Mr. GRIMES. I move that the Senate proceed‘to the consideration of the Senate bill No. 269. The motion was agreed to; and the Senate, as in ComWhole, proceeded to consider the bill (S.No.269) to define the number and regulate the appointment of olii cers in the Navy. It provides that the number allowed in each rods of line officers on the active list of the vavy shall be one vice admiral, 11 rear admirals, 25 commodores, 50 catains, 90 command ers, 180 lieutenant commanders, 180 lieutenants, 160 masters, 160 ensigns, and in other grades the number now allowed by law; but the increase in the rades below that of rear admiral and above that of lieutenant, authorized by this act, are to be made by selection of officers who have rendered the most efficient and faithful service during the recent war; and vacancies in the grade above commodore on the active and retired list are to be filled by selection from the grade next below, and the number of rear admirals, including all on the active and retired lists, is not to exceed 21. Of the number of line officers of the Navy on the active list, 5 lieutenant commanders, 20 lieutenants, 50 masters, and 75 eusigns may be appointed from those odi cers who have served in the volunteer naval service for a period of not less than 2 years, and who are either now in that service or have been honorably discharged therefrom; but if by reason of these appointments the number of officers in any grade shall exceed the number fixed by law, no more promotions or uppointments to that grade are to be made until the number is reduced below the number fixed by law for that grade; and the authority given by this section is to be exhausted when the number of volunteer officers named shall have been once appointed. The SecyNavy is to appoint a board consisting of not less than 3 naval officers superior in rank to the officers to be thus appomted in the regular Navy from the volunteer service, which board, after examine.tion of the claims of all candidates, is to select and report to the SecyNavy, as the most meritorious in character, ability, and honorable service, twice the number to be transferred to the several gradesmentioned in the 3rd section of this act, from whom he is to select the persons to be appointed to each of those grades. Any officer who has served in the volunteer naval service for the term of 2 years or more is to have the right to appear before the examining board and present his claims and be examined for an appointment in the regular Navy. The SecyNavy is authorized to retain or to appoint, under existing laws and regulations, such volunteer officers in the Navy as the exigencies of the service may require, until their places can be supplied by gradu ates from the Naval Academy.