The Washington herald., 1915-12-12

while the main provision relating to
naval personnel is withheld from Con-
gress until the Secretary Of the Navy is
in possession of the report of ehe joint
board which has been for some time en-
gagged on that important problem" says
the Army and Navy Register. 1T has
been possible for the Navy Department
to make some preliminary recommenda'
tions that are embodied in the first. draft
OF the naval appropriation bill as 1t VIII
be shortly considered by the House Naval
Committee in connection with the esti-
mates for the support Of the naval es'
tablishment for the next fiscal year.
The text Of these new provisions con-
templates, incidentally. the increase In
the number of midshipmen at the Naval
Academy by one appointee for each Sen
ator and Representative, making three to
the credit Of each. the provisions OF the
act Of July 8, 1913, being amended accord
ingiy. At that date Congress extended
the period in which two midshipmen
might continue to be appointed by each
Senator and Representative, this In vie"
OF the demand for more officers OF the
special training and fitness insured by
course of instruction at the institution nj
Annapolis.
The increase now asked by the Navy
Department is in the line of prospective
service needs and aims to provide a COM
missioned personnel of requisite numeri-
cal strength made up of graduates OF the
Naval Academy to meet the demand by
new ships and the constantly eniarsins
scope of naval duty ashore and afioat.
Wants Flying Corps.
The other provision is that for naval
evinp CORPS. to which careful considera-
ton has been given by the departmental
authorities. The time has plainly ar
rived when it is necessary to obtain a
trained personnel for naval aviation. II
will not be difficult to acquire the
mechanism. but the problem will always
De to furnish the officers and men tor
this important duty.
The proposed legislation provides lor
. separate branch to be known as the
naval flying corps" and the present
commissioned personnel and enlisted
force of the Navy are increased TO sup
DIV I5o officers and student flyers ana
so men, distributed so as 10 possess hNe
flight commanders. ten flight slieutenant
commanders. thirty flight lieutenants,
like number of the Junior grade lieuten-
ants, twenty-five flight ensigns. and such
number of student flyers as will maintain
q list of rs, in addition to ten chief
warrant officers of the rank of chief
machinist and fifteen with the rank of
machinist.
Provision is also made for an aero
nautical school os instruction and train
ing for student flyers. graduates of which
institution will be eligible to fill vacan-
cies in the grade of ensign in the corps
An important feature of the project Is
the extension of the naval reserve law
so as to include a naval reserve hyinS
CORDS, TO which may be assigned the sur
plus graduates of the aeronutical school
and others in civil life who are qualified.
with ARRANGEMENTS for calling them in
TO active service for drills and exercises
for a stipulated period annually under
conditions and emoluments corresponding
with those attaching to members of the
regular service.
There are provisions for the trans
fer to the naval flying corps OF Oh