The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-04

appropriation ny law to defray the cXpences
incurred under the authority of the House
of Representatives by the committee ap-
pointed to euquirc into the state of the army
of the ". S. and also of the committee ap.
pointed to enquire into the conduct Of Briga-
der General James Wilkinson.
REDUCTION OF THE NAVY.
The House resumed the consideration of
the unfinished business.
Mr.. Smiiie moved the following as
substitute for the sections stricken out 49,
I" Aud further, the President of the u s.
be, and is hereby authorised okeepin actual
service as many Of the frigates and other
ARMED vessels as in his judgment the nature
Of the service may require, and to cause the
residue to be laid up in ordinary in convent
cut ports Provided, the whole number of
officers and seamen shall not exceed that AK
ed by the act "in addition TO the act, supple
Tnentary to the act, providing for the naval
peace establishment. and for other purpo-
ses." passed the 2lse day of April. 1867
Mr.. s. spoke in support of his motion, and
remarked thatit would produce saving IN
the next years expenditure Of near a MILL.
on of dollars.
Mr.. Bacon. after observing that the amend
ment now offered would go TO reduce the
number OF seamen in service to 925, a
number smaller than that authorised by the
bill as originally reported, as 1t would not
man more than one frigate, three armed
vessels, and the % gun boats at N. Orleans,
also the seamen $500 additionally authorised
by the act of the Sd day of March. 1907.
Mr.. Rhea Of Ten. opposed the reduc,
bon OF the navy in any shape at the present
time.
Mr.. Bassct said he was about to have pro
posed an amendment. but was prevented
from so doing by Mr. Bacon's. He wished
20 retain the first part of Mr.. Smilie's amend
ment, and to add to it proviso tina, the
number of seamen should not exceed 272S
Che number now in service.) The effect
OF the amendment thus amended would be to
give to the President An authority, which he
has not now, to cause the frigates to be laid
np at any tinss he thought proper.
Mr.. 2attnaadge spoke of the obscurity in
which the amendment was involved by a
reference to so many different laws. He
could not vote for it. he said, unless he could
underestimate. a.
On the suggestion q Mr.. Baron. Mr..
6miIie modified his motion by m aking the
Hroviso to read as follows: "Provided, that
alie number of seanen, ordinary seamen and
boys tobe retained i'll service shall not ex.
eaed ----h This blank Mr. Bacon
proposed to ELL with 1900
Mr. Rdndolth spoke at some length on the
subject Of an amendment. which he couclu
t.
ties proposition by adding the following:
"And that the President shall retain in
the navy service of the U. S. nina captains,
thirty six leutenapts and $50 midshlpmen,
Including those employed on board of the
Grigates and other armed vessels to be kept
fn service; and that he be authorised to
\ discharge all the other officers in the navy
service OF the y. S.--but SUI h Of the afore
said officers as shall be retained shall be
on RI, rar PIU pr fhon hof fH-sr
monthly pay during the time when they shall
NOT be under orders for actual service. And
1rcUidea further, That all the commission
efs and warrant officers who shall be dis
charged as aforesaid shall be entitled to re-
reive -----. months pay over & above
what may be due to them respectively
at the time they were discharged"
Mr.. JOfnsen expressed his hope that the
House weuld come to some decision, without
consuming more of the time of the House in
debate.
Mr. !SS,ihe said he was seriously in favor
at reduction in the navy, and was there
fore opposed to Mr. Randolphs amendment
20 his amendment.
= After SOME further remarks Of Messrs.
Randolph and; Dana in favor of reduction,
and Messrs. M Kim. Boyd &c Rhea of Ten.
against it, the question was taken on MIR.
Rsndolph's motion to amend Mr.. SMILES
amendment. and negatived. Yeas So, Nays
a.. a. -
Mr.. Bacon remarked that as Mr.. SMILES
motion now stood, it proposed to reduce the
number of men very much without akihg
any reduction Ia the number of off GERS ---
This was not state of things which he was
DESTROYS OF promoting. and he suggested the
following addition: =.
Prouidsd, That the whole number of
officers to be retained in service shall not
exceed that fixed by the act entitled an act
III addition TO an act entitled :. an act sup
Elementary to the act providing for q naval
peace establishment and for other purposes,
passed the 21st day of April, 1906. nor the
whole number of able bodied seamen and
ordinary seamen and boys the number of
=" .s-.s --.- ... d.
Mr.. Smile accepted the modification rs
a part OF his motion.
Mr.. SheGsy, after expressing his aversi-
fs'i to lcgisiatiug by references to former
laws, moved the following as a substitute for
the provision contained in Mr.. SMILES pro-
posed amendment;
s." Prouided, That the officers shall not
exceed the following numbers aud grades,
That is to say thirtsen captains, nine mas
tiers commandments, seventy two lieutenants
and ,midslripman but
the SAID officers shall receive no more than
half their monthly pay during the time when
thev shall not be urder orders for actual
service and fr0viGed further, That TIE
whole number of able bodied seamen cr,li"
nary selmen and BOYS shall not exceed four