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


Ii the bill establishing naval schools should pass,
captain will be required for each school.
All officers require relief but the captains especial
ly the service beng severe the responsibility oppres
sive, and the and tear OF body very great the
number o. invaids in the service fully attests
It's 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 YES
sci should ALWAYS sail about the time the return
sells leave the squadron, in fact be there, II posi-
bic, when the latter leave and this would OF course,
require many for relief as for actual service
1t is thought TO be a fair estimate TO set down at
least one-thlrd Of the captains, many of whom are
very far advanced in life, invalids, or otherwise of
duty IL the number OF captains should be increased
to l05, he Navy Department PROPOSES he invalid
list would stand al 3d. leaving an Efficient list OF 70
Double the number of sea captains, and they
will stand 30
And you have for all other service only IA
This number is only barely enough for the other
wants; which are, for post captains 8 yards and sta
tons 8 asylum inspector total, IA; without a-
furding any for relief, for various other incidental
Duties such courts martial boards OF examination,
and annual surveys of ships and naval stores at the
different navy yards.
these estimates are made upon the supposition that
the navy not to be increased at all IT II should be
increased more officers will be required and if not
still il is necessary that officers should be prepared by
| training to be qualified for active commend.
1 he increase proposed on the promotions
only in the grade of post captains. II was pro-
posed to promote certain number OF commanders TO
post captains the chasm thus created 10 the comman-
ders to be filled from the lowest grade and so
with the remaining grades. The proposed promotion
was of a certain number of individuals to the grade
of post captain, and augment alton proposed in
the other ranks: that, these Details the only
practical question before the committee, as question
oil expenditure was, whether the number of post cap
tains sufficient and he did not Conceive that any
gentleman would contend that it sufficient for the
service of the country.
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 ju-
diciousy decided that these apprentices, instead OF
being thus kept confined in receiving ships should be
employed in small vessels in the coast servicein the
actual navigation of vessels under competent officers.
This was to be done there should be sui-
cient 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
in 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 apperainng to this appropriation,
to the present Secretary of the Navy.
1 He believed it was true that it 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 on
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 expenditure of Sl7,0O, yet he had
not the slightest doubt the information he had re-
ceiyed, that there would be economy to the Govern
ment Of hundreds Of thousands, and perhaps half a
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 on the navy board 1t
might be So The adjustment of that board and a
more exact system of responsibility and perfect
I rangement was one of the means by which economy
was to be employed.
i 1t was material to this bill to show how economy
was to be effected 1t TO be done first in the con-
structon of these vessels by enforcing diligent
and exact labor in the navy yards by expellng from
those yards all influences except an honest and up
right regard for the interests of the United States
That was one reform which, in the document he
should presently exhibit had already begun 10 work
its perfect work. Another Of effecting econo-
my was to discard from vessels all expenditures