Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-07-02

NAVY DEPARTMENT, 25th, Feb. 1923.
Sir: have had the honor 70 receive yo,,y
letter OF the 18th instant transmitting a COPY
OF a resolution adopted by tho Committee on
Retrenchmcnt.
The Navy Register for 1923, which was
prepared at this Office, and sent TO the House
OF Representatives. at the commencement of
the year, and copy ofwhich is now en-
closed, exhibits the number and cornpcnsa-
ton OF all tho officers who arc in any way
connected with, or under the control Of. this
Department.
They consist Of Officers OF the Nav. pro-
perry SO called, Clerks, Navy Agents, Naval
lStorekccpcrs, Naval Constructors, and Mes
Iscngcrc.
To the first class 1t is not supposed that
the present call applies. Should this suc-
gestlon be incorrect, will cheerfu!lv give
the opinion entertained on the questions in
the resolution, as applicable to them; which
VIII however, be only n repetition of the
views heretofore presented in official reports
from this Department.
The Navy Agents, Naval Storckccpcrs,
and Naval Constructors, arc located at pla-
ces where such officers are indispc nsablc;
and arc engaged diligently, in the perfor-
nance OF duties which must, from the neces-
slty OF the service, be discharged. It is be-
l:cved that an inspection Of the Register Will
show that they cannot be dispensed with.
The only other persons under the control
OF this Department arc the Clerks aud Mes
sengers.
L enclose a copy Of letter addressed,
on the 21st January 1926, to the Hon. Louis;
NC Lane, then Chairman of the Committee
OF W avs and Means, which presented my O.
plnlon OF the duties, &c. of the clerks at that
Tune. have seen no cause to change that
opinion. On the contrary, it has been con-
nrned by every days experience since; and
hesitate not to declare it as my conviction.
that public money would be saved, and the
publio interest and accommodation promo
ted, II two or three clerks were added to the
number already IN the Department. A de-
lay ola few days in answering call fCon-
gress, IN cXpediting a ship to sea. or in civ-
ing direction or order necessary to the pro-
per performance of some prescribed duty.
Will often occasion much greater loss of mo-
ney than the amount oftheir salaries. The
business OF the Department, il all it's branch
cS, IS constantly increasing. The applica-
tions TOR appointments, alone, have augnlcn-
TED TO such an extent, that moro than one
malt OF the Office hours Of The Secretary, cs
Pcclally during the sessions of CONGRESS-, IS
consumed by visits from the applicants and
then friends. One clerk is almost constant.
y employed in attending 10 the correspon-
dence on this subject; nor isit perceived how
thrs can be avoided, although in nine cases
out of ten, neither the calls nor the corrns
pendonce can lead to any valuable enu. A
refusal to receive the visits, or to answer the
letters is uniformly followed by complaint
and ccnsurc.
believe thas not happened for several
years past, that the Department hes been a.
Die to perform its duties, after the greatest
possible esertlons ard some delays, without
calling in the aid of extra clerks, who, bcinn
ignorant OF the proper manner Of doing the
labor assigned to them, often cause deIav
ana inconvenience. Most of the duties per
horned .Ic by the clerks require not merely the
aoility to write good hand, and copy what
IS placed eiore.thcm, but information, in
telhgence, sagocity, and experience.
have the honor to enclose q copv Of
u letter from the Commissioners ofthe Nav,
as part of this answer, and have only to
add, that [ know of no officer in this Dcnayf-
lnent whose services may, in my opinion, be
dispensed With, "witEout detriInent to the
public interest"
The Navy Register also affords :, state,
mcnt of the salaries or compensation reccjv-
Cd by each officer. Their amour, is fixed
by law, IN all cases except those of the car
Pcntcrs, who arc omitted in the laws fixing
the pay Of the Naval Store Keepers, and
naval Constructors, which is determined
under the direction of the President, aC-
cordlng to the labor and responsibility of
INC places where they are employed; and
petty officers, which is fixed by the Presi-
dent, In virtue Of the first section of the law
passed on the 18th April, 1914. In my CO.
Plnlon, the salaries of none Of them "can
be reduced, consistently with Justice and
proprlcty." have hitherto expressed NV
"oplnlon," that '.justice and propricty" re-
quire that the compensation of some of the
officers Of the Navy should be augmented.
| am IN doubt whether the last inuuiry. as
o"the expenses incidcnttothc Department"
was intended to extend to the general opera
tons of the naval serricn Or =. l. aAaG.A.1