Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-12-05
III e II AL ID OF THE TIM ES.


pedicnt. The after part OF this deck, which
~ now appropriated to their use os mess
room, would be available for this purpose,
and ut all times for reading or writing, ifthey
should prefer that apartment to their own
special room below. This arrangement
would also obviatc the alleged danger from
mutiny. but upon this point, the Board are
not willing to believe such an event sutcl-
emily probable to justify any express arrange
ment with reference to 1t; nor that any ar
,angcmcnts for the accommodation of the
officers could be made eliectua to suppress
it, if one should unfortunately occur.
The terms of the letter from the officers,
would seem to imply, that the officers OF tho
North Carolina were allowed the use OF an
airy apartment, supposed to be the after part
OF the main deck, to reconcile them to the
arrangement of their separate rooms on the
orlop; such however, does not appear to have
been the case.
Tho ward room officers we've allowed that
part Of the ship for their mess room, as
mntter Of course, because the commander Of
the squo dron was also the commander Of the
ship, and one cabin only was required such
also would be the case in any other ship OF
the line, where the same state of commands
existed, or where there was no commander
of a squadron but, 10y general usage, where
a commander Of squadron and proper
captain of the ship are both in the same ves-
sci, and they are not disposed to mess to-
yether, two cabins are required, and the cap
tain Of the ship then takes the apartment OH
the main deck, aud the gun room officers
mess upon the deck below.
When the OHIO was fitted in, New York,
It was not determined how, or under what
circumstances she should be employed. The
Board are not aware of having expressly ap-
proved of the arrangements at that time, and
certainly could not have done so with re-
ference to the distribution Of the gun deck
accommodations, os they were nnacquainted
with the officers, who might have to be ac-
lcommodated.
When arranged at Boston, the distribution
was made according to universal usage, and
the ward room officers a. matter Of course,
had their mess rooms assigned on the lower
gun deck.
To acccde to the request of the officers
and place their mess room on the main deck,
would be to deprive the Captain of the ship
| Of his proper apartments, for the purpose OF
giving better accommodation to those under
his command, measure believed to be in
consistent with general usage and by no
means calculated to promote some of the as
sential interests Of the service.
With the acknowledged authority of the
commander to allow the officers to sleep in
cots upon the gun deck, if he should deem it
advisable the Board do not perceive any
such reason to apprehcnd danger to the
health Of the officers, nor any such probable
injury to the efficiency, safety, or discipline
of the ship, as to require a change OF The
present arrangements, at least until this shall
have been subjected to longer trial.
The papers are herewith returned.
have the honor to be, with great respect,
Sir, your ObedicDt servant,
CIIAUNCEY.
Honorable James X. Pauldlng,
Secretary of tho Navy.
Comments. Board state that these
arrangements were originally adopted at the
suggestion OF officers upon Foreign Stations;
but the whole Navy know that it would be
much nearer the truth TO say, that single
ship so fitted, ,on a single station, met favor in
the eyes of single oflicer-tbe Commander
of Squadron who was cruising with large
family on board Of his ship! And it is now
repeated upon information just received from
the Mediterranean, that it has been wholly
abandoned in the French navy; and this un-
der circumstances, favorable to the success
of the experiment, which could not be made
available in oMr vessels.
The Board admit the objection to want
of light to be well founded, but add that the
want Of ventilation will be materially dimin-
ishcd by the measures already commenced.
The anxiety Of the Board at Boston to have
these ventllations cut is now understood, and
the defence made on this point must excite
the smile, If Rot dcrision of all who may be
cOnve rsant with the facts. A more miserable
apology for supplying fresh air can scarcely
he lnagircd--a copper tube some two or
three inches in diameter is led from the Man
Gun Deck, into each state room over every
officers berth and as four hundred and fifty
men sleep upon that deck with the ports
closed and hatchways covered, which must
frequently be the case, it will answer admi-
rably well to carry down the irresprable air
and carbonic acid gas generated by so large
a body of men. Any Tyro in Pneumatics
could have informed the Board of this. 1t is
true, the rarified air may occasionally ascend,
but officers are rather disposed to dispense
with this luxury, when they receive in ex-
change water, filth and the discarded weed,
to say nothing of leaving to the crew such
an access to their rooms, for the exercise of
many pranks with perfect impunity. Plug
ging up these ventlators has therefore al
ready commenced, occupying much less time
than the process Of cutting, for it will not be
credited by seamen or ship builders, that in
executing this scientific: operation the Dag
ger Knees of the lower Gun Deck have been
severed from the hanging Knees, leaving in
many instances but an inch of wood at their
juncture.