The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-13

and English fleets in the sanguinary battles Of the
French revolution, that the officers and crews o
the English ships were Injured and disciplined from
long experiences in naval warfare The naval service
should be continuous il was not to be imagined tina.
they might discharge officers OF the Navy, II to-day
there happened be greater number than was need
ed and when occasion presented ITSELF that they could
be obtained il was impossible
Gentlemen had assumed that a large body OF the
officers of the Navy of the United States were une-
poyed. What were the facts He had drawn up,
well from printed documents as from other sources
statement OF the present condition OF the ofhcers o.
the Navy of the United States from which he read
The following facts
There were AS caplains in actual employment, dis-
trbuted as follows Ships %, shore " navy board >,
post ains g. naval schools g. inspector OF ordnance
], asylum lin all AZ.
The total number was g. Among this 6S, II was
be remembered were the hoary veterans oil the las'
war-nen who had been in the service OF the country
for f time and Who If al this hour officers Ia the
English Navy, had either earned their adm raiships
OF retired admilals ON pension We had no such pro-
vision and they Of remained on the list a. post
capains IL was due TO them and to the service that
Younger men should be employed in preference Yet
there remained but % actual service, incudlng
all the sick and those who by age and lnfrmty ought
be considered superannuated, and those retained
to be. employed in casual service.
In regard TO lieutenans, all the heutcnants were
on duty except few of those nominated for promo
lion, and the following exceptions of those not nomi-
mated, TO wit: Sick 10, under charges on leave in
Europe l. on leave in United States 8 waiting orde
Sin all "a.
Passed midshipmen of duty g. Ofihesc three are
SICK one under suspension, and two on leave.
From this analysis would appear that of the grades
OF post captains, lIeulenan,s and passed mdshipmen
there were abuses in there being unemployed per
sons.
There remained the grade otcplnmanders, and that
contained larger number than the others OF yer
ot All mol a
service of The country required, on the explanation
he should present. The policy of the Secretiry OF
the Navy was that small number OF officers should
he unemployed. The reforms the Secretary contem-
plated were in progress, and the statement he now
presented show what had been their progress thus
far.
Mr. TRlPLErr inquired the number of commanders
in and out of service. According TO his compu-
taton, there were 80 out of service
Mr. MERlwETHER referred to the estl nate OF the
Secretary of the Treasury OF the amount required for
commission and warrant officers waiting orders, for
1912, which was 1926 400 for officers follows 81
captains AZ commanders, 80 leutenants 10 surgeons
8 chapains, 70 midshlpmen. The Secretary tend
ed TO add 80 new mldshipmen, and asked I'll 100 tc
pay them and keep them rendering no service for the
year.
Mr. CusHING did not know how the gentleman
suppose that officers board squadrons should be
eyed unless there othr officers to take their
service. The estimate on which the navy was con.
GERS. That fact accounted for the circumstance &c
which the gentleman referred, of officers waiting or.
ders.
Surprising the Navy to be kept in active service as
The public interests require, the following number
captains will be necessary, viz
OF we've ships of the line already built or on the
stocks that two-thirds are always in commis
slon and OF the twenty irgates and steamers already
built and in progress, three-touIths always in COM
nilsson there will be five commodoies, besides tn,
captain of the flag slip; for each II the principal
ports of Boston, New York and Norfolk, port cap