Evening star., 1925-06-21
NAVY.

list unless some sort of a declaration
IS made by the President and the
Secretary of the Navy which indi-
Gates that the administration has ac-
cepted the decision of the courts in
the oil lease litigation. The sup
porters of the chief engineer have an
nounced that they will no longer toll
crate the injustices which have been
inflicted upon the admiral, but 1t is
believed that the entire matter will
be adjucated before it reaches the
halls of Congress.
The contention is made by the
friends of Admiral Robson that he
is entitled to the vacancy in the grade
of rear admiral of the line, which
existed on June 5. 1924, at which time
the Navy selection board recon-
mended him for promotion. 1t is
noted in this connection that the 1925
Navy Register gives Admiral Robi-
sons name as a rear admiral Of the
line senior to Admiral Willard. 1t
is pointed out in certain quarters that
the 1925 selection board did not Sc
lect Admiral Robson out for promo
ton, because 1t was thought that the
President would give him a recess ap-
pointment. 1t is not thought that
Capt. Thomas J. Sem. who is first
on the selections for this year, will
be rendered the vacancy ahead of
Rear Admirals Hough, Willard and
Christy, to which, according to the
1924 selection board, Rear Admiral
Robson was entitled.
Animated discussion Is already being
made by the Navy line personnel bill,
better known as the Britten bill,
which was drawn up as the result of
conferences recently held by Repre-
sentative Fred A. Rritten, Admiral E.
W. Eberle, u. S. N, chief of naval
operations; Read Admiral Hillary F.
Jones, u. S. N, member OF the Cen
eral board; Rear Admiral W. r.
reau of Navigation; Rear Admiral h.
H. Campbell, L. S. N, Judge Advo-
cate General of the Navy, and Com
mander J. H. Mccain, U. S. n. The
present draft of the bill is tentative
only, and it has not yet been approved
by the Secretary of the Navy. The
bill is subject to changes before 1t
will be submitted to Congress, but as
it is now framed the provisions Of the
bill will make the following changes:
/. 1t substitutes years of service
since graduation for age in grade in
determining eligibility for promotion
and extends the provisions for ineli-
gibility for promotion downward to
include lieutenantS and Heutenants
Gunior grade) instead of lieutenant
commanders, as before, by providing
for retirement in the grades of captain.
commander, lieutenant commander,
lieutenant and Lieutenant Gunior
grade) after a total service of 35, %.
81, IA or years, respectively.
2. Establishes a common point from
which service since graduation shall
be considered to originate in the case
of all officers, namely, the first of July
following their graduation from the
Naval Academy, considering that all
officers have completed a four-year
course at the academy.
3. Provides for the complete Sepa-
ration from the service of lieutenants
and lieutenants Gunior grade) who fail
of promotion by selection after having
served IA and years, respectively,
since graduation, with two years base
pay of their grade.
4. Provides that officers with more
than 10 years naval service previous
to the date of their permanent COM
mission shall be retired with 2A per
cent of their base pay for each year
of their total service,
5. Extends the existing law for Sc
lection for promotion from the rank
of lieutenant to lieutenant commander
and from lieutenant junior grade) to
lieutenant, instead Of as at present
from the rank of lieutenant COM
mander to commander.
6. Provides that ex-warrant and
ex-commissioned and warrant officers
holding the rank of lieutenant and
lieutenant Gunior grade) If not selected
for promotion shall have the option of
reverting to their former permanent
warrant status.
T. Provides that not more than 10
per cent of officers of any grade shall
be retired in any one year.
s. Specifically retains the general
retirement age of "a years, as in the
present law.
9. Provides for the retirement of
officers appointed from sources other
than from the Naval Academy after
they have served seven years in any
grade other than that of lieutena mt
Gunior grade) provided they have been
passed over in selection for promotion
when the Naval Academy class next
junior to them become ineligible for
promotion.
The Marine detachment of the
U. S. S. Arizona, Capt. l.. H.
Miller, U. S. NJ. c.. comma nding, with
Second Lieut.. H. E. Dunkelberger
u. S. NJ. c., as assistant, was awarded
the cup presented by the Sons of the
Revolution to the battleship Marine de-
tachment showing the greatest pro-
ficiency during the fiscal year. This
cup Is awarded annually upon the
recommendation of board made up
of the Marine officers attached to the
staffS of the various unit comma nd
ers, and the award is based upon
the efficiency of the detachment as
shown by the standing in short-range
battle practice, small arms, etc.
Approval was given this week by
the Secretary Of the Navy of the new
regulations governing the organiza-
ton and administration of the Naval
Reserve, issued in accordance with
the provisions of the act approved
February 2s, 1925, effective July l,
1925. These regulations supersede all
previous or existing regulations, gen.
eral orders or instructions relating to
the Naval Reserve.
With the approval Of the new Naval
Reserve regulations this junior COM
ponent Of the regular naval establish
ment adopts for the first time a prac-
teal method of training Naval Re-
serve officers in time of peace for a
specific duty in time of war. In
reality it Is the first steps which
have been made by the department in
building up an efficient Naval Reserve
force. The board of officers who have
been engaged for some time in revis-
ing the Naval Reserve regulations in
accordance with the act of February
rs, 1925. is as follows: Capt. c. f.
Macklin. u. S. n. r. F.; Comdr- j. M.
Smeallie, u. S. N; Lieut. Comdrs. V.
l., Kirkman, H. H. Frost. J. H. Falge,
all U. S. N, and Comdr. J. A. Scho-
field, L. S. n. r. F.; Lieuts. A. E.
Barnes and w. M. Dillon, U. S. N, and
Leslie c. McNemar, J. A. G.
Any Naval Reserve Force officer
holding provisional rank may be ap-