The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-13
ThA NAVY,

Vi ceuCALOu, anu dispense Win u uoxc CAPohsAvv
| establishment There is now Csemodors and 8
lieutenant in charge of the estatlishment, and
two or three professors. Instead OF the eighteeas
worse than useless professors on board OF ships re
| duce the number to eight, qualified to instruct'
1 midshipmen In those branches proposed, and the
l annual compensation would be reduced from more
than twenty to less than ten thousand dollars while
the advantages to the student would be incalcula-
bly, increased. A still greater reduction in the ex-
penditure might be ensured Nv detailing Navy OH
GERS to instruct in nearly Az the studies, they be-
ing already aader pay; and a further advantage
| might be derived from this arrangement, BY those
officers being able to introduce the best discipline
| in the school
At this school, all the midshipmen should be obi.
ged to study when not at 1t is ascertained BY
experience, that three years service will quail
| fy an attentive midshipman to perform the deck
duties Of a lieutenant; sad no more has ever been
required of them at thcir examination. The other
| two years of his five years probation, passed In
the school, arranged or proposed, would give him
far different education TO what is enjoyed by. our
officers at this time; who, for the most part, have
| to catch il as they can, amidst the confusion OF
| noisy steerage. With their preseRtindustry, they
| would 4earn as much at sea, ~ thcy do now, and
have all the advantages of well regulated school
| on shore for two years besides. THIS employment
| on shore would prevent many ind ,scretions Of
yoath, go apt to be INDUCED at the age Of mids,
whenlet without restraint upon their lncinations,
| in eur large cities The effect u3,oE their morals
would not be less beneficial than upon their educa-
tion, and it il the duty Of the Navy Department to
take care that the frst impressions Of The youths
placed under their control, should be as free pos
| sibie from contamination.
1t 10 believed that the greatest advantage would
result from keeping mids at their studies the two
frst years. BY that time their characters would
be formed, better grown and mere able to perform
aud learn their sea duties. When such regulations
| for the appointment and education of mids shall
have been carried into effect, the whole service
will feel their adyantag in the elevated tone that
| would be given tol,. Petty tyranny, and oppres-
| sive conduct, ever the companions Of ignorance,
would give place to gentlenauly department and
general intelligence, ~ savage cruelty 10 absorbed
by civilization. No Disposition to attribute un-
assal degree Of ignorance and tyranny to the gal
laat officers of our navy 10 intended by these re-
marks. would sooner add to their honor than
| subtract from their merits. Bat in a corp of
| thousand men, some reprehensibe characters will
/ always be found; and II is my earnest desire to
see that number diminished. To strike n the root
Of the evil, seems the only means left to cure it,
| for il 10 shown by the records Of courts MARTIAL
that when an officer il found guilty of cruelty in
its worst form, he is not dismissed the service but
left to ran his base career over and over again.
When the best plan is adopted, that may be in
the power Of the department to make the most eff
sient officers, means should be taken to keep them
| 80 and get the most service from them. To the
best officers, promotion and distinction are their
| idols and without them Incidence, indifference
and dissatisfaction will take the place of energy,
enterprise aad esprit de corps. Some uniform sys.
| tenn should be adopted by which the deserving
could be promoted, and not permit their laudable
aspirations and hopes to wither and perish In sub
| ordinate ranks Much may be done to increase
promotion by introducing more grades into the SER
| vice. Take The number of officers supposed me-
cessary to be employed and divide them into dou-
BILE the number of grades, and in every ten or fifteen
years: even in peace, an officer may make step
| upon the ladder of promotion, whose rounds are
now left TO- rot twenty or thirty years at a time
without being used. Ye gods at the very best,
| it 10 an awful ladder to climb.
Besides the benefit that would ensue from the iu-
PRODUCTION gilmore grades TO make promotions mere
frequent, the discipline of the service would be
II m P,sllv imDroved nv IL. NumerOua rad
essential to the preservation Of disc pline laws
| and proper execution Of them Officers Of the
same grade performing various duties, some COM
mapding, others commanded, will never succeed in
| preserving order and securing prompt obedience
Where the junior captains enterprising intelli.
gent men, and the senior timid veteran, whose
ist that implicit obedience to orders necessary
under all circumstances. Rank is absolutely ne
cessary to secure strict Observance to order espe
cially when the senior officer s not sustained by
/ superior character. In the Army, where disei
pline could be dispensed with safely az in the
Navy, it 10 there found necessary to introduce all
the grades above captain and yet the senior cap
tain Of the companies could .: well command the
command q squadron But neither could sue.
eeed a. well as generals and admirals Il is the
unconquerable nature Of man to be insubordinate
among his equals, and it 10 only to be overcome bv
the introduction of rank. The want of il in our
Navy has been the Of great deal OF mis-
and evil from the hard fought battle OF John Paul
Jones to the recent difficulties of the Mediterra-
dean squadron.
Admiral being the title Of naval commander in
chief, there is reason why il should be withheld
from the commanders of our squadrsns II IN ire.
conciable TO the general intelligence and liberal
views of the American people to be governed in
this ease, solely by prejudice when submission TO
reason and the establishment Of the rank, would
prove so beneficial to that arm Of national de-
fence, that should be ever ready to prevent a fs
reign foe from treading upon soil But the rank
should not be lost for the title. Should the title
above be the stumbling block, then establish the
rank under other title. Ii 10 therefore sug-
gested that the commander of set, commander Of
q division, and commander Of q squadron. be SUBJ
stituted for Admiral, Vice Admiral and Rear Adj
mirai. These titles would designate their rank and
duties as we'll a. Admiral command the same spect
and obedience from all subordinates; and receive
from foreigners the dlstin elton ever claimed by
our officers for our flag but rarely granted by the
superior officers Of other Navies, and new er except
in courtesy to the individual. The proper exam
pie of obedience in the superior grades, would
have the most beneficial influence upon all infe-
rsrs; and the imposing effect Of high rank on all
military bodies, would spread its advantages over
the whole service.
A further division OF the Captains il recon-
mended Commission some of them Post Captains
to command liners, &c while the captains would |
be the sole commanders of frigates; leaving the
commander, as they are to command corvettes, &C.,
IL 10 proposed to commission the senior Lieuten-
ants to be Lieut. Commanders. II 10 now only
brevet rank, and much good would result from its
being made permanent. Besides the additional step |
in the ladder Of promotion to cheer on the Junior
officers in their duty, it is necessary for them to
hold q superior commission TO those under their |
command, for the same reason that il is necessary
to have higher grades than captains. The lieaten
ants highest on the list, are selected to command
al! small VESSELS and to be executive officers Of all
others To perform such duties in proper man |
nsr, he should be invested with rank superior 10
those over whom he lie placed. The executive OFF,
Ger Of ship has all the orders Of the commander
to execute amongst officers Of his own grade, be
sides the discretionary pewer necessarily granted
him for prompt action. His ardueus duties in The
general supervision of the whole, being 40 differ
ent from the other lieutenants of ship he should
always be sustained and rewarded BY superior
commission.
As sson as mds are passed for promotion, com.
mission them navigators or masters, and oblire
them TO make ono cruise as such before they are |
nrounofed tn lieutensnts Under these arropcc- Il