortunate in opportunity,
is injurious in it's effect upon the public ser
vice. The nature of the injustice was point
ed out in your last annual report. The ex-
perience of the board serves only to ern-
phasize the truth of what you have so
forcibly brought to the attention of Con-
gress.
For naval cadets, any advancement in
numbers is, comparatively, of little value,
as their standing in the next higher grade
Is absolutely determined by a subsequent
competitive examination.
In the case of officers of the Marine
Corps the only reward except for those
who have received the thanks of Congress.
Is by advancement not exceeding thirty
numbers or by the bestowal of brevets
The latter method carries with it but little
benefit and has come to be regarded as of
little value.
Section 1407 of the Revised Statutes au-
thorizes the bestowal Of medals Of honor
and gratuity of 800 upon 'seamen' who
distinguish themselves in battle or by ex-
heroism in the line of their
profession. Unfortunately no such provi-
sion exists for the enlisted men of the Ma.
rine Corps.
1.-The board has, however, recommended
the awarding of medals to enlisted men of
the Marine Corps. in the hope that Con-
gress might, before the close of the pres
ent session, correct this omission in the
aw.''
Selected for Special Recognition.
All the officers recommended for advance
nent We're nominated to the Senate Satur-
day. In addition to those officers the fol-
lowing named officers have been selected
by the Secretary of the Navy for special
in various ways:
To receive brevets for gallant service in
the Philippines and China-Capt. Charles
g. Andresen, Lieut.. w. L. Jolly, Lieut. A.
p. Harding, Lieut.. D. D. Porter, Lieut.,
George c. Thorpe.
Lieut.. j. L. Latimer is to receive a COM
letter from the Secretary of the
Navy for gallant conduct at Pekin.
Capt T. N. Bannon and Lieut.. j. F. Nc
Gill and their company of marines are to
oe commended In general orders for gal
antry at Tientsn.
The legation guard at Pekin is to receive
a letter of commentator from the secre-
tary and Sergeant Walker, Corporals Hunt
and Dahlgren and Seamen Sjogreen and
Westermark are to be specially mentioned
in the letter.
Awarded Medals of Honor.
Medals of honor are to be awarded Prf-
vate Daniel DAILY, Boatswain ]. Clancy.
seamen E. B. Allen and W. E. Holyoke,
Coxswain McCloy, Gunner's Mate ]. P.
hot ha, L;,,;~ ID
w. F. Hamburger, Corporal Thos. W.
Gates, Privates A. r. Campbell, Charles
Francis and C. E. Matthias. Sersea nt
ley, P. Stewart, Corporal r. J. Phil,ins
Private Orndorff Gunner's Mate MitcheII
Apprentice r. H. Stanley. Cum
ners n Mate Torgensen. seamen Hansen and
man Seach, Landsman J. Smith, Coxswain
Ryan. Landsman Killackie, Coxswain
Thomas, Oiler Smith, Gunner's Mate A.
stoltenberg, Apprentice W. H. lager, Sea-
Francis Prendergast, NJ. c.; Private Ma ior
Howard Buckley, NJ. c.; Private Josenh
Melvin. M. c.; Sergeant H. Harvey. M. e.
Private James Cooney.
Lieut. r. F. Wynne is to receive bonor
able mention for conduct at the battle of
June 81, 1900. A letter of commendation is
to be sent to Passed Assistant Surgeon G.
A. Lung, and medals of honor to Sergeants
~ y. MC4>dliy ana 6. "A. FOfSterer, Private
Henry L. Hubert, Gunner's Mate F. d.
Fisher, for their gallant efforts to save
Lieut. Lansdale during the troubles in Sa-
moa.
Letters Of commendation for various acts
OF galiantry are to be sent to the follow
ing-named officers and men: Lieut.. Col.
G. F. Elliott and his force at Novsleta
P. l.; Ensign W. H. Standley. Naval Cadets
J. w. l.. Clements, A. F. H. Yates, C. n
Woodward, II: L. Brindsley. Ensigns H. c.
Muslin, w. c. Davidson, o. s. Knepper
Lieut.. e. L. Vissett Paymasters Clerk o.
Damn. Assistant Surgeon C. D. Langhorn,
Seaman E. NJ. Svensson, Boatswain o.
Huitfeldt, Seaman D. Donohue. Coal Passer
A. H. Ridden.
The board of awards also commends
Lieut.. Commander r. p. Rodgers and the
officers and men of his command who took
part in the expedition in southern Luzon
in January, 1900.
Young to Relieve Shafter
The quartermaster general is Informed
that the transport Logan left Nagasaki
Saturday for 50 Francisco with Major
Gen. Young and the 33d and 34th volun-