Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-12


al ~ the first section he empoyed as CONSTANT, ~
circumstances will permit. With the vessels now i.
eow",ss'ou, this Object canno, he accomplished A
great potiiom OF the science of the naval command
Gus eau he acquired only the oceao, and by year,
u labor aud discipline. IL is Ia vain 10 hope for
triumphant defence OF our uaiona Interests aud cha
rac,er there. without we Thoroughly train, educate,
nnd discipline, those who have fight our baiie-.
To ensure surha defence, beyond hazard, il is conf
IDENTIFY believed, that the iiion will cheerIuy meet
The requisite expense. Connected with ihs point, lit
not Improper ~ suggest, that the earlv education
of most Of our officers very unequal the charac
ter ihey have subsequently TO sustain, and that
'hec,aa remedy can he found only in the establish
! MEM OF - naval school. 40
We have no rank above that of Cap,ain. The
proposed organization gives three higher grades. o.
rs not supposed proper furnish with mnuieness IN
'h's report, the whole argument ~ favor OF tins
crease, as u u were new question. II has been
frequently presented To the public ration The
| experience oil all nalions, bo'h IN land aud naval
iorces, has le, 10 the same result in relation to IT,
No one has ever bees able TO command her armies
or her aee's hs Captains. And cur experience does
not justify in belle wing, that SUCCESS in such
an experiment will he greater. Rank is necessary TO
enforce discipline; the orders OF superior are al
ways NOR. readily obeyed than those of an equal in
grade. Rank equally necessary 10 ensure The Sci
ence required TO command extensive force, which
differs from, and rs OF much higher character than
that whch IS competent Ia the Comma nd Of a single
vessel The desire, also, TO reach the higher rank,
will create strenuous exertion acquire the nfo,-
nation which Is suited 10 and operate extensively
whole
would induce your officers TO prepare themselves for
any service, you must presen them the certainty
OF having that service to perform and that their
duiy and honor will equally demand that they per
form well. IL ~ no reproach TO them say, that
very Few now are, and with our present system very
few ever will he, flied TO mmand our fleets sue
cessiuy against powerful and skilful adversary !;
and ~ earnestly 10 he hoped that such an arrange
/ men' Will no adopted to furnish all grades with
such oppo,uniii for Improvement, and such ex-
elements 10 exeriion, as will prevent future ex-
pe''ence, on this point from being calamious The
increase OF rank Will also obviatc causes OF ir-
ritaon, IN the intercourse of officers with those
oil other nations, the least powerful Of whom have
higher grales than we have, and they universally
claim bonors and precedence according TO rank :;
this must either he yielded, or intercourse with the n,
suspended To the fist, the individual and national
PRIDE oil our seanen cannot, and ought not To assent,
ana 'ne latter Is productive of unirendy feelings
Inns Inconvenience will be greatly augmented, and
our naval reputation may suffer severely, from tins
cause, should our vessels have occasion TO co one
rate with those Of any other nation In such cases.
rank must he respected Our officers, for want of o.,
may awaysbe subordinate; our fleets no matter what
their power, he suije-t TO the orders of others
though commanding very inferior force, and our
be safe. History furnishes some valuable hlustra-
tons on this point One additional, but inferior
gTade, mat oil sub-'ieuenani, rs also proposed
mean, 10 provide increased rank and pay io passed
midshpmen, who have distinguished themselves by
zeal aud activity, IN dischaiging their duties, and
qualifying themselves for promotion, and for whom
there may be no vacancies IN the rank OF leute-
nan
| The expense OF the proposed increase of ranks
compared with lis advantages, IS trivial public ex
ptndIiure ~ always To be measured y the public adj
yaniaBe resulting from u aud II six seven hun
ureu on1sers can bc excited TO useful exertipn dis
cipline and efficacy Increased causes of irritation
with other nations, aud of morifca,t,n 10 ourselves
d'aiinIshed such expenditure will be found to be
true economy Besides, in examining this, la con
nexIon with other parts OF the proposed org
u VIII he seen, that although there he a small in
crease oil expense ON one point yet, 10y adopting the
| be diminished
! The temporary rank OF capfan commanding y
squadron IN chef, is authorized s!or cases of ueces-
si'y, aud ms temporary reward for distinguished
merit HE persons attached to the flag officers arr.
useful, but TO he employed only particular occa-
| sions.
II will be perceived, that the design in rating the
vessels IS to arrange the compensation Of the officers
by their responsibility, and shew the proper compile
ment FOR each class.
The leading principle in that part of the PROMISED
org .n'zaon which relates 10 pay, IL, TO appolon il
10 the amount and importance of tie service per-
formed, that he whose responsibility is greatest, and
who is engaged in the active duties should re-
ceive the highest compensation. Hence, three ge-
neral rates are proposed l. For those in active
service. 9. For those who hold themselves in rea
diness Tor active service, or are engaged in u,er-
chant vessels, acquiring that knowledge Of seaman
SNIP which will enable Them most skilfuly to per-
form their duties. 3. For those on furlough for de-
finite or indefinite periods, and who are not employ
ed IN merchant vessels.
To the first GLASS; in some cases, the same, and, ia
others, higher pay IS given than is now allowed. The
advance is believed to be proper, from the period
when that pay established the increased respon-
sibiiiiy arising from the changes in our vessels and
the nducement which il offers 10 be constantly in
service. To the second class, average Of ab1u
two-ihrds of the pay of the first is given To the
third, about one-lhird Of the first. This propori ion
is considered equitable and just and the effect anti
cipaIed fr0D il is, desire for sea-service in all Oh
GERS Of all grades desire leading, in it's necessary
results, TO skill, faithfulness, and ability. Under
the system now in existence, IL is, almost always
the pecuniary interest of an officer TO obtain
leave of absence a station on shore. Unde,
the one now submitted, IL will he his interest TO be
actively employed upon the proper element Of the
seaman but, as he cannot always be there, the sec.
ond, or reduced Ray, placed at such amount as
| 10 enable him, when shore, 20 live respectfully
and comfortably, officer OF the public ought I,
IS also proposed little TO vary the pay according 10
the rate OF the vessel and the amount OF the force
because The labor and responsibility OF the officer va
| ny with them.
The proposed compensation TO adniras and com.
modores is as low as regard to the expenses Of their
stations, the skill they ought TO possess and the
weight OF responsibility which must rest upon them
will permit and il will be found, upon examination
to be much inferior TO the pay Of The grades oil
ohceTs 10 any other sarvce, and less than one hall
the compensation allowed them by several of tbr
most important naval powers. The present nav of
captains was fixed more than twenty yeats ago wI,en
we had only frIgaies TO command, and is supposed
INV pIopct ioI 'iRdltS ~ the smallest CLASS
bui that an increase, OF diminHtion should be made
as The vessel is larger smaller. The pay Of mas
tiers and euienants commanding bears Just propor-
ton 10 thar of captain, ANIL is left at its present
mount. That Of licuiensnis, generally, is proper
toned 10 the nature Of The service they render.
As sailing masters must have high qualifications
10 pass their examination, and out Of The line Of
promotion except n extraordinary cases. an increase
Of pay 10 proposed, and that it be graduated by The
| rate OF vessel ~ which they are employed. The
second masters, who are recognized by The existing
laws, bn' have no established pay, are placed on