Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-10

is therefore taken as the largest which It is at
this time necessary TO authorize. The vessels
having been built, and being designed for our
protection from foreign aggression, we must
| train officers to command and manage them. 1t
is worse than useless TO have vessels, which can
not be employed for the want of officers, and
great folly TO cntrust them to those whose ig-
noranCc and incxperince will endanger their
safety. The experiment would be alike ha-
zardous and prodigal. An ciiorthas, therefore,
been made, III the proposed organization so 10
arrange the grade and number of officers, as not
only TO marriage, III the best way, the force ne
ccsSary for present use, bu; 10 enable us, III the
most rapid. cheap, and efficient manner, TO pass
into state OF war, and employ all our vessels in
active service. BY comparing the first and Sc
cond sections, it will be perceived that the Off
GERS q! the highest grades, requiring the great
est skill ard experience, which are proposed to
b2 retained, will be competent to the command
OF all the vessels and that, by the promotion of
some of the most skilfu from the inferior grades,
and introducing as many us may be necessary,
into the lowest, where skill IS least nccdtul, the
whole will be organized with facility. But, in
order to FIT the officers of the inferior grades for
promotion, !: is Indispensable that the force be-
fore mentioned DC kept inocouIn;ss;on, and the
officers named IL the first section be employed
As constantly as circumstances will permit
! w nth the vessels now i'll commission, this object
cannot be accomplished. Il great portion of
the science OF the naval commanders can be ac-
CURED only ON the ocean, and by years of labor
anddisciplnc. 1t is i'll YAM to hope for trium-
plant defence OF our national into .rst and cha
ractcr there, without we thoroughly train, e,lu-
cate, and discipline, those who have TO fight our
battles. To ensure such defence, beyoRd
hazard, 1t Is confidently believed, that the ma
ton will cheerfuy meet the requisite expense
Connected with this point, II is not improper to
suggest that the early education of most of our
officers is very unequal to the character they
have subsequently TO sustain, and that an cfec-
tual remedy can be found only in the establish
ment OF a naval school.
| We have no rank above that of Captain
The proposed organization gives three higher
grades. 1t is not supposed proper TO furnish
with mnutencss in this report, the whole arru-
lncnt in favor of this increase, as if il were a
new question. 1t has been frequently present.
cd to the public consideration. The experience
OF al nations, both i'll land and naval forces has
led to the same result i'll relation to it. No one
has ever been able to nrnand her armies or
her fleets by Captains. And our experience
does not justify us in believing, that our success
IN such an experiment will be greater. Rank
is necessary to enforce discipline the orders of
superior are always more readily obeycd than
those Of an equal in grade. Rank is EQUALLY
necessary toensure the science required TO com
mand an extensive force, which differs from.
and is of a much higher character than that
which Is competent to the command of n single
vessel; the desire, also, TO reach the higher
rank, Will create strenuous eXertion to acquire
the information which is suited to it, and operate
extensively on the general character of the
whole corps. If you would induce Your officers
TO prepare themselves for any service, YOU must
present to them the certainty of having that
service to perform and that their duty and hon
or VIII equally demand that they perform it
wcil. 1t Is no reproach TO them to say, that We
ry few now are, and with our present system,
very few ever will be, fitted to command on,
fleets successfully against powerful and skill
iul adversary; and it is earnestly to be honed
that such an arrangement will be adopted as to
furnish all grades with such opportunities fol
improvement, and such cXcitcmcnts to cxer-
: ton, as VIII preycH our further experience or
this point, from being calanitous. The in
crease of rank viii also obriate some causes OF
irritation, in the tcrcoursc of our officers with
those OF other nations, the least powerful OF
: whom have higher grades than we have, and
they universally claim honors aud precedence
according to rank; this must either be yielded
, or intercourse with them suspended To the
men cannot, and ought not TO assent; and tho
latter Is productive ofunfriendly feelings Thi;
inconvenience will be greatly augmented, ana
our naval reputation may suffer severely, from
THIS cause, should our vessels have occasion ia
cooperate with those Of any other nation. I'm
such cases, rank must be respected. Our Off
Ger, for want of it, may always be subordinate
our fleets, no matter what their power, be sub.
Ject to The orders OF others, though commanding
a very inferior force, and our reputation be thus
placed where it might not always be safe. His.
tory furnishes valuable illustrations on thi,
2 pont. One additional, but inferior grade. thai
2 ofsub-lieutenant, is also proposed it is meant
to provide increased rank and pay for passed
: mldshlpInen, who have distinguished thcrnseIye,
by zeal and activity, IN dscharging their duties
/ and qualifying themselves for promotion, and
f for whom there may be no vacancies in the rank
} of Lieutenant.
The expense of the proposed increase a
ranks, compared with IFS advantages, is trivial
t public expenditure IS ALWAYS to be measured be
} the public advantage resulting from ii and il
, SIX or seven hundred officers can be excited "a
, useful exerhon; discipline and efficiency in
creased; causes OF irritation with other nations,
and Of modification to ourselves, diminished
such an expenditure will be found TO be trnr
economy. Besides, III examining this. in con-
neXlon with other parts Of the proposed orrani
cation, it will be seen, that although there be =
small increase of expense on one point, vet, by
, adopting the whole, the expense of the naval
establishment will be diminished.
The temporary rank of captain conmandino
squadron in chief is authorized for cascs -,
necessity, and as a temporary reward for distin.
/, gulShed merit. The persons attached to the far
officers are useful, but to be employed only on
f particular occasions.
1t will be perceived, that the design in ratinr