THE ADMIRALTY REFORM OF 1870.
THREE Parliamentary papers recently issued give in a clear and concise shape the result of a series of reforms which some years ago were loudly demanded, and which were carried through with remarkable energy, and not less remarkable suc- cess, but whose success has certainly attracted less attention than it deserves. Early in 1867, MT. Childers, then out of office, in a speech of some length on the Navy Estimates, pointed out the increasing evils which the crowded condition of the lists of Officers, Naval and Civil, under the Admiralty was causing, and proposed remedies. At that time, the num- ber of Flag Officers, Captains, Commanders, and of some other ranks, was twice too great for the actual requirements of the Service. The inducements to retire were insufficient. Highly educated civilians were doing the drudgery of the Departments, with little hope of advancement. The Dockyard establish- ments were excessive. The pay and prospects of the Navy were as inadequate as its numbers were redundant. For two years nothing was done by the Board of Admiralty, but with the change of Government the question assumed a very different shape. Mr. Childers at once proceeded to carry through in office the policy which he had advised in opposition ; and in the years 1869-70 a series of reforms was introduced in every branch of Naval Administration. The time has now arrived when we can begin fairly to estimate their results ; and these returns moved for in June by Sir John Hay, Mr. Corry, and Mr. Childers himself, exhibit them amply and clearly.
To counteract the steady diminution of employment, and consequent inflation of the Half-pay List, it was resolved at once to reduce the Active List by about 2,000,—from 7,400 to 5,400. This has been already effected to the extent of 1,500. During the last two years nearly 1,300 officers have taken their retirement, though only 200 had retired in the two pre- vious years. At the same time, the entries of cadets and Naval clerks have been diminished by one-half. Yet there are still 600 Officers, Admirals, Captains, Commanders, Lieu- tenants, and Masters on Half-pay ; and about 300 in other branches of the Service. The state of stagnation has in some degree ceased ;-but the Navy List still leaves something to desire. In particular ranks the result of the Order in Council of 1870 has singularly falsified the criticism which Mr. Childers' pro- posals at first encountered. The reduction of the Lieutenants' and Masters' Lists to 850 was in particular seriously censured.
The list has been so far reduced that there are now in all 921 Lieutenants and Masters, of whom, however, no less than 284 are on half-pay, a considerably lower figure than in 1868, when the lists of the two ranks numbered no less than 1,126. The Engineers' and Paymasters' Lists exhibit an equally striking result. Again, it was predicted that the rapid reduction of the Lists would stop promotion. This prophecy also has proved delu- sive. The actual number of promotions in the last two years exceeds by about 150 that of the previous two years, the relative rate in the reduced list being, of coarse, far higher. This improvement is specially noticeable in the ranks of Navigating, Engineer, and Warrant Officers, whose prospects previously seemed almost hopeless. It is not so noticeable in the list of Flag Officers. For two whole years, out of sheer opposition to the new Orders, of course, and also not to encourage the others, not one single Admiral died.
The financial results of the Returns are very remarkable. The pay, half-pay, and retired pay of the Navy amount now to almost exactly the same figure, a million and three-quarters sterling, as in 1868, though 1,100 fewer officers are em- ployed, and the Lists number in all 500 less. This is evi- dently due to the better pay of many ranks, notably the Navigating and Warrant Officers and the Chaplains and Surgeons, as well as to the improved retirement of all ranks. Thus the officers on retired pay are now receiving about £100,000 a year more than the former scale would have allowed, and the pensioned Engineers and Warrant Officers enjoy nearly half as much more as in former times. In the carry- ing out of this great scheme there has been no sacrifice of real efficiency to mere economy, and yet the saving on the whole charge of the Navy to the public can hardly be less than £100,000 a year.
In the Civil Establishments of the Admiralty the improve- ment is very marked. In 1868 there were on shore 32 officers receiving above £1,000 a year, and 1,023 Clerks and others on what is called the Establishment, besides 289 Writers, &c. The superior officers now number 27, and the Establishment has been steadily reduced to 743, the Writers standing at 304. Between 1868 and 1870 the reduction in salaries was £92,000 a year, with an increase in pensions of £30,000. The charge for salaries has since somewhat increased, in spite of reduced numbers, from the more liberal scale established in 1870. But this, like the increase in the pay of officers afloat, appears to be alike beneficial to the Service and the public. We may note, as an evidence of the determination with which these reduc- tions have been effected, that whereas from 1866 to 1868 no less than 83 young gentlemen were appointed by the Admi- ralty to Civil clerkships, not a single appointment of the kind was made between 1869 and 1871.
We hope that these reforms, extensive as they have been, will not be final. The same causes which in 1869 rendered the reduction of the personnel of the Navy an absolute neces- sity have been in steady operation to this day. The Half-pay List is still creeping up, in spite of the relief which 1,300 retirements have afforded to the Active List. But the principles of the Orders in Council of 1870 are now gene- rally accepted. One of the Returns to which we have referred shows that such changes as it has been since necessary to make in them have been inconsiderable, and chiefly of an interpretative character. A steady attention to their operation in detail will no doubt suffice to keep under the evils against which they are devised, and that attention they are sure to receive from Mr. Gosohen.
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