The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-07

complement of welltranied and skilful officer
for her, cannot be created by stroke Of the pen
or the driving of bolt. Unless these be pre-
pared beforehand, the shipmust lie idle for wears
waiting the tedious process of nautical educa
ton. How these officers, in times Of peace
when the services Of this ship are not required
may be employed, proftably 10 themselves ant
advantageously to their country, has been showr
IN former number.
When looking into the present condition o.
The Navy, the difficulty TO be experienced in pro
curing officers for our ships, in case Of war; can
not IAN 10 present itself 10 every rehecting mind
I nat such difficulty should exist; that the
piuhaef should be committed of building ships
when, II they wereput in commission Tomorrow
the requisite number Of wel-trained officers
couid mol De procured for them, is but one of the
many apt, pointed and practical illustrations.
MI; hdi'or' mat may be given, Of the present
gency which may call for the sudden eouipment
OF all the vessels of the Navy, the list of Passed
Midshipmen affords the only source from which
a supply OF properly drilled officers can be oh
tanned. And this list would not be large enough
10 supply the demands in such case. Fully "a
comprehend the impracticabiilies in the way az
resolving the grade Of Passed Midshipmen into
a perpetual corps of reserve, you must bear in
mind that this is class Of officers to whom''
Rules and Regulations can assign "no particu-
lar duty" The plan of maintaining at public
cost large and numerous body of young Off
GERS, who have mo particular duty to perform },
IS in direct violation of the first principles Of no
lltical economy, and cannot be too strongly re-
probated. independently of creating an expen-
dliure that IS worse than useless, the policy il
sell OF such measures full Of evil, and highly
injurious both to the service and its officers. -
These young officers, after having proved rhem-
selves TO be well-qualifed for the duties of Lieu
tenants, are, in the prime of life, put upon half
the pay OF that grade. Thus, untimely forced
upon retired list, they fret out all the ardor Of
their youth, and frltter away the early vigor of
manhood, waiting until misfortune and disgust,
or until the more certain but tedious process of
disease and death, shall make room for them in
the ranks above. The number that is yearly ad
ded to this list, greatly exceeds the number that
IS yearly taken from it to supply promotion
Thus the chrysalis state of those who enter
upon it, has been increased from immediate
transition to period Of seven years duration,
and is still on the increase. And here set it down
as rule-and mark its operation as a necessary
evll OF the present system-that so long as the
supply exceeds the demand Tor officers, so long
will there be an expensive accumulation ofthem,
In some one grade or another swelling its num-
bers out far beyond the just and efficient proper
tons. It is the practical operationof this rule,
which, in less than twelve years, has increased the
list Of Passed Midshpmen from zero to two hun
dred and more-and, in less time than that. has
created in the medical corps similar grade, and
made II equal IN numbers 10 about one-sxth of
the whole medical staff of the NAVY
Under suce state OF things, is il surprising that
young officers should become tired of their posi-
ton in the Navy; and at times evince feeling of
disgust, or manifest dsatfected spirit, towards
service in which they are thus dealt by There is
not one OF them, whose heart has not been made
sick with hope deferred Entering the Navy with
an implied agreement that for six years of service
faithfully performed on their part, they shall be
rewarded with an epaulette-they are tantalzed
with mere tinsel, until another term longer and
more tedious than the first, be dragged out in
restless servitude. A spirit of discomfort has
thereby been engendered in the Navy In
Military corps, such spirit is contagious once
abroad, its effects upon the general prosperity of
the service, are not less deplorable- far more
blighting than the ravages of pestlence. Though
much of the discomfort which at this time pre-
walls in the Navy may be traced to this double
term of servitude as its origin, the evils of the
plan have not been fully developed, nor as keen
ly felt as they will be for hitherto, its rictims
have been somewhat buoyed with the hope that,
during their term, they should see the Navy
placed upon frmer and better footing. But
the evil is not yet stayed.
Ask any officer for the result of his experience
during his last cruise and he will tell you, that Of
late years there has been a wonderful falling off
among Midshipmen. That they were jejune to
degree; and, as a class, BY no means as efficient,
or as active in the performance of duty, as they
were some years ago That these things are so,
is but the natural result of very obvious cause,
and may be set down another of the evil effects
IL f..n.
whom, mo particular duty can be assigned For
merly, all the important duties and responsible
lrnsts, which, on board man-of war, it often be-
comes necessary to assign to young officers, were
assigned to Midshipmen-now, they are perfor-
med by Passed Midshipmen. In these duties,
here was oftentimes enough of official compli-
nent, or responsibility, to beget noble spirit Of
emulation among the younger officers, and both
% excite and to CRAFTY, on their part, high
oned feeling of professional pride. But now,
all such duties and stations are monopolized BY
1tbers, and nothing is left for the mere Midship-
nan to do, but the drudgery of his former du-
ies-the tame routine Of fdiiing on after-guard
md mzen-top-men to the main brace; and con-
yeying messages from the quarter deck. The
is, that, when by default of Passed
the younger officers are called to
perform the more important duties, they are at
ault from inexperience Instead, therefore, of
he mere Midshipman feeling that he is of some
consequence and Importance on board ship, and
hat the services rendered by him are useful to
he Navy, he finds that, under the present sys-
EN-, he is without the consciousness of any
such incentive to spur him on. One great source
IF cheerfulness (and cheerfulness is no where
o be more desired than in man ofwar) is use
fut occupation, with the consciousness that oneis
advancing towards the object in view. Under the
present arrangement, Midshipmen are deprived
IF many such incentives which they formerly
enjoyed And, is it not natural that, under such
circumstances many of them should become
istless of duty, and contract habits Of idleness
and mental dissipation, which are so little to be
desired for youth
sometimes entered in the course Of few hours