Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-22
NAVY yARDs-pR EsENT & PROPOSED.
.i''ISg '-1ni'nis''oreTs' CfIre'

Sir The Commissioners OF The Navy have given !
n, The subjects WHICH, by your letter OF tae 18th
nit, YOU were pleased To direct their inquiries, all the
attention aud consideration which their limited op-
and time admitted and they now respect'n
IL snbnut the result. i
The plans Of the several NAVY Yards Indicate the
,.,proy,rn, nj made in eachconsisting of officers
quarters, store houses, shp hoses' machs'niths
shops ,,aber sheds, timber DOCKS spar sheds boat
sheds &c. with the dry docksn progress Mt Norfolk
and nj Boston; and IA" paper WI shew the num-
Der AMI p,ion of ships IN ordinary, and the state
and condition of each
Tkc query as TO The number Of Navy Yar6S now
est abshcd and in operstion, Is OF such impor-
lance 10 command the most earnest attention and
investigation. The Cup'mss'"ners are fully sensible
that lis DISCUSSION nay excite strong local feelings
and thny are of the responsibility of any Opin
the, may express upon the subject; but referring
exclusively 10 the unbiased dictates Of their iudg
men; in the pcrformancc Vt important official duty
and claiming the indugrn which liberal comnu-
ri'y will not fail to extend To honest efforts looking
solely to the advancement of the public good. they
approach tho question with confidence proportoncd
10 the shcerity of their convictions
40 not The number cf Navy Yards create than
is Consistent either with economy, the wants of
the Servicc?"
TO maintain ans ore yard beyopd The n,lalbeI he
eessasy for building and equippiHG ships with
the utmost despHtch can in view, be consistent
Their with econ my the wants Of tine service.
Ii is obvious chat the greater The Number of Navy
Yards, the greater necessarily be the expense.
yard, used for general Purposes that is :Nr build
ing, rep1irng, cqupnng aud Vlctuglng Navy,
CURES nearly full set u officers slpcrintcGd H.
although i; may tie osly occaej utily for sch
purposes TIE principle Of ccccGc ability Ia each
yard being necessarily h he Same -YSten Of
checks must be maintained, whether the amount OF
the expenditure be large otherwise. Ia Yards
NOT constantly rsed for general purposes, some ofthc
sub.lte-n officers might probu blv bc dispensed with;
but not IN sufficient number 20 affect. mIicr1l!y The
aggregate amount o. eNpen II y lie IN view tho
preservation of system
Werc V, &c Disregard "trn"--", r7usiblc reasons
nigh; be assigned, even Tor Increased number of
yards. II might be urged That mul plying their
number, wonld multiply the chances al reaching
of them IN cases of en- 'rgency-such dis ress IN
storms disasters in batle bat when we look to the
localities of our present var 5, thore bat few
them that claim decided preference, oven on
this, the favorable, bu certainly fail1cious view
OF the subject. The harbor OF Boston can be entered
only when the wind shall happen to b far. lis snow
in winter its ogs in spring and fall, p osent
rious and frcqu.isy insup rabie difficulties. Tie
same ohjnat.Jis apply with considerable, fDrcn m
Por snnouth New HanpshIrt. NV York, PniladeI
Airh.,, and Pensacola all objrc nnabln rs n.i-
Their OF them Is easily accessDle and tn W. latcr
cannot be entered by ships OF great drsughr, even
a. high water.
kfhe number OF Navy Yards we're confined t., the
nAn6'r necessary for the service in peace or in WI,
many advanta yes would result The cxpeI;,ss would
be reduced, and efficiency greatly promoted. system
ana uniformity might be moro easily preserved and
The accountability OF those having the direction ron
deIed more certain and precise. by reducing the
number OF yards, more work would necessarily have
to DC done at each. THIS would enable the Govern,
mcnt to concentrate ariIGcers, ship carpenters and
other mechanics and give them constant einpovrnen,.
and The Government would have II III power 20, So
Igc az retain III is service, the vaua ole at fxad
and moderate wages. We should escape the inco,
veniences to which we are now exposed, by employ
ing mechanics at many different points To cxccpfc
t"e public works aad d'schargng them when such
works are done.
This state of things not only compels us frcouen,Iv
to pay high wages, but accept the services Of info
rior ~n-those possessing the skill become dis
contented when discharged, and will never return
unless from necessity. BY having few Yards, and
those JudclOusjy arranged and provided with the ne
ceSsary convcnences, much might be gained in the
amount of daily labour performed Snip carpcnters
and other mechanics, working under covers can not
only do more work per day but lose no time from raj
ny or other lnclement woa hcr-a consideration lnl-
portan to the Government, aud calculated 10 render
employment IN ITS service object of competition
with the best men. While time would be lost
when working under cover, without cover it IS be-
heved tHt for six moths OF the wear he vorl, NJ,
week would not average than a. DAYS TINS
occaslohng loss OF one fourth oftinc-to which
mechanics would readily agree to probably 10 por
cent. less wagcs-whle u ship built under co,ar il
worth probably 20 per cent. than when built in
the open ar, constantly exposed to sun and rain
~ would be difficult To estimate fully the value NJ
chosen bodies OF mechanics. selected for their t
industry and prepared with every necessary conve
nlcnce. faithfully to execute tho pubic works I'm the
best manner and in the -horiost timc. In peace.
economy would be greatly promoi edln war The hio-
esq interests OF our country would he subscrvcd.
Among other considerations claiming attention IL
may he obse I'D, that by reducing The nur1bcr nf
Navy Yards. many materials suitable for the con-
s.ructIon oi small vessels would, in Tho building Of
large ships, be saved in thu present state Of tLpog
such materials are distrIJu'odmnoug 50 nlnv Yards
that tn e%pcncc and difficulty Of collecting them O,
>'iy ono point, frequently exceeds their valuc
Viewing this question then IN reference to the oy.
Pcnsc and 10 the efficiency of our naval esab hrn"ni
i'e Commissioners decidedly of the opinion thai
the present humber Of Navy Yards is Greater than
r. consistent either with economy the w8u:. Of
tho service"
ihe question here arscs-what number of NAVY
afes docs the Navy, viewed in present md prob
h-'s iuturc state require. TO to ali the ad-
MANAGES and facilities necessary TO render II lu the
rn"s' dcgrce Efficient
10 io'm Satfaci"ry opinion upon this important
E'A, we mi5l look 70 our s"abOard and consider well
tse localities OF orr haib prs II viii be found bat
1tb0ugh numerous, there but lew Of them which
c1n be safely entered by ships Of the line, or even
iarge irgates; and surely It viii be conceded that
Tone other should be selected general rendezvous