The following facts, whiob seem to have escaped.tbe attention of
those who watch over the interest of Naval officers, show the injustice that is done to some classes of veterans in comparisoa.with others, arising from that want of a general principle which-characterizes the public service in all its departments.
The half-pay of officers of the Navy, under the rank of Admiral, is-pro- gressive; but the increase does not depend upon the merits nor even upon the length of their services, but upon the mortality or promotion among their seniors on the respective lists; it being given to the first. hundred, the next hundred and fifty, or the next seven hundred, &c. See the anoma- lous results of this tontine systemi-
First advance after Highest rate of Half-Pay Rank. of service, years obtatnedafter years of !Service,
Captains • .• • Seventeen years (I2a. 6d. per diem. Tesersty-fins years (10.6d. per dlem) Commanders. TAirtp-ose (16a) Lteutenants.• Thirty-Iwo (sa) Burty•eight. . .. . (7s.).
limiters .54r flairtyj.sr. (7s.) Pursers Thirty-eight • (es.) 'orty-two (78.) Thus, while a Purser is thirty-five and a Lieutenant thirty-two years in gaining any addition to his half-pay, a Master obtains. it in six, and a Cap- tain in seventeen years. Captain?) get the highest rate of half-pay in twenty- five years; while a poor Lieutenant must wait thirty-eight years, a Master thirty-five, and a Purser forty-two, for the highest advance: and to judge from the present state of the respective lists, there must be a much longer interval in future, unless so absurd a system be amended.
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