The evening times., 1902-07-10
Hon0red by Associates in
Revenue Cutter
Service.
CHAMPIONED TIE NEW LAW
Work of the EngineeT-in-Chief of the
Navy On Behalf Of His Associates
Repaid by Presentation Of Massive
Silver Token.

In recognition Of his services il be
half OF the Revenue Cutter Service, the
associates OF Admiral George w Mel
vile, Engineer-fn-chief Of the Navy,
have presented him with a beautiful and
massive silver loving cup.
The officers OF the service are en-
phatic IN their fondness for Admiral
Melville, who appeared before the com
mittse of Congress and fearlessly cham
pioned their cause for the last Two
years. arguing for the legislation as
simple justice to these on whom rested
such responsibilities. The presentation
was quietly made yesterday. The loving
cup is Of five pints capacity, and bears
this inscription on one of its panels:
Presented TO Rear Admiral George
Wallace Melville, Z. s y, by the Of
fcers Of the United States Revenue Cut
ter Service, as a symbol of their friend
ship and slight token of their admire
ton for one who fearIessly espoused
their cause in time OF need, and whose
testimony in their behalf commanded
the respectful attention Of all"
On the other panels are his monogram
and the date of the new law, April Y.
1902 The cup is eight inches high, and
is elaboTately decorated with conven-
tional devices typical CT the sea.
Recognition Received.
For thirty years the Revenue Cutter
Service has been operated under great
disadvantages. imposed BY antiquated
laws unsutted n the duties performed BY
this valuable -uxiIiary- Insufficient pay.
hard work unit; death, with no pension
for age or infirmity under the law, has
discouraged the entrance Of ambitious
and intelligent young men into the se-v-
ice But the ereditable manner in which
the personnel acquitted itself in 1898
attracted the favorable attention Of
Congress, and, despite the antagonism
from the navy. tie service has al last
received full recognition.
The new legislation gives the revenue
officers psSsSive rank in peace as well as
in war. GEsz assimi!able with the various
grades OF the navy Il increases the pay
70 that Of the army. making 10 differ
e1ce between sea and shore pay and Il
establishes a retired list on three-Quar-
ters pay for all who reach sixtv-four
years OF who are incapacitated for ac-
tive duty By disabilities incident TO the
Service.
Rank of Officers.
Hereafter in the cutter service the
captains viii rank with army majors and
pavy lieutenant commanders: the first
ueutenants with army captains and
navy HeutenaRts; the second Ieutenants
with army first Iieutenants and navy
lieutenants. junior grade. and the third
heutenants with army second Ieuten-
ants and navy ensigns- The revenue cut
er captains have received s.. 500 afioat
and $500 ashore, but hereafter they
viii have $500. and the compensations
Of tie lower grades are proportIonaIly
increased. IN time Of war when co
operating with the navy. the revenue
cutters officers viii take rank imme-
diately below naval officers OF the
statutory assimiIable grade
Retired List Started.
a few years ago officers as old as.
ninety and several who had passed sew
enty we're still on active duty. and last
year there were captains afoat seventy
years OF age, although in the regular
navy officers are forced into retirement
at sixty-two. Under the new order a
retired list of forty-six old officers has
already been established, including sew
en- captains and four chief engineers.
who, although over sixty-four years old.
were still performing sea service. The
new law makes no change in the person
mel Of the Engineer Corps Of the ser
vice, except to make the rank positive
and the emoluments the same as those
Of the line officers.
New Blood Infused
AS notable result Of the improved
condition and prospects Of the service,
It Is announced that f0rty-eight young
men have already taken the examination
before the Civil Service Commission for
the twenty vacancies al the bottom Of
the list Those who pass the entrance
requirements make a two years prac-!
tice cruise as cadets and are examined
on professional subjects before receiving
commissions as third lieutenants or sec /
ond assistant engineers