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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Feb 9Th.
Substance of tie Remarks Of Mr.. MER1wETAER


of Ga, in support Of his motion to reduce


tie pay Of officers in The Nary tarentyper cent.


Mr. MERIwErneh said that it from no
hostility to the service that he desired to reduce
the pay of the navy. 1t had been increased in
1885 to meet The increase of labor elsewhere, &C.
and decline having taken place there, he thonght
corresponding decline should take place in the
price of labor in the Navy.


At the last session Of Congress this House called
on the Secretary of the Navy fer statement of the
pay allowed to each officer previous to the act OF
1885. From the answer to that resolution MIR
NJ. derived the facts which he should state TO the
House. He was de,irous of getting the exact
amount received by each grade of officers, to show
the precise increase by the act of 1885. Aided by
that report The biennial register of 1892, and the
report Of the Secretary of the Navy for 1922, fur
nishing the estimates for the "full pay and full
lions" of each grade of officers, he was enabled to
present the entire facts accurately.


Previous to that time the classification Of Off
cers was different from what it has been since; but
as far as like services have been rendered under
each classification, the comparative pay Is pre-
sented under each.


Previous to 1885 the pay of the commanding
GulCEE 0l Jut lNdFy WuS YIHo pei IiouLU1 nuo oih
,eeR rations per day, valued at 25 cents each ra
ZION, which amounted, "full pay and full ratons,
30 1850 per annur,. The same officer as senior
captain in service receives now S4 500; while " on
Leave" he receives S., SEQ per annum.


Before 1885 captain commanding squad
ron " received the same pay as the commanding
o oificer of the navy, and the same rations amount
ing in all to SO 500; that same officer, exercising
the same command, receives now $4,000.


Before 1885 captain commanding vessel Of
32 guns and upwards received 500 per month
and eight rsiions per day. being total Of s., $50
per annum; captain commanding vessel of 90
and under 80 guns, received SIS pcr month and
six rations per day, amounting to l,447 SO pc,
ennum. Since 1885 these same captains, whei
performing these same duties, received So, 500;
and when at home, by their fre-sides waiting
orders,' p receive $4,000 per annum.


Before 1885 q +" master commanding received
$50 per menth and FIVE rations per day, amount
ing to $1,l76 per annum. Since that time the
same officer in sea service receives $500 per an
num; at other duty $2,100 per annum, and
f" waiting orders $1,000 per annum.


Before 1885 (" lieutenant commanding" re
ceived $50 per month and four rations per day,
which amounted to $o65 per annum. Since thai
time the Same officer receives for similar services
$1,000 per annum.


Before 1885 lieutenant on other duty received
$40 per month and three rations per day. amount.
ing to S761 per annum. Since that time, for the
same services, that same officer has received
$I,500 per annum, and when waiting orders
$1,000 per annum.


Before 1885 miashipman received $40 per
month and one ration per day, making So 25
per annum. Since that time passed midship-
man on duty received $3.50 per annum; if wait
ing orders" 5000. A mdshipman received in
sea service $4OO, on other duty $3.50, and wait
ing orders )" $500 per annum.


Surgeons before 1885 received $50 per month
ana two rations per day, amounting to S7s7 SO;
.rhey now receive from 81 900 $4,000 per an
mum.


Before 1885 a schoolmaster received $25
Per month aud two rations per day; noc, unde,
the Lame Of professor, he receives 81 200 pc,
annum.


Before 1885 carpenter, boatswain, and gunner
received $40 per month and two rations per day,
making S427 SO each per aanam; they now re-
ceive, if employed on ship Of the line, $50, on
u frigate 5000, on other duty $500, and waiting
orders $500 per annam. A similar increase has
been made in the pay Of all other officers. The pay
of sesmen has not been enlarged, and it is propes-
ed TO leave it as il is. In several instances Off
Ger idle, "waiting orders, receives more pay now
than one of similar grade received during the late
war, when he exposed his life in battle in defence
OF his country. At the navy yards the pay of Off
cers was greater than at sea. Before 1885 cap.
tain commandans received for pay rations, c,ndes,
and servants hire So, 0l3 per annum, besides fuel;
the saa1e officer for the services receives
$500 per annum.


a master commandant received $l,4OS per ar
nam, with fuel; the same officer receives
A
with fuel; the same officer receives now 81 500.


At naval stations. before the &c, of 1885, cap
tain received 50 $50 per annum; he now receives
$500 per annum. a Lieutenant received S76l
per annam, and he now receives $1,000 per ann
Before and since the act of 1885 quarters were
furnished the officers at navy yards and stations
Before that time the pay and eInolurnents were es.
tnsted for in dollars and cents, and appropriated
for as pay, and the foregoing statements are taken
irou the actual estimates of the Navy Department.
and as such show the whole pay and emolnments
received by each officer.


ne effect OF this increase of pay has been real
lied rreladicially in more ways than one. In the
year 1894 there were aloar, in the navy. 4O4 guns
in ls43, 946 guns. The cost Of the item Of poy
alone for each gun then was So $50; no,c ,l,e cos
is $500.


The nayaIservice has become To great ex,ont
one of ease and idieness The high pay has rem
dered its Offices mostly sin-cures-hence the prea,
effort ro increase the number of officers Every ar
gument has been used every en,reaty to- to
augment thar corps We have the effect oe this.
that in cne year uS4l) there were added IS cap
rains, Al commanders, 42 lieutenan,s, and 63 mid
shipmen, without any possibly conceivable cause
for the increase; and when, at the time these
appointments were made, there were 90 captains
waIfinv orders and 6 % on leaye:n so c)nman-