Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-12
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY
NAVY DePARTMrNT.
ldnI1ru 81. 1921.

December last, Z" that the President If the
United States Ire requested Ia comnunicat. u
plan for Peace Establishment of the Navy
of the United States" | have the honor 10
present, FOR your consideration, "a plan for re-
organizing tue naval establishment. Ii is de-
signed merely as the project of bill, 10 ex-
hibh the principles which are deemed b-nef-
clal in their application to the servicr, with
out regard to the words or form Of the law,
should one he founded upon il /; and is ac-
companled by variety Of tables and esti
mates, calculated to explain aud Illustrate its
operation.
In fixing the naval establishment, the first
objects of attention are, the number and size
OF the vessels which to be built, both for
peace and war. BY them the number and
grade of the officers, and the number and size
OF the navy yards, stations. and depots, must
be regulated. Considerations peculiar to each
OF these naturally come into view, hut the
whole must have relation To the first object.
The management and discipline of the SER
vice must be governed by code of rules and
regulations, adapted TO the character of the
establishment. Such code must he prepar
ed, should this or any other project be carried
into execution but. as it must be founded up
on the law, and he consistent with its princi-
Piles, it cannot he prepared until after the law
has been passed. To determine the number
and grade of officers of which the establish
meuf ought tglconsist, it is necessary, first, to
ascertain the proper number and Importance
of navy yards and stations, and the nu:f her
and class of the vessels which the situation nj
the country requires TO be kept in commits
sion and in active service and, secondly, how
many ought "a be kept in readiness for a state
of war The former will prescribe the limit
below which we cannot descend without dis
regard ofthe public interest. The latter will
exhibit point above which we need not rise.
The former is Indispensable prudence and
policy demand that we provide for the latter.
IL Is believed that the naval stations at E.
RTE and Whitehall are not useful now, and that
no course of events can hereafter render them
necessary TO the public defence Two only
Of the vessels at Sackett's Harbor are WORTHY
of preservation, and they can be protect ed by
few men. sThe two former OF these station.
may therefore be abandoned assoon AS the pub
licproperty at them can he disposed ofor reno
we'd (; and the latter may he maintained on a
very reduced scale, at an expense Of about
s $4,000. The three stations now cost. annual.
ly, about $1,000.
When proper dcpots shall he selected and
established, several of the existing wards and
stations on the Atlantic board NAV be- either
altogether abandoned, or the expense of them
greatly curtaiIed, by maintaining a few Off
GERS and men TO minister to the wants of
vessels which necessity shall compel to visit
them. either for provisions or repairs. But,
az there are vessels on the stocks AT six of
these yards, none of them can, at this time, he
abolished but the expense Of them may be
somewhat diminished. Their number and
situation are we'll known, and thsir annual cost
may he seen by paper D, annexed 10 the bin.
m hp Al.
commencement OF the Session, the force is
mentioned which it was proposed 10 keep in
commission during the present year, and a
hope expressed that it might he found suffi-
Gent TO accomplish the protection and de-
fence of our commercial and other interests
That force, however, was calculated fer state
of the most peaceful and friendly relations
and looked only to the interests then mention
ed, without reference to the pnlicy of promo
ting the growth Of the navy, or any Of those
considerations which arise from changes in our
relations with other powers, or the propriety
of such disposition -four naval force, as shall
enable us TO pass with least injury from the
attitude of peace to that of war ; and give tn
our officers the skill and experience which will
fit them to defend and protect the honor and
interests of the nation. In re organizing the
navy, these considerations cannot he over.
nOugh in the state Of the world, and our own
situation, to prevent us from being unmintfn
of them at this time. II seems to be onr du.
ty TO keep such force in commission, as will
protect all our scattered interests, secure The
respect of other powers, and give active ser
vice sufficient to qualify az many officers rs
will be required to command and manage the
whole of our vessels, when necessity shall
call Tor their use. Long and active employ
ment are essential to give naval skill and ex-
perence and, without them, our vessels are
insecure, and our character, as a nation, in
danger of being degraded. II were better To
have no ships, than 10 have them filed with
incompetent and unskilful officers.
The following s the least force which IL would he
safe 10 provide for, and keep in commissions and in
active service In the sleditcrranean, one ship OF
the line, one Grigaie, sloop OF war, and one
schooner In The Atlantic, including our own coast,
the West Indies, the Gulf OF Mexico, and the coas
OF Africa, ship Of the line, one frigafc, fonr
sloops of war, and four schooners 10 the Pacific
one lrigate, sloops Of war, md one schooner -
For occasional services, in which the vessels on
those stations cannot he employed, fIigate, and
one sloop OF WARM the whole, Two ships Of the
line, four frWaies, eight sIoops Of war, and six
schooners. Many OF these vessels will he on dis.
tant stations, 10 going and Sreinrnng from which
much time must he consumed aud all will require
lrequeat repairs, RETIRING, and exchange Of crews-
Other vessels must, therefore, be kept "a commission
TO relieve them, and a force equal TO about one fifth
al the Whole amount, will be necessary fo this pur-
pose
IL is then respectfully submitted, That the number
OF officers and men required for the navy yards and
stations on the Atlantic board, and for the vessel.
before mentioned, Is, with the proper allowance for
sickness and casualties, the lowest or which ptovl
sion safely be made ~ the contemplated Org mi
cation Of the naval establishment. IL s for this with
other reasons, hereafter mentioned, that the project
submitted in the first section mentions this nuuber ~
the least which the President OF the 81 States shall
he PERMITTED To retain
When tl'a vessels now authorized by law to he
built conIpleicd there will he (besides those on
the akeal II shlns of the line II Lrinnea Of The fs