Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-28

THE NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT,

November Is, 1914.
SIn LIN obedience TO the resolution OF the
Senase. passed on the 18th Of March last,
directing the Secretary of the Navy &c. de.
wise and diges. a system for the better or.
ganiza,io of the Department of the navy of
the United States, Ihave now the honor to
report the following system, with such pre-
factory observations as appear to me pert,
nent to the occasions
II has been affirmed and cannot be de-
MED. that imps rfections exist in the civil
ADMINISTRATIVE OF the naval establishment:
hence it has been inferred that a radical
change of system can alone remedy the
| evils.
Legislative wisdom will readily discrimi-
nate between the constituent principles up
on which the present establishment is pre-.
dica'ed, and has thus far pfospered. and
the defects which result from the absence
OF an intelligent, practical auxiliary agency,
qualified to digest. arrange, and enforce a
proper system Of detailed regulations, cal.
cnlated to ensure the judicious and faithful
application Of public Moneys ; a strist &C.
courtabiiity in the expenditures of supplies .
and a rigid execution Of the duties enjoined
on all the eff cers and agents connected with
the establishment
Profusion, waste, and abuse, are the in
herent offspring of all extensive public insti.
buttons and, if we occasionally perceive
these evils. In some degree, in the naval es.
~tabiishment Of The United States. we are
not thence to infer their absence from
similar Establishments in ether countries.
where naval science and experience NAV
be presumed to have provided greater safe.
guards, and more numerous, skilGul. and
vigilant agencies.
But regulations however correct and ade-
quate to The end. become ncgetcry. or
worse. unless the authority and the means
are co-extersive, and coDpeten. 20 enforce
the ~e5cccrtion, or pIRish The Violation there.
of. tbs muy ~accouDtfor the uon-ex;stence
l1d many wholesome regulations in the civil
administration If the navy of the u. States /:
and for tbe imperfect execution of those
which exist. Breaches of the latter too
frequently escape with iinpan;ty, from tho
impossibility OF the read Of the department
taking cognizauec of all the multifaripus
ccEcerns of the establishment. Il is probe.
&sAsicai, Si,ossever. whethes the excess aaav
not be more injurious than the deficiency of
regulates (; in the former case, response.
biiity may be lost in the maze and mass of
detail and rnultiplied agency, whilst ir the
latter, general instruction, and sound dis
c%retion. uot uDfrcqucntly ensure greater
success aud responsibility.
That tue duties cnjoined, or which may
necessarily deyoIve upon the Secretary OF
the Navy, particularly during a period OF
| active and diversified hpst.sity, are beyond
the powers of any indiyiiualto discharge to
the best advantage, Cannot be doubted !. al
though by gre. labor and assidui.y, with
| adequate proir ssional qualifications, he may.
prsslbly, execute the general aud most es
scEtal branches of duty with to.erab.e sue
Cess
In the progress of reform, whilst we nav
due respect 70 thai systeIp, the establish
men; of (which has attained the greatest &c.
iebrity, mole, il is believed, from ITS mac
nituce and power, than from tpe exce!lcncc
OF its civil adgsiEistra,ioD, we ought not to
lose sight of It's paipable atd acknowledged
defects; nor of those features in sur own
system. to which, 10 no trivial degree, the
exalted reputation of our infant navy ma
be attributed.
That our navy is not excelled ia any
thing which Constitutes efficiency, pc.fect
equipment, and general good qualities it is
believed, viii be admitted. That our sea,
men ale better paid, fed, and accnmnIodat-
ed, is no less true. Tina. all the imported,
and many of the domestic articles os eouin-
ment, and of consumption in the sersice,
are exceedingly enhanced ; that the wages
OF Observation-Disclosures is more than double that
which IS paid by Great Britain ; that our
expenditure IS greatly increased by The in
terrnpiion to ~nayigabie transportation, and
the great extent al the local service. is
equally obvious. Yet. under all these cir
c~umstances, it is deInonstrabte, that upon a
comparison of an eqsal quantity of tonnage
and number of guus and men, or in proper
ton to the number Of men alone, our naval
expenditure is conside raoiy less than that
Tor the navy Of Great Britain, 10 which /" Ole
hundred aad forty five thogsapd men are
empioyed, az an expense of moss than twen-
~ millions ct pounds sterliog, annually"
The local service is, from its scattered
irregular, and irresponsible nature, much
more expensive and wasteful than that ol
the regular navy +; the more perfect organi
4 gatson of which, aud responsibility os com.
MANDY ensure a more faithful supsriutend.
anoe ard sccoun ability. Hence the current
expenditure of the service would be an ex.
travagsnt criterion by which TO estimate
thztot a regular establishments under a Judi
cious sjstem. The force employed in local
service, IS extended throughout n line OF
statfo0s from Lot.isiana to Maine, and from
Chsmriain To Huron, conse quentiy it is 81
weak % readhy TO be peneti ated, at almost
any point OH our maritime frontier. by the
concentration q n SNAIL hostile force /; and
Il Is expensive ~ proportion TO rs diffusion.
Independently Of the dtiefcriogs nature Of
Isis service upon the aeal IA and hsbits Of
those 81 pjoytd IN 81, We are, ffem the pfe-
seat necessity q this sysem. deprived u
he services OF a body OF ~cfiSefs and sea
men, suiicieDt to man thirteen ships OF the
Ing, sci as the independence, w ashing
tcn and FGAk.ia seventy -fours.
When we contemplate the effect which
o..~k "A (O~~. .u-.l1 Lo.o 49,. 90 l.