New-York tribune., 1902-11-15
SAVYs CRY FOR MORE OFFICERS

Tie cry Of a scarcity OF officers 10 supply the
needs of the navy seems 10 be unceasing. The
report OF the Chief OF the Bureau of Navigation
published the other day, is a report of that de-
partment which has TO do with the detail of Off
GERS for ships and stations and much of IL is de-
voted TO the insufficiency Of personnel which
has so often been referred to since the enact
ment Of the Personnel law the chief object Of
such a law being "to relieve the hump"-in
other words TO make possible more rapid promo
ton in the lower grades. The chief OF the
bureau, Admiral Taylor. reiterating what has
been asserted by others. says; "That there are
mot enough line officers Of the navy 20 man
the vessels already constructed can be
repeated now with greater force and
THE critical condition now existing, due to the
lack OF officers, has reached such point as to
"be dangerous to the efficiency OF the feet" To
remedy the existing conditions and to provide
for the future-and he repeats what one of the
navy officers noted in letter to The Tribune
a few days ago, that 1,600 officers are neces-
sary for the present feet. or SIT more than are
now available, and that 49s more will be re-
quired for vessels under cOnstruction-AdmiraI
Taylor has drafted bill for Congress to act
upon which provides, among other things, that
course OF four years only, instead Of six as at
present, shall be necessary for midshipman TO
secure his commission ensign.
The proposition to shorten the course OF In
struction for midshipmen, as prescribed IN a re-
cent order Of the Secretary of the Navy. is re-
garded by many of the officers with regret and
apprehension, 1t being interpreted as meaning a
lower standard of efficiency than heretofore. II
is maintained that modern naval construction
and naval conditions are such that the training
required 10 fit an officer for his duties is broader
E,Fo a..
at the Naval Academy is a serious misfortune
for naval interests. II is not to be denied that
more officers are needed for the ships, and II
would seem that there must be some expedient
10 meet the emergency. A partial remedy was
provided by Congress two years ago-that of
making retired officers available for detail
few have been so assigned TO duty and IL is
said that others have put their services at the
disposal Of the Navy Department few days
ago a retired commander was ordered to the
nautical schoolship Enterprise, at Boston, to
succeed an officer on the active list. II is
thought probable that other retired officers NAV
be ordered to similar duties. so as to release ac
tive officers for the regular navy ships.
It has been contended that there has been no
increase, but positive decrease, of available ac
tive officers through the operations OF the Per-
sonnel law. One OF the features of this law is
the clause which allows certain number of
voluntary retirements each year in four OF the
grades, such officers to be retired with the rank
and pay of the grades next above those re-
spectively held by them on the active list. So
many were inclined to take advantage of this
provision that an effort was made in the last
session OF Congress TO repeal that part of the
PERSONNEL law, but the amendment was
stricken out when the bill was sent TO con-
, ,eiehce: Inc number Of officers has been
700. IN other ways. Thus, three officers
nave committed suicide within the last six
months, and many designations and ann,,oa-