Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-11-08
CONCENTRATIONS.
FOR 7RE ENQUIRER,

ELECTS OF haste which will disappear upon revision, us
merits various aud striking II is the production OF
who nds his subject and resolved TO DO
Justice 10 friend and foe, without lear or favor II has
not the gagu"nrss Of popular Narrative, but Is charac.
terIzPd by technical accuracy, whose phasen!ogy,
sometimes obscure the general reader, 10 cleor and
precise The professional man. Take, for example, the
description nf The famous conflict between The Bon
Homne Richard and The Scraps. which must be treat
To every sailor Another quality which distinguishes
this history. the lair nnd manly tone adopted towards
oui great adversary uhum ii ther dispaages nor Hat.
iers, dealing out evenlandrd justice 10 both parties, yet
with The spirit of n iprven patrInt.
but. my particular object in this communication IS, 10
call public attention 10 The S. niimens OF Mr. Cooper,
with regard That rgltcied and III used branch of the
service, the Marine Cups; sentiments which must be
dsinpres'ed. entertained they by one, "lo was
attached to the Navy proper. So frequent and strong 10
the testimony Of the author behalf OF this gallant am
OF the public defence. that he animated by &c.
ner"us desire 10 vrndca'e il from notorious neglect and
i'll usage The opInnn is becoming general that II
has not received common fair treatment al tie hands oil
the GuvpTnnrnt and the Nann. II has shared IN Tie
prrIs and rumphs Of the Navy, without parlaking Of
its hnnus The suels which have sprung from the blood
which has freely poured forth have been been barren
"f fruit ni those by whom il was shed "ln the very
ncemcnt Of maritime annals" Mr.. Copper
ohs-rvs That ''e Marine Corps behaved with spirit
and sr,adness which have distinguished il from that
hour dawn To The present moment.
'Al M period Of The Naval History Of The world. he
remarks. another place, probable that Marines
urr- important than curing The OF The Rrvo-
luun In many instances. they preserved The vesses
To HE country. by snppressrg the turbulence OF their
-assnrcd crows; ard lhr fleet of their fire. not only
tn hui IN all thp subsequent conflicts under those cir.
crms'unces ~ hrh IL could be fesoied TO- has usu.
ally been singuarIy crpdlabp their seadnrss and dis
cIpihe The history oil the Navy, even at that early
day. well in these latter times, abounds with in
stances oi the gaIanIry and scidrvn0n OF this body OF
soldiers and sluld be uninihIu 10 trust, were
not |" add, that II also furnishes too many proofs OF
The igetiulnrss at lis merits by The country The Ma.
rlnr the risk from, disease and empesls
unde the prIvauns, suffers The hardshps
aud sheds his blnrd The battles as the Seaman,
and snrreiy bIm ilIr rewards. While on ship.
tnnrd. Necessity renders HIM. III certain sense Tie
suburGna'r; but naiions ought never To overlook Inc
important moral and political truth. that the highest les
hey leach those Of Justice, and no servant
Of the priiIc should pass youth oil toll and danger,
without The consciousness oi possessing tenure 10
certain and honorable reward, that d. pendant only
upon himself in prtNioUs paragraph, The ouibor
observes, Ihp however is 30 necessary 10 lie
military character of every service has ever been 30
efficient md useful only carrying the regular
routine "t duty hut in face Of the enemy, and was so
uIimpntnRt 10 the security ol the ships, during Tie
period ul Inch have been writing that we have
reserved place for brr nccount OF lis organization
Numerous passages might he quoted 10 the same Pur-
port, surmrred 10y examples and illustrations with when
the work ah"urGs Almost every page, indeed, oi the
brief bu brilliant annals which MIR Copper SO happily
commentaries furnishes The most honorable testimony
in favor nf This nrrItornus corps NEED reler The
liant attacks upon Iripul the brilliant capture OF Dtrne
the uIarn" """h"'s al tho last war; or The national
character rGeemeda Baensbug by the sendiness aud
cuurIgt. of The under The Barney, TO
which may c udd.d ibr ardunus services OF The corps
volunteered IN the prrl"us campaigns OF Florida, which
6g rnera us IS 'Hgs by ALL ~" tbs
indispensable 10 the character and efficiency OF the
MY II contrary opinion was ever MAINTAINED oy
upon merely iht oelicol grounds II Is abandoned
lrrrsy, which flies in The lace Of common sense
nd the experience 81 all maritime nations But Mr.
"opers testimony on this head is ample and conclu'
ve. | passage from his work, us furnishing
EAR and sucCinct account oil The nature ana uue5 OF
MS branch OF the navy
THE mrn Of puhc armed ship divided into two
nd,s; The portion OF the people that DO the ordinary
uly of thu vessel which includes The petty officers,
aupn ordinary spumrn, landsmen and boys, and Inc
iarips The ffmpr pass under the general name oil
ors while the latter always known by their own
tnc,rve apprIlann The are strictly inian'
,ry soldiers wh trained to serve uioai; nnd thfir
DISCIPLINE equipments. spirit, character and esprit DO
corps, ore altogether those of an army The marines
impatl ship "f war, IN great degree, lis hgh null
lnry charactr They furnish oil the guards and spn''
nrs battle, they repel cover the assaults OF ooard
prs ard they sustain md protect the stern and
necessary discipline 4" ship by their organ ation dis
,inclve character training md we might add, nature
II is usual place ut these Soldiers on 0oafu sup
oi war Tor ach gun though The rule is not absolute
II is not however. to bp understood by his That Inc
marines nre REGULARLY tIsprsr IN The shp ny placing
thrm the guns, umtss in cases that form e&cep.
tons they together, under their own oflcefs using
the musk and haynnei as their proper weapons,
this may ucd. that they inm The guards OF bnr
rnc Ks nds and perform other important dulies on
shore ~.
Some Of the NEST brilliant achievements OF the BIZ
fish Nav, have been performed mainly or partly oy ma
rnes The late Cooperation OF England WIN inc troops
of the Queen Of Spain, has been chit ny through Tue III.
s,,uu,ural,ty al marines small b"dy OF whom, IN one
Conspicuous instance. savrd me anA'arts w. w.
nIhrs from luta obstruction III ridiculous TO apmpl
il, maintain The police the character and eihciehcy OF
ship uf war writout their AID u Is common telha.N'
,bn, bnr FIR me rnes national ship would be priVa
,rer Nc, 10 spt * u mere important duties put sao,
To guard The spirit and himself aud msssna'es WIN
son bp in fine condition: II s dangerous to nnoVa.e
upon long tried usaagr in essential matters solmp.'t'
mr., are marine. -pmrd in The British Navy, when mas
b..n our teacher model and Tor coping successfully
with winch w. have earned the character We possess,
thn II has thousand 10 twenty iwoihousano seane"
whereas cur present prdpnrion IS scafceiy Ho.e
one % eight, rt,ed hsisndng the growth OF the
American Navy from infancy 10 nnnhnnd, me marine
c,rrs is scarcely more numerous than II was ~ I'o
when had ship u the line, aud but 'rw uHg
fp,es and smaller vessels Even so lar BACK as ioo'
wears ~ fore had single two-decker the corps cen
;ired ,br,e,n hundred men when full, which 10 be
hevs6 10 be more ,hsn its present NUMBER -A,e nu'
those exirnord,nnry facts and worthy vi hauohai so
citrdp' The growth Of the Navy has been ho o"y eA
elusive but at The expense OF the marine corps ne
nuhc service is suffering essentially rom ms ifppouc
rusrice Such is the deficiency that some o. ,he yalus
b.ve had 10 rpp'ny civil wachmen as goa'os' mos.
unmilIary rxpefIrn'; aud olhcefs a. e.a " soe ~,
Complaining of The want Of marines ior purposes 'ie
most smpIe and indispensable. The smaller vessels
snme,mes 90 10 sea without mnrnes. or, when taxing
few without officers 10 command them. onf vessels
indeed sail habrtuay with compliments rioicu'ousy
defective.
The Navy Commissioners have reduced the marine
Guards on bna,d m first from 90 to 45 prvaes mus
canpina The rule OF twelve years Standing, adopted 10
Ie25 by the Board, when The gallant ana
D,inbridpe was lis President. Nay more, they nave
,aken upon themselves 10 violate the law OF congress
which sirna'es Go marines as The comp eme nt o,
Of the line reducing the number by simple oiohan,e
of Tho remcnsrancss If all practical and experienced
men We have heard much Of Executive usurpa''on y"
the party contests Of The day; bu' Subordinate II
ua,iye nmnipu,ensa like this, a, indeed, maisf' ~