The Times of Wednesday prints in rather an unusual place
a generous tribute to the success of the Naval Retirement Scheme began by Mr. Childers and continued by Mr. Goschen. In 1868 the evil of over-officering, had grown, chiefly under Mr. Disraeli's Administration, to an unbearable height. There were 800 " active " admirals, captains, and commanders, and only work for 250, and it was necessary to reduce the lists by one-half. There were 650 too many lieutenants, sub-lieutenants, and middies, and nearly as great an excess of paymasters, navigating-engineers, and warrant-officers. Mr. Childers, with characteristic courage, cut down the lists to one-hall, without reducing the rank and file; Mr. Goschen persistently carried out his scheme, both refused new entries, to the detriment of their own patronage, and the total numbers have been cut down from 7,900 to 5,700. This has been done mainly by fair rates of half-pay, and is now un- equivocally approved by the majority of the Service itself. The publio has scarcely heard of the revivification of this Service, and next Session the Admiralty will probably be baited just as much as before.
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