Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-09-28
tsius 81 Commanders, 1913 Lieutenants, and about $50

tains 81 Commanders 1873 Lieutenants and about $50
Passed Midshipmen and ,Midshipmen The commits.
sloned officers amount to 500, lacking7 The same
number OF men, under different organizations without
any increase of pay, might be much useful, aud
they would realize frequently, in their from their
MILDLY warrant to their baton de arGcha that great
incentive TO do their duty-proniotion Louk Navy
mans life. He enters at fifteen Be he in luck hp
gets Leutenancy at FIVE and twenty There he sticks
I'LL 80. | don't believe there are half dozen Com.
manders the list who can't tell half century; and
then in 10 years more, perhaps he is posted We have
only four grades known in law in SERVICE and vel
necessity stronger than the law ITSELF has made nearly
n dozen Beside the Senior Captain provided for
by law, there Commodores lying in The port,
wearing blue, red and white broad pendants, Captains
Of the Fleet Captains of Ships, Commanders, Lieu.
tenant Commandant, Lieutenant Commedore-ask
Chas Wilkes if he knows that ttle-Lieutanants Mas
tiers, Master Mates, Passed Mdshpmen, MidshiPmen,
Acting Midshpmen, Cadet Midshpmen, and the Lord
only knows what else. Now, some people seem to
think that it is very anti Republican to crea,e ADM
rails We have had General, Lieutenant ehera'
and Major and Brigadier Generals, SEM numeTo -
Whence, therefore, the dislike TO AdmIrals, Vice or
Rear. The Commanders of our squadrons have tIe
same duties TO PERFORM the same power, the same re-
spousbllily as Nelson, ST. Vincent, or Colngwooa
Van Tromp, or Dougay Tronin ever mao m sna'
wherefore should they net have the same rank: Mat
tiers il not what You call him. for one, would prefer
Commodore as it is now peculiarly an American Naval
title but let it be fixed and permanent. am Com-
modore to-day of fleet, and the neyt day may De
only the Captain of u twenty gun ship. 1t IS the un'
certainty Of the which weakens the effect OF the
Office Every who knows any thing about the SER
vice, knows that Preble recalled from the COM
mand, which he so gorously signazed his country
and himself at Trpoli, because he had not onlcers
enough given TO him TO command the increased force
Government wished to employ off that Regency; and
as soon as some reached there senior to him. the
broad pendant which had we'd ever trumphantly IN
face of the enemy was struck and the gallant Com
lander in Chief became Captain Prebe again Five
hundred officers of the higher grades, about as
many as we require in peace, for ell the Naval opera
tons aoat and ashore. Within seven, there are now
that many employed In lieu of the present Dlstrbu-
ton, | would suggest the following arrangement:
| 7dniral, to command the Navy, and 10 have the
same relation to the Navy Department which the Ge-
neral. Chief (Sco,t,) has to the War Department
Tice 4dmirals 10 command our principal fleets,
and TO fulfil the hg her trusts al home
i6 Rear qd,nirais, to command Squadrons, and per-
form duties in the different home stations making IN
all % flag officers. There now that many Commo-
dores in service.
50 Commodorts to command Ships of the Line, light
Flota., en- second in Fleets, Navy Yards, &c
rs Captans-their office to be- "a at present
100 Commanders to command the smaller vessels,
and 10 he en- second on board Ships of the Line
go LieufenaRtS. .
100 Masters, 10 be commissioned officers in the line
of promotion and not merely warranted as al present
400 Midshipmen, and those Of them who may be
passed for promotion to receive some sort OF honorary
rank as the beve which the Cadets al West FONT are
honored with on graduation.
As 10 the number of medical, financial, religious
and forward officers and the Marines, never having
belonged either corps leave it, with the acknow
edgment of their great worth and utility, TO some gen
tlemen of their respective bodies 10 suggest what
amend ments they may desire.
The Navy costs the country good deal oi money
II is the most important branch of defence. In the
event of war, every thing will be expected OF ana
any ones suggestions, however humble, are worth
something DALI
u S. Ship --, 10Th Sept, 154l:
IL We most cheerfuly lay The preceding very we'll
written Communication before our readers-allhough
we have still quams about the creation OF ADM.
rails, Vice and Rear Adnirals. We prefer 'the Old
Commodore with perhaps a few new notifications
But the whole matter forms legitimate SUBJECT Tor