REFORM IN THE NAVY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4847, 27 December 1902, Page 5

REFORM IN THE NAVY.

CABLE NEWS.

C.NIXISD PELESS ASSOCIATION. —BY BLECTBIO XJiLSUBA PH. —COP YHIO HI.

THE NEW TRAINING SYSTEM. FURTHER OUTLINES OF THE ADMIRALTY’S SCHEME. (Received December 26, 8.58 a.m.) LONDON, December 25. In connection with tiio scheme for navy reform, explained in a memorandum by tho Earl of Soiborne, First Lord of tho Admiralty, cadets are to spond four years on tho training-ship Britannia, threo years on a sea-going ship afterwards, and threo months in tho Naval College at Greenwich, with an examination. This will bo followed by a course of six months in tho gunnery, torpedo and engineering schools at Portsmouth, for which there well bo a fresh examination. Tho change in tho system is to bo brought about gradually. Engineers are to receive increased pay, and to wear similar uniforms to combatant officers. Royal Marino officers will benefit by increased emoluments, but will bo required to take a greater share in the general work of tho ship. “ The Times,” commenting on tho momdrandum, says it is one of the most important Admiralty documents over issued in timo of peace. “It is,” says “ Tho Times,” “ entitled to respectful and sympathetic attention. It removes the evil resulting from the dissimilarity of training for specialisation careers until each cadet is certified to bo competent to act as an offibor of tho watch, and it restores that, homogeneity by the interchange of ability in tho working parts of a warship which disappeared when masts and sails wore displaced in favour of tho most complicated assemblage of machinery tho world has seen.” r’ommandants of tho Royal Marines will from next April receive twelve shillings a. day, to correspond with tho money received by captains commanding naval establishments ashore; second commandants will receive five shillings. Sixty appointments aro .to bo reserved for lieutenants promoted from tho lower deck. Chief-potty officers aro to receive an extra halfpenny per day. increasing the estimates by £73,000 annually.