The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-14

them model ola sea steamer, and one, or as many
as NAV be r, quired, will soon spring into exls-
| tence; and ere long, be materially improved. Be-
| sides the advantage to the government, such an
| establishment is due to the great west and VIII
| be cherished by them under all circumstances In
war the workr2en and materials would be removed
from all moestation, and the finest steamers could
plunge into the GulfOf Mexico, all equipt for war
purposes. and come to the aid OF our Atlantic coast
| as if from foreign ally-not touching the usual
resources of the country In the hour ofneed, all
| that could be produced there would be so much
gained; AID at a rate much cheaper than at any
| steamers. At the bidding Of the architect fleets
would spring into existence, and bound to the
ocean.
| proper economy calls for a change in the sys
| tenn of labor IN our Navy Yards. BY daily wages
| men have bat little incentive TO hurry their work.
When a lazy man is paid as much as an indss-
trous ono, thee Is no encouragement to the iatter
to exert himself, and in time ne becomes as indo-
| lent as tho former. The consequence IL, that
week is consumed in performing one days labor,
which makes the building and repair Of our ships
| enormously dear. The whole work might be per.
| formed ia our yards, under contract, at great
| saving of time and treasure. The proper officer
| being appointed for superintendent, the work
would he as faithfully performed then as now and
incidentally cheaper The fair rate that should be
paid for ali jobs easily calculated by the con-
structor his assistants, and contracts could be
safely made for labor as for material, and quite
as faithfully executed
ment should be divided into executive bureaus,
assigned to experienced officers, supervised by the
| Secretary Of tho Navy, instead Of having Board
Of Commissioners practically supervising the
| Secretary But there exists various opinions
| as to the number and character Ct the bureaus
That the duties Of each bureau should be well de-
fined and distinct in their nature to b. executed
| without confusion, and promptly, it is suggested
Il at there should be one for each Of duties 10
| be performed, under the following arrangement,
instead ofthree as proposed BY Mr. Pauding. :.
l. Architectu al Bureau, to have all vessels built
and repaired, and 10 have all the materials supplied
by contract for that psrpose-supply the best ma
| chinery for steamers-encourage and adopt i'm
provements IN them, as well in ship ing, to
be under the immediate direction Of chief officer,
assisted bya commander and lieutenant with an
| office for the chief naval constructor and one Tor
| the chief engineer.
| g. Equipment Bureau, to direct the equipment OF
sails, rigging, blocks, SC &C., for that purpose,
| superintendent by chief officer assisted by com
maRder and a lieutenant.
| 3 Enlistment Bureau, to direct the enlistmente
Of all the required in the SERVICE to control tn
rendezvous and receiving ships, aud supply aiithe
crews for vessels under chief officer, assisted
bya commander and lieutenant.
| 4. Subsistence Bureau, to be charged with the
supply of all provisions and clothing required in
the service, controlled by chief officer, assisted
by a commander, lieutenant, and purser.
| 10 encourage and adopt improvements In it, super
intended By chief officer, assisted BY command
| er and lieutenant.
plies, surgical instruments, hospital and hospital
stores, under charge of chief surgeon with assist
| ants.
| 7. Scientific Bureau, to;conduct the surveys +
coasts and harbors, to supply books, charts, and
nautical instruments, to control the observatory,
| and the examination of mids, superintended by a
chief officer, assisted BY commander and lieu
| tenant.
g. Arsenal Bureau, to direct tbs establishment OF
| navy Yards and dry docks, repair and improve
thcm and control all the public buildings and other
fixtures ia the yards, and keep an account Of all the
public property in them. under charge Of chief
| officer assisted by commander and lieutenant.
| 9 Inspectors Bureau, under charge Of superior
officer Of the navy, to inspect the other Bureaus,
afford tho secretary Of the navy any Official inlor
a, he nav be directed by the secretary, and act as
secretary fthe navy when the secretary is absent
from the scat of government, to be assisted by
commander and Lieutenant.
Its essential that these various duties, so dis
tnct in their nature should be separates, that they
| NAV be more readily and properly managed; and
| different individuals held responsible for the
prompt and faithful execution Of each class OF them
| No men can be SO efficient to perform this duty as
| the officers of the navy, who are familiar with all
The wants of the service. and whose honor is so in
| timatelv connected with its prosperity. BY com
bination Of the old and young oihcers In the per-
furmance Of the duties, the best Judgment talents,
| and energies may b, brought intothe department =
The duties Of the Bureaus would be entirely pro-
fessors that none bat the officers should be detail
| ed TO execute them Officers being always under
pay whether ON duty OF not BY assigning tne DUTY
10 those lust from long cruises, the salaries Of nu-
merous clerks would be saved to the government,
and the duties would be performed BY those prac'
| tically acquainted with the wants sf the s;rvce,
and carry into the department useful knowledge
of The nj improvements in other navies hich
| they may have learned abroad
| The Secretary Of the Navy could supervise the
whole. give personal attention to appointments,
md In
could promptly carry out the policy OF the Cabinet
| in his department, by issuing orders to the sxecu-
tive bureaus TO place at his disposal any force he
might wish equipped for usual or special service,
TO furnish any supplies, to build any vessels, or to
| make any improv ene nts he mig deem necessary;
| aud the heads Of the bureaus thus directed, held
responsible for the faithful execution OF the orders,
| would prom pity place at the disposal OF csmman-
ders at wards everything required to carry the or
| dcrs iato eff Ct. He would have but to direct,
| and the execution would be sudden and certain
By the official register Of Great Britain, only
| month ago, that power had in commisson, ready
for offensive operations, 3! ,iner- ID %
| corvetes, 81 steamers, and 62 smaller vessels,
| making in all 23O vessels, besides 2l0 laid up.
Though it may not be necessary for the safety Of
America that we should enter into competition
with Great Britain for the mastery ofths seas yet
the offensive power of every nation, and their in
clipatious the extent Of commerce and its ex-
posed condition, political and geographical pc.
sitions, and the nature OF our INSTITUTIONS, should
govern us in fixing our naval forsc. protective
power il necessary to all nations, and the navy, in
all its operations being far removed from political
strife, no danger to our institutions can ever ar,se
from il Besides, with the broad Atlantic rolling
between us and the powers Of Europe, we should
meet them on in bloody strife when circumstances
a, mand-it should be the battle field in future, ia
stead of permitting our soil to be trod for moment
by an invader. shall now annex table Of duties
to show that the number Of officers have named
are not more than sufficient to keep in active ope-
raton one third of the number Of British cruisers:
j il IL