# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/13th Congress/3rd Session/Chapter 35

Chap. XXXV.—An Act to alter and amend the several acts for establishing a Navy Department, by adding thereto a board of commissioners.
Act of March 3, 1815, ch. 92. Three officers of the navy to be appointed a board of commissioners for the navy. Their powers and duties. Board made subordinate to Secretary of the Navy.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint three officers of the navy, whose rank shall not be below post captain, who shall constitute a board of commissioners for the navy of the United States; and shall have power to adopt such rules and regulations for the government of their meetings as they may judge expedient: and the board so constituted shall be attached to the office of the Secretary of the Navy, and under his superintendence shall discharge all the ministerial duties of said office, relative to the procurement of naval stores and materials, and the construction, armament, equipment, and employment, of vessels of war, as well as all other matters connected with the naval establishment of the United States. And the said board shall appoint its own secretary, who shall receive in compensation for his services a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars per annum, who shall keep a fair record of their proceedings, subject at all times to the inspection of the President of the United States, and the Secretary of the Navy.
Board of commissioners to draw up regulations for securing uniformity in classes of vessels, &c.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said board of commissioners, by and with the advice and consent of the Secretary of the Navy, be, and are hereby authorized to prepare such rules and regulations, as shall be necessary for securing an uniformity in the several classes of vessels and ​their equipments, and for repairing and refitting them, and for securing responsibility in the subordinate officers and agents: which regulations, when approved by the President of the United States, shall be respected and obeyed, until altered and revoked by the same authority; and the said rules and regulations thus prepared and approved, shall be laid before Congress at their next session. It shall also be the duty of said board, upon the requisition of the Secretary of the Navy, to furnish all the estimates of expenditure, which the several branches of the service may require, and such other information and statements as he may deem necessary.
The officer holding the oldest commission to preside at the navy board.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the officer of the said board holding the oldest commission shall preside, and each commissioner shall be entitled to receive, in compensation for his services, three thousand five hundred dollars per annum in lieu of wages, rations, and other emoluments, as naval officers; and all letters and packets to and from the said commissioners, which relate to their official duties, shall be free from postage.
This act not to derogate from the powers of the Secretary of the Navy.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be construed to take from the Secretary of the Navy his control and direction of the naval forces of the United States, as not by law possessed.
Approved, February 7, 1815.