Year: 1875

The Secretary Of the Navy has issued 3


general order defining the relative rank o1
naval officers under certain circumstances
in the same vessel, as is often the case, BY an
officer assigned to inferior duty. questions


Of construction Of the law have become en-
barrassing to both. For instance on the
completion Of the chips company two
Lieutenant: commanders might be included


the senior being assigned as executive Of
fcer. Before sailing if he were relieved by
lieutenant assigned az executive officer
the remaining lieutenant commander would
be 10 subordinate capacity in the line ot
duty on the vessel, though senior if both
were detached. The Secretary gives his
official construction Of the law in order 70
reraove misunderstanding. The following
are tho principal points Of order:


Officers in command Of vessels Of war on
naval stations. or having the command OF
direction OF any military expedition or duty
whatever, must have full command and
authority, and take precedence over all
other officers and persons Of whatever rank
serving in such vessel, station, or expedi.


ton, or in the execution of such duty.


This authority and precedence will de.


command or direction may devolve by


reason Of the death. disability or absence


OF the person otherwise IN command


and direction. In the case of the


death, disability or absence of an Off


Ger in military command or direction. this


command and direction, with all its au-


thcritv and precedence, dev0lyes upon the


line officer next in rank who may be pres.


ent. The direction of all courts and boards,


and precedence thereon, and in all process


sicns or shore, will dev0lve upon the next


officer in rank who may be present, without


regard to the corps to which he belongs.


Officers of the staff corps Of the navy will


on all occasions be treated with the same


respect as officers of corresponding rank in


the line not in command, under like circum-


stances. Their legal rank carries with it


the same personal dignity, and is to receive


in all respects the same consideration.


authorized, by virtue of his own mere rank


and authority. to give away, order, or grant


any privilege, permission or liberty to his


senior in the ~ank Of any corps; nor is any
senior officer required to receive such order,


privilege. permission or liberty from his


Junior, unless such junior is at the time in
comm and of the vessel Of war or naval
station to which the senior is attached, or
is IN command OF direction of the military
expedition or duty on which such senior is
serving. No commanding officer is author
lied to delegate to any junior the authority
to grant any permission, privilege or liberty
to his senior, but hs must himself receive
and hear, under the proper regulations, any
request therefor from such senior, satisfying
himself as to the trOpriety. and deciding
the r. natter in the exercise Of his own au-
thority.


The efficiency Of every military organiza-
ton requires of the commanding authority,
besides the general duties of command and
direction, the additional duties of the Or
ganiz alton Of police and inspection. All
these appertain to and go with the COM
mand. For the relief of the commanding
officer, they are usually intrusted in their
details to eutordinates; but they are per-
formed by his authority and under his di-
rection on ehi2bOard. The Secretary of the
Navy, by authority of law, designates the
senior line officer to perform these duties, in
addition to the ordinary duties assigned to
ship. The officer so designated is called
for the time being the laid, or ex-
ecutive Of the commanding officer"
This is not q new rank, nor has
the officer by virtue of the title,
OF in consequence of the detail any new,
authority" 1t is merely q
of the other, who, for the relief
Of the commandant. and by his authority
alone, carries out on board the ship the de-
tails of organization, inspection and police;
duties corresponding to those which, in the
army, are performed by the ad.jutants, in
speCtors and officers Of the day. The du-
ties of organization, inspection and police
devolve upon the laid or executive of the
commander of vessel of war;" by virtue
Of his detail as such "aid or executive" and
they, and the exercise of the authority nec-
essary to execute them, are recog gnized by
all military laws and usage and by the sta
tute which authorizes his designation. The
officer in command of ship of war is not
to delegate his power, except
for the carryi ing out of the details of the
general duties to be performed by his az
thority. While the statute provides that
the officer detailed to act as laid or execu-
tive" shall, "when not impracticable, be
next rank to the commanding officer" it
still eontemplates the same obedience when
this Is impractical g, but orders to seniors,
not given in the ordinary progress of mill
tary organization or duty, are to be 80 an



Every officer in charge of department
has, Of course, the general right, at all
proper times, to communicate and confer
directly with the responsible commanding
officer, concerning any matter relating to
his department; and his duty to do 30 is
absolute, whenever he thinks it necessary
for the good Of his department or Of the
service.