Delaware patriot & American watchman., 1828-08-15

though the discipline IS more rigorous. h;s con
forts are greater Ms employments and y;c;ss;
tudes less changing; he will therefore continue il
them, even at less wages. Ii we can procure "a,
and place IN our navy, as many native American
seamen as are required, we shall probably be ahIs
to retain them, and thus be prepared for eyars
event which peace or war may produce. r,s
numbers necessary for our merchant vessels and
ships OF war, may be readily estimated. OpF
tonnage in 1926. amounted to /, ,554, 19l in 1877.
probably TO about 100000; which, at the ava
raee before mentioned, would require about s.,.
600 seamen. Our ships OF war now in comm.
sion demand about 1880 scameu, ordinary sea.
men, lan,sInen and boys. To man, in time Il
var, all the vessels which are authorized to ,s
ba'lt, more than 10000, including petty officers,
add including mariners, would be necessary :.
The average annual Increase has been before ,t,
ted at about 5000. " hat i, the precise number Il
our own citizens, whose sole employment il uno,
foreigners, cannot be precisely stated There
great defect in the register Of our sea men; a DE-
feet which ought to be remed!ed BY legislative cl
actmcnt.
IL Is respectfully suggested as proper,
!. That foreign seamcn, although naturaiizel
be a,,rapidy excluded from our navy as possible
10 conformity with this suggestion, an order Ia,
been issued to the officers engaged in recrua,
directing them to seek, first, native Americans;
and to enlist none others except as matter of Ne
ccssIiy. 1t Is believed that this order will az.
comp',sh the design to considerable extent
2. That larger proportion ot ldn',,nen aa
heretofore, shctld, while peace continues be pa
ccd in our ships. An order to this effect has a,o
been issaed. and direction given that none b.
enlisted under eighteen nor over twenty five
years Good Iand,men .. the proper age. vii.
after one cruise OF two or three wears. become
good ordinary scanned. and after a second cruise
be good seamen, aud continuc permanently in the
service.
8. That lantismen he enlisted in the interior
sqch as are picked up in the cities, are generally
diss'pated n.en. advanced in years, with Dad ha.
bits and cnfeetlcd constitutions. WIN never can
become useful ii any capacity. On the CONTRARY,
young men may be enlisted il the country whose
constitutions are vigorous, whose habits are coOl
and WIN will soon make efficient seamen. By
this course also, more general feeling will be
created in favor Of the Navy-thc right arm ct
the national defence.
a conviction Of the Importance of this mea
sure, and desire to test its praccability, induced
the Department., short time since. to establish q
rendezvous IN tho ncighborhood of Carlisle and
Harrisburg. Thus lar it promises all that vas
hoped for from it, and should it continue to pros.
per. It will be used hereafter as necessity shall call
Tor i, and the same plan will be adopted in olh9r
places.
a. lhet legislative provision be made to re
qnlre merchant vessels. in proportion to Their
tonnage. 70 carry boys between the ages OF III
and IS; at least ore for every hundred tons. Ii
making this recommendation, it is not forgotten,
that Slight effect will be produced upon the
economy with which our navigation is conducted
nor that the subject has been heretofore preSenri
to the consideration of the Senate, and the prcpo
sition resisted BY an able report Of the COMMITTEE
OF Commerce. But the Recommendation is belieg'
Ell to be susahed by the successful practice n
othef nations; by the absolute necessity Of pro-
viding sufficient nursery, AMI constant supply
for our rapidly Increasing mercantile and military
marine; bv the smallness Of the burden which tho
provision would impose upon our navisation ant
By The high Importance of being supported II guF
commercial career, by our native citizens. The
regulations for this subject do not properly find
place in this report.
I But 5lh The most important measure con-
ncctcd With this snbject IS, legal authority 70 en-,
list with the written consent of their parents, Oos
over IS and under lG years. until they arrive at me
age OF 2l or which would, in many respects Oe
preferable, authority to take apprentices o. le W,
ages and Tor the period mentioned. There sholl
be from IL to so IN every navy yard, ana 'wn V'
every gun, to our vessels in commissions; making
in all, in the first instance, about 1900. lhoss
in the navy yards should be assigned to 'aa
various duties performed there, and instructed II
them, SO as to furnish in a few years most co@pe'
tent workmen in every branch. who, being hap'r,
ted to their empoymens, would be steady anH az
uniail'ns supply for the public wants in that e.
partment. Those in our ships should, accofGIns
to their capacities, be assigned to the abor' y. OF '
common sailor, aud assistants to the petty oNlct's
and would, before the expiration OF thelr eaas.
ment or indenture. be perfected in their re,Ft'
tive duties. As their terms ended, Their pIact,
,hond be constantly supplied, so as to Keep u
every moment, the tusl number Of boys IN INC y.
vice. Iwo years would be sufficient 10 TeI'
them to act as ordinary seanlen. Tins pla", u%J d