The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-14

Making As
If the bill establishing naval schools should pass
one captain will be required for each school.
All officers require relief but the captains especial
y the service being severe the responsibility oppres
sive, and the and tear of body very great the
number Of invalids in the service fully attests
1t is important that our ships should be sent home
by The time the terms of the crews expire; and to
keep the squadrons constantly supplied the relief
sci should always sail about the time the
sells leave the squadron or fact be there if posi-
bic, when the latter eaxe and this would of course,
require as many for relief as for actual service.
1t is thought to be fair estimate to set down at
least one-third of the captains, many of whom are
very far advanced in life, invalids or otherwise off
duty. If the number of captains should be increased
to los, as the Navy Department proposes, the invalid
list would stand at 35 leaving efficient list of 10
Double the number of sea captains and they
will stand Sc
And you have for all other service only IA
This number is only barely enough for the other
wants. which are for post captains s. yards and sta
tons 9, asylum |, inspector total, ID without af
fording any for relief for various other incidental
duties, such courts martial, boards of examination
and annual surveys Of ships and naval stores the
different navy yards.
These estimates made upon the supposition that
the navy is not to be increased at all If should be
eased more officers will be required, and if not
still it is necessary that officers should be prepared by
training to be qualified for active command
The increase proposed on the various promotions
was only in the grade Of post captains 1t was pro-
posed 10 promote certain number of commanders
post captains the chasm thus created in the
ders to be filled from the next lowest grade, and so
with the remaining grades The proposed promotion
was of certain number of individuals to the grade
of post captain, and no augmentation proposed in
the other ranks so that, these details, the only
practical question before the committee, question
OF expenditure was whether the number of post cap
ains sufficient, and he did not conceive that any
gentleman would contend that it sufficient for the
service of the country. tf ~ t1
Heretofore, the apprentices in the navy had been
employed in receiving ships in the harbors. While
thus employed they did nothing except the training
they acquired The Secretary of the Navy had jul
diciousy decided that these apprentices instead of
being thus kept confined in receiving Ships should be
employed in small vessels in the coast service-n the
actual navigation of vessels under competent officers
This to be done there should be suff-
Gent number OF small vessels and officers to COM
mand them, and by this means they would not only
acquire training, but be rendering service
Another abuse alleged, which, like the others, was
nowse pertinent to the question: in relation to
the expenses of the navy in the provision, building,
and equipment of vessels and the general expense Of
sailing the vessels Abuses had been imputed in this
branch and especially by the gentleman from Illinois,
(Mr Reynolds,) who had pointed out what he con-
ceived to be improper in the repairs Of the navy.
This alleged abuse was past, not present. Those
not facts appertainng to this appropriation
to the present Secretary of the Navy.
He believed it was true that it was practicable to
introduce material reduction in the expenses of the
construction, equipment, provision and sailing of the
vessels of the United States. If the various bills
ported by his friend at the head of the Committee
Naval Affairs (Mr. Wise) for the reorganization of
the navy, should pass, most important and radical re-
forms would be effected. Although they proposed
on their face an expenditure Of $1,000, yet he had
not the slightest doubt, the information he had re-
ceived that there would be economy to the Govern
ment of hundreds of thousands, and perhaps half
million of dollars by the adoption of this reform in
the personal administration of the navy He did not
know but the gentleman from Illinois supposed that
the burden of this blame fell the navy board 1t
might be so. The adjustment of that board and
more exact system of responsibility and perfect ar
rangement was one of the means by which economy
was to be employed
1t was material to this bill to show how economy
to be effected. 1t was to be done first in tho con-
structon Of these vessels by enforcing more dgent
and exact labor in the navy yards by expelling from
those yards all influences except honest and up
right regard for the interests Of the United States.-
That was reform which, in the document he
should presently exhibit had alresdy begun 10 work
Its perfect work. Another means of efecting econo
my was to discard from vessels all expenditures