Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-19

mo Committee OF the Whole on tlie State OF the
Union Mr. Condict IN the Chair, and took up the
bill making appropriations Ger the Naval Service,
iof the year 1875. The bill was road through
add then taken up by sections; aud the clause Of
appropriation for the pay and subsistence being un-
der consideration.
Mr.. MeDufie sent 10 the Clerks table letter
! from the Secretary Of the >avy, explaining in de-
present year.
Mr. Williams inquired of Mr. Hoffman, whether
he considered the total number of officers pro-
posed TO be employed, as too great in proportion
TO the services proposed TO be performed and
whether the whole number was any greater than
was requisite for that service which was authoriz
Cd by law.
MIR, Hoffman replied, that the number would be
lar TOO small ii all the vessels in the Navy were
actually In commission, but not more than half mr.
vessels were in actual service; and in repv n tho
other question, he said, that if the estimates of last
year were to be taken as a standard of Judgment
the number OF officers proposed for the present
year was too great in proportion. The estimate
contemplated an increase in. the service, which
! Mr.. H did not think necessary
MIR: Sergeant stated, as rsason why the NUM-
DER oil vessels an commission would require to be
increased, that information had Just been received
IRON une oouthward, that great danger was appre-
hended from the rise of Piracy i'm tlcs Guif NJ
Mexico. Applications on that subject had this
day been received ar the Navy Department. from,
! me insurauce Companies of Philadelphia and
.NeW L DIX, ana Others would doubt follow
nom Boston and elsewhere, urging the propriety
oil stauoning ain additional force in the Caribbean
sea, IN consequence OF the proclamation of Com
modore Porter, inviting priv atccrs into the Mexi-
can service. While this increase OF our Naval
force was required in that quarter the service in
The Pacific, the coast of Brazil and above all
III Inc Mediterranean, weud not allow of any di-
intuition Mr.. >. insisted, that the power of au-
pointing officers was property vested and that as
long as the House could check il bv the au,,,nt
q
the number OF officers by legislative enactment
As 10 Feace Establishment, the Navy knew no
such thing Peace. From its creation to This
day' IL had been IN perpetual service. Our Com
hieIce had required incessant protection, and was
likely now to require still more in t,e G,If oC
neXico, and in the Mediterranean If Peace
Establishment was fired at all, IL must be yed at
maximum ofwhat was likely to be required which
would be very eXtravagant Arrangement The
ships ana men oil a navy might be changed but
Its officers grew up from childhood in the service
ana could only be matured by long practice and
experience 1t was now the settled policy of this
Nation, that It's Navy was TO be gradually increas-
cd; and II so, the number of officers ourht n in
crease with it. Congress had fixed the number
ana size OF Its ships, and therein had done all that
was required of them, towards fixing the number
OF officers Should the service be cut too short
OF officers, it might chance 10 fall ON the ver,y
point most exposed, and loss be thereby incurred
lar greater than all the petty saving which might
be produced by curtailing the appropriation
- Mr.. Holman now spoke in reply. The Naval
Register assigned eight vessels to the West India
station These were more than sufficient TO ouerd
against any dangers in that quarter. He thought
the past history of our Navy was sufficient 10
shew That no naval nursing and schooling from in,
fancy, was required to form able and accomplsh
oiIcers. The merchant-service supplied such
framing; and an officer of spirit would rather re-
turn to That service, when out of active employ in
the Navy, than receive salary which he did not
earn he opposed the necessity of fixing per-
Inanent Peace Establishment TO the extent s,,q
gested lie protested his zeal for ma;ntaininr tbs
arm OF the national defence, on which he besto,v
Ell very liberal concentrations, bnt opposed the
position that the number of officers was to 90 ON
continually increasing. Peace might last > quarter
OF century, and yet at this rate the expense Of
OF the Navy viii be 50 enormously Increased, that
1t might at length constitute one-half OF the en-
pense OF the Government
Mr.. II concluded by moving that the Commit
tee iise to give time for procuring further infor
NATION from the Navy Department, but withdrew
the motion at the request of
MIR. Sergeant, who replied in exclamation II
was true, that the Naval Register gave EIGHT
vessels to the West India station but of these o,,jv
three were in that service at this time the Fre
the Granpus, and the Natchez; the others beine
In port undergoing repairs
on motion OF MIR. Little, the committee rose
reported and obtained leave to sit again
Nhereupon, the House adjourned