The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1833-12-14

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! n s5s 4 fnssdsanes tbsm q q
- Eoeunek tnowlSdos ef ~ aelivs
do Which may soon devolvs aea~ tksn'
z highsr' end 'moss se'ponsiels situs-
r. ttsys, that q The whole humber Of
Naval Officers at this time, including
49, under warrants, ~ we'll a. commiss-
Eos. = about one thousand; and our
GAole annual expenses. Of every kind for
Gheitnsint ainance ID about $500, 900, or
on svsrnge about $3.50 for each officer"
4 IN rsgagd to the pay Of officers, hs
Asys: !.
! !" II is hoped that ] may not be deemed
T. importunate, il, once more urging on
. your attentiona topic far more grateful -
NJ feelings. Ihave long entertained .
decided opinion that the compensation to
iome olassss of officers ought to be in
> ereassd: il is certain that more equal
ln6tice would be awarded 10 ali, that SER
vices st ga could moro easily be obtain
"a. .lhal1 1nseatsr cheerfulness and alacrity
- he paff6rmaace Of duty would be
1viucsd, and higher grade Of qualifica-
HsSns in some subordinate stations could
- co6vnandsd, If the whole subject Of
J ray-wss revised, and the compensation
Sraduatsd IN . fairer proportion among
. 1i6brent ranls in the navy, and to similar
ranks in the army; and if there was pro-
vision made for q larger and marked dis
j criuinstlon between duty adoat and leave
spf Absence, or waiting orders, on Shore"
q The whole number Of seamen in the
Ivy, including all the different grades,
: sjpes not vary much from five th0osapd;
,lnd the annual expenses of their pay, ra-
eiene, and Enlistment, are not fur from
&l,1S0,OO0, or, on an average, about
T226 for each seaman. These expenses
are small, and indicate great popularity
Ia the services, wheh we advert not only
10 ous, facility in obtaining good ssamen.
but to the high rate Of wages the past year
Ia merchant vessels, and to the great cost
Of this class Of persons in the navies OF
,some countries, where labor is generally y
much lower than in the United States"
I. He recommends the building or pur'
,SAase oftwo store-ships for the Pacific
,nkation, to be used in the transportation
md preservation there Of supplies Of al
hinds, also tho construction OF two OF
&hree small steam batteries.
Hssays, "The two dry docks dt ths
Yards near Norfolk and Boston, having
been successfully completed in all essen
<isl particulars, the details on that suhjec
will be. found in the report annexed. Thi
report shows the whole expenditures tn
last year not only on that subject, but OF
ali others under tho head Of gradual i'm
provsment. From the great advantage
already realized in the ease and rapidly
of repairs in vessels at the yards wher.
these dry docks are situated, am salts
fed that others would be found very ben
s6cial. Surveys were formerly had TO
swo more--one at New York, and one a
Portsmouth-and q report IN favor o
those two was once made and approved il
the House Of Representatives.. Mncl
osn BE- urged ia favor Of the former plac'
ON account Of its central position, an
GREAT resources for repairs, stores, sea
men, and workmen; and of the latte
plaee, on account of the low price oflabor
smell cost Of constructing dock, and tn
easy access to il by vessels Of all classe
ss oil seasons of the year But whethe
one or both, or neither, shall be selected
nj this time, is submitted to the proper al
thorities on revision Of the whole sub
iect. It must be obvious that the relativ
Importance Of different stations mast un
-dsrgo changes, as the capacities of dii
fsrent quarters Of the country bscom
more fully developed; aud that some pla
ces now employed as naval despots, cal
: be of very little use on the occurrence o
war, while the positions Of others, wbe
that event may happen, will greatly in
crease their usefulness"
The whole report will repay perasal
and il appears evident, that we have a
the head ofthe Navy Department, an IN
,defatigable and talented officer.