The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-12

| Navy, have never been able to discover. The
number OF juniors is independent Of the number
OF seniors and neither has any relation 10 the
number Of ships. The due proportion, between
the mdteriet and obfciel of Navy, are govern
ed by certain laws, and are as easily TO be deter
mined as the ratio between any known quanti-
ties in mathematics. BY failing to observe
these proportions, the history of the Republic
shows that one reduction Of its Navy has alrea-
dy been considered necessary, and has actually
taken place. And, after an interval OF forty
years, the time IS once more al hand, when re-
organization according to these rules, or reduc-
tion again al hbitum, is required Navy Off
GERS and men-of-war, like quantities in Algebra,
constitute an equation in the national marine,
by which the value of all other of its parts may
be determined: and according TO which the acts
ofthe government with regard to its Navy ought
always TO be regulated. But, hitherto, govern
ment has acted in the matter, neither in conior-
mlty with the doctrines Of numbers, nor the rules
OF quantity BY improper, and therefore injud-
cious alterations and substitutions transportation
and elimination, the proportions of the great
equation have been destroyed. And now, that
II Is required to clear it up, it becomes necessa-
ry to know what is the proper value Of every
term and part, and what are the Just and natural
proportions between its members, before the
process by which the desired equality is TO be
restored, can be known. Wise men and the pub
lie interest alone,can determine what that pro-
4 cess shall be-whether subtraction on one side,
or addition on the other II by the former let
ships be sold, or sunk or burned, (as said before)
! till the Navy, as it now is, can afford to each
ship that remains her due quota of officers If by
the latter, then let the number OF officers be in
| creased, until every ship be provided with her
due complement. Whether by increase or dim
| mutton, this is the standard TO which the Navy
/ m he hraudhf NJ Iast nd mill tho nrao,.
cal adoption of this standard, the Navy will be
unstable-as liable TO unhealthy increase at one
time, as to unwholesome stagnation at another.
There can be no time more propltious than the
| present, for the introduction Of such a system,
Bad management and injudcious legislation
have reduced the Navy to a state of confusion
and disorder never before witnessed A tho
| rough overhauling is rendered necessary 10 save
| it from ruin--its officers and their country from
dishonor and disgrace.
The public expenditure incident to such an
overhauling, and to the consequent increase Of
the Navy, would swell the aggregate Of the an
nual Naval appropriations butlitte, if any, above
| their present ratio In 1S37-'3S, law was
| passed to authorize squadron Of armed ships
| to be maintained in the service along the Allan
tic sea-board, but the law was never carried into
effect The duties Of the Revenue service,
which is now separate corps supported at an
annual cost to the public Of 100000, or $780,
600, might be transferred to this squadron, with
the most beneficial results, both on the score Of
economy and efficiency. This service consists
| of fifteen vessels and seventy odd Captains and
Lieutenants whose salary in gross, may be
stated at $4,000; all of which, by transferring
It's duties to the Navy in the manner proposed
would be saved. Besides protection Of the rev
enue, this arrangement would give constant and
useful employment TO nearly one hundred Lieu
tenants in the Navy Moreover, if the necessary
number of steamers and officers proper to be
maintained in the Navy were put in commission,
the expense of the Revenue service might be
entirely dispensed with for those steamers, with
out the additional cost Of dollar, might perform
all the duties of the Revenue service, and, in
doing this, they would the more completely sub
serve the purposes OF the government, by afford
ing useful occupation TO large number OF the
officers, who otherwise would be without it.
! Such service would make them familiar with
the bars and channels, and teach them TO be-
come pilots of our own ports and haIbors an
accomplishment which, in the exigencies OF war;
often proves OF the first importance TO the Navy
officer
| The enormous rate at which work is done for
the NAVY, may fairly be charged as another evil
of the present system. The experience OF every
officer, who has had an opportunity OF Judging,
will confirm the statement, that the cost OF work
at the public backwards greatly exceeds the cost
Of similar work at private ship-yards. In some
instances the expense in many times greater.
The schooner Pilot was built at Navy Y ard
She cost the government $33, 900, and was sold
before she had performed her first cruise, for
$4,000, q Think The schooner Active, bought
to supply the Pilots place, (and there was no
material difference in the size OF these two YES
sels) cost $4,000 She was taken forthwith TO |
the New York Navy Yark, and repaired at the
cost of $13, 100 She was further repaired at
Norfolk, the cost of which is not known. And
without having been to sea, she was sold, after
receiving all these repairs, for S4, 500.
Such are the effects of the system adopted, |
that il has induced the mechanics of our Navy |
Yards to vie with each other in doing little, rather
than much. For say they ''do our interests
require the work on hand TO be finished, that we
may be discharged for the want of employment"
They have been heard to boast-one that he had
painted wash-board in day; another. that he
had put lock on door The price of each of
these days work was $500, or $3.50.
The sloop of war Falmouth was repaired in
1884,
Cost of materasl, sso,o35 45l sa5 TAI 65
do Labor, SIZE @0} w. Va
Sloop ST. Louis, do 1888: =
do Labor, 4s400 90 $ll9 1876 %
do Stores, 1908 $50
Mark the difference between the price Of Labor
and of Materials in the two cases. BY the estl-
mates Of lS24,* the building Of sloop of war Of
the 1st class, cost-Materals, $30S56 26; Labor,
Sl5,650, making Si65l6 &c; and her equip
ment is set down at S3S,4S3 74-making the
total cost when ready for sea $4,000. On the
opposite side of the river, at New York, packet
ships, larger than the St Louis by one half, are
built, fitted and found in the most elegant man
ner, with bulk-heads OF bird's-eye maple, stair
ways of inlad mahogany, airy saloons, splendid
cabins, and magnificent apartments, all for $751;
600, or $4,000. Whereas to repair, at Navy
Yard a shin hnt twn-ihrds The SIG Of one nf