ECONOMISING IN THE NAVY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1922, Page 5

ECONOMISING IN THE NAVY

1835 OFFICERS NOT, NEEDED AN JITVTEATIO-NrTO REHEEv (fROH-ODK^OWN' CQSMBH»DnnS> LONDON., i7tbMay.: Orders have been promulgated by the Admiralty .whrch will mean much heartburning among officers of the Navy—at least among those who have now to turn their backs on what might have been a successful career and seek for work in unfamiliar walks of life. Drastic reductions in the number of officers are announced. In all 1835 officers are affected. The reason stated is that "owing to the large reductions which have been made in the requirements of personnel for the fleet and for naval establishments .generally, large surpluses of officers exist in certain ranks and seniorities; These surpluses, however, are not general in all the ranks in question, but in certain cases are confined to officers.of particular seniorities." The approximate number of surplus officers in the various branches is given thus : Executive Branch,—Captains, 119 ; commanders, 200; lieutenanfe, ex-cadets, 407; lieutenants, ex-mates, 139; lieutenants, ex-warrant officers, 44; sub-lieu-tenants, 46 j commissioned and warrant officers, 474. ■ The figures for the various brandies are :—Execntiye, 1429; engineer, 245 ; accountant, 101; Royal Marines, 60. Officers of the branches and seniorities affected are, therefore, invited to retire on special terms, and the Admiralty hopes "that all officers who have special chances of settling themselves in civilian life, or who have exceptional opportunities of taking up another career, will do bo, in preference, possibly, to displacing other officers who h«we. not the same facilities." Should the response to tihie invitation not be found sufficient "the requisite number of officers to complete the necessary reductions will be selected and given the alternative of retiring with the special terms or of being placed on unemployed or half-pay and informed that no further employment is available for them." In the case of captains of six years' seniority the rate of retired pay is stated at £800 for 21 years' servioe, with an addition or deduction of £15 far each year (limited to 5 years) m excess of or short of the standard. . ARMY: RETEfcEMEWSS. A Royal Warrant, issued with lAnny orders by the War Office contained the ■terms for the disposal of officers on reduction of establishment and particulars of compensation for soldiers compulsorily discharged or transferred to the Reserve owing to the Army reductions. An officer (not on the list of regiment or corps) displaced from a colonel's (or higher) apipointment may either retire at once with lull retired pay or be placed on half-«pay, reckoning servioe towards retirement,. ,■ Compensation is provided ranging (from £50 a year for a subaltern to £75 a year for a major, if the officers retir* with IS or more years' service. Officers retiring under 15 years will b« eligible ■for a gratuity ranging from £600 for a eecond lieutenant of under one year to £2500 for a captain of 14 years' service. Soldiers discharged from the colours before the end of their engagement will (receive special allowances, while soldiers iwith over 14 and less than 11 years' seriviee who are compuisorily discharged will .be eligible for pensions.