Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-07

, or,oa a meet demands which will become due on the
/ list Of January, lsi0 ,bo
! AGAIN take occasion to invite your attention !" ''
onprnnr;at ION for div deck al Ncw J cfk
The sum of SlGG,Ut0 assigned III the year 1900 u
that object. having, with The exception OF sLnai'
amount Tor surveys been no part oi y cNpei!ue"i -
consequence o., difficulties III the selection o. SIC ii
reverted t. the Treasury. earnestly fecoh'h.'i1 "
reapproprIaton. ..,,co
1bo discovery Of new and more capac:ous entrance
into the harbor BY Lieutenant; Gedney, which, u ever
known had been long since forgotten, mas removed ~
oulv plausible objection hitherto urged against VIC "a
pedcncy of measure which appears 10 NC ~
ed by 80 many considerations.
The central position of this port the facilities result
ing from its entrances ana ontrts at e'e"' w
lance from each ether, aud The ample Means ' e't
afords for repairing manning, and Supplying N'7Se!s
OF war all pom, il station deserving peculiar
attention rs an additional reason II IS proper 10 S'a
that two ships Of the line lying at tic navy
ward in state apd decay, which cannot ne rrParC"
without going into dock, and cannot De removed "l.l.
gu. almost certainty Of total loss. very few years
| will Mace them beyond the reach Of recovery ana
they must DC either broken up, or sink where thcr no"
deem it proper, also, to bring to your ::c:'ce an
abuse OF treat inheritance 10 the interests OF the ser
r;ca Numerous instances occur Of the enlistment OF
minors: and il is obviously impossible 10 discriminate
between those who are, and those swho not, @!
legal age.
AIlcr receiving the advance OF pay, and becoming
nprllapg indebted 10 Inc piiTSl III
10 LAWYER magistrate procure. hGbtdS corF"S, ana
obtan their release without any legal obligation 20 pay
the debt thus contracted. The instructions 10 recEaIt-
ing officers authorize them To cause IN oath 10 be ah-
n.nisicrcd in Of doubt; bat Il has been decided
tina, lis violation does subject the offender legal
punishment. Cases analogous 10 these frequently oc
Gu. in the enlistment of apprentices authorized by act
Of Congress- They occasionally presented by per-
sons claiming to be their parents or guardians and re-
ceiyed accordingly. After remaining until they are
adn tod md pf hrnu
their real patents the latter come forward, prove the
! whole fraud procure h66cGs corpus, and re-
lease the apprentice after lac has been maintained and
educated al the public expense.
i would therefore, respectfully recommend the pas
sage of law authorizing recruiting officers 10 cause IN
oath he adm To persons cilcr:ng Ter eni:st-
meat in where their ma cry Is doubted, ana, III
every case, parents guardians Presenting boys as
apprentices to the navy, IN" violation Of which shond
be declared perjury, and subject the offender TO legal
! prosecution and punishment.
! Should this system o! apprenticeship be carried 10
the extent of which 1t is susceptible, look forward Ia
il as source of great and lasting benefit TO the navy
There is every reasonable prospect of It's becoming
nursery for the supply of petty officers of the most
important constituents IN the service, nor can doub'
but that il NAV be made the of supplying large
number of capable, intelligent seamen, strong =
attached to their country by the benefits she has center
, red on them.
The result. thus far has been highly encouraging
/ \ spirit of excitement and emulation prevails AMONG
these BOYS; their conduct, with exceptions,
rec, and exemplary examples Of proti.acy and cases
OF dcscrton seldom occur commanders OF vessels Of
are without exception, anxious To have al least
one-tcn!h of their crews composed OF them and the
ports from receiving ships give uniform testimony Ia
their general department, their habits of order and in
dustrv, and their capacity for the acquisition OF those
branches of learning and that practical knowledge Of
their profession, winch hi them for future usefulness.
have endcavnred to cali the attention of magistrates
r6at,p To ha rIpII
SYSTEM of providing for that large class of unfortunate
children which has become numerous, most especial
" in large cities, and Which is without the means
the prospect Of comfortable maintenance, or of ac
curing even the rudi!nenis Of education. IT, instead
Of permitting them 10 lave in id"ncSS, exposed to
Temptations and plunging prcmatu-cly into every VICE"
they apprrntccd to their country, they would
receive such education c;s their station and
quire those habits o, sobr!cy, honesty, order and IN
Gus,ry, which would 90 Jar 20 render those who
apt to become the bGne of society. efficient supporters
of the honor and interests OF their country.
Under the act of Congress which directed revision
and extension Of the rules and regulations OF the ser
vice. approved l! May. le;i2 board """"al officers
convened by the Department and their proceeding
communicated 10 Congress. No action, however, was
taken by that body in consequence, and by the pro
visions Of the law, those regulations not TO he
carried INTO effect init! they had received It's sanction
they have remained since n dead letter never
having been promulgated.
Believing" however, that revision cfllIr old rrgu!a
tons w "!,'s 10 their adaptation 10 laws Subsequent
II passed and for The purpose Of taking advantage I"
the results Of experience would cnuucc 20 the rood o.
the cc the Department has directed TIC Beard o
Navy Commissioners, under the authority Of the act 10y
which it was constituted, to attend to that duty. Tho
board is engaged in It's performance, at such IN
teryals of leisure as the multiplicity Of its other ahor
will permit. This revised system will probably be LAID
before Congress before the expiration Of their present
session, and it is believed that with some modification
of the law for the hotter government Of the navy
passed in the year 1900, the whole will form system
which, if administered with sirm steady temperate
perseverance, WILL 50 far It's influence extends, sus
tain the navy of the United States that cmnence
which has attained in the estimation 81 all nations.
] feel confident, however, that the only and Of
fcctual means of maintaining the character and DISC.
pine Of the service is to keep in commission as many
vessels, and employ many officers active duties
rs is compatible with the resources of the country
This after ALL is the vital principle of professional
cellercc and IS this rely as the only solid basis
for naval establishment not formidable from the mum
Der of ships in Ordinary the stocks but for its
perence, its discipline, and habits of hardy endurance
For this reason GJninuon Of the force in comn's
sion has been contemplated in the estimates herewith
presented All the retrenchments will be found in
other branches of expenditure, and the current service
Of the ensuing year has been left untouched and und
unfinished
Tie estimates o. the Board of Navy Commissioners
RI for the naval service Of $40 have been made with
every regard 10 cconony deemed compatible with the
great interests Of lie country. hencNcr variations
occur between the present estimates and the preceding
ones, short explanatory appended, giving the
reasons for the change.
take this occasion respectfully to recommend the
passage of law, for bringing under general head
all the spcca! acts which authorize the building or re-
building ofpartcuar vessels, well those relating
to their repairs. \ b for this purpose reported
during the last session Of Congress, and presumed 10
to have failed 10 become law in consequence OF nabi
y to reach IL in time conceive it will be highly adj
vamtagcous 10 the service by placing materials 'r
building, repairing, and cquipping vessels generally
at the disposal othc Department for all such purposes
al the precise period they wanted and before they
! dotcrioratc by time and exposure.
Another advantage would be-, greatly simplifying
counts Al all the naval stations by discussing officers
and n the Treasury.
These, and other minor results Of convenience and
economy, i'll my opinion, all unite in recommending the
measure.
Should the further of 100000 be transferred
from the appropriation for the gradual Improvement Of
Al.