Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-06
FROM WASHINGTON.
Cs-resps-dene, Of IA. Baismor. Patriot

two Houses of Congress a reorganization of the
Navy, the amount of which will be in fact the fol.
lowing Improvements;
Bureau OF "Navy Yards and Docks" to be
supern'ended by Civil Engineer, three Clerks and
Draughtsman-thc first clerk to be paid 81, 200,
the second 400 and the third 1000.
A Bureau of Construction and Repairs" Bill.
The chief of this bureau must frequently visit the
several navy yards. where ships are building or
repouns. to that services Of this kind are going
on in proper or economical manner; that 10 more
than the necessary amount of labor is employed ;
and that his own instructions TO the subordinate
constructors arc faithfully observed. During such
absences, an assistant constructor would be an i'm
por'an, II not absolutely necessary, sppendase to
this bureau. which should never be le(t whou,
some person competent, from professional know
ledge 10 act for the chief in the current business
of the bureau. This bureau would have extensive
correspondence, numerous contracts and still more
numerous accounts; and a copying Clerk and
dFaushtsman would be indispensable. The Secre-
;ary suggests for this bu5eau-An assistant con-
sirucIor AZ, say $4,000; chief clerk, Sl.7O0; a
contract clerk, SLIGO; clerk OF accounts, 400;
copyist and draushtsmSn, e,ch a; $1,000
\ bureau OF equipmen', provisions and stores -
The bureau OF quipment would be fully employed
IA supervising md eOniucting the dIt.es orsirs
un Ter this hsai which embraces greater variety
OF objects probably. than any other branch OF The
service; all the varieties Of anchors blocks tanks
cah'eS Of and OF hem, OF all kinds and
numbers TIA: md cctton,) camhooSes. STANDING
and running rigging. copper iron, lead. un paints
oils, splre stores and irnumerah,c articles Of iron.
morgrry ans shp,handlery, necessary m The equp
men' OF ships, among she objects wt.ch wou q
come under the ccsnZlncc ot a "Jcteau enuio
ment-" The procuring Of al the hemp required
the general dIrccton Cf The roo-ry where al the
eordiee for the navy is aade the procuring oflhIes
tor hide rope are other and impoft-nt duties for A
"6uresu Of equipment 10 attend TO; besides caus.
nc all the necessary tests and examinations OF all
these varieties ofarteles 10 lie observed before they
nrc received ior the public service keeping account,
OF their receipts into store the issues ont Of store
charging those to whom they may be issued for ex,
pendturc, and setting thtir accounts (revcr here
toiore dorel nre other duues which would Geyolve
upon tins bureau.
For the performance OF these duties, i've good
clerks would lie required W.: chiefclefe Al ; -.
ZOO contract clerk. CT 81 400; tSo clerks for &C
counts. each al 400; one copying clerk TOO. a
bureau Of provisions and stores" (clOthing
Such bureau would ne charged with the pro-
curing OF beef. pork, whIskey, bread, flour and all
the other provisions forming the navy ratior. ,na
with all the various articles OF clothing REQUIRED
Tor petty officers, seamen, and others in the various
climates where our shl- are employed: with the
TRANSPORTATION 10 the numerous places Ct deposite
Tor the use Of our ships; holding those intrus;ed
with their expenditure accountable for them. In
positions have often been praciised in furnishing
these supplies; and II requires great vigilance and
attention to guard against such impositions and 10
secure for the service articles Of the most approved
quality and guarded elisctually against injury nj.
ter they are received. These duties would rsoui,e
besides chief Of the bureau, at, saw $4,000: one
chief clerk, at 81 zoo; clerk for contacts &c al
- 4UO; one clerk for accounts, at 400; and one
copylst, at $1,000.
Ia procuring articles Of provisions and CLOTHING
tor the army, TWO bureaus are allowed VIZ: a Com.
mssary General OF Subsistence and Commissarv
GENERAL OF Purchases, and at an expense more than
double the amount proposed for a bureau of nro.
visions ard clothing for the navy; while II NAV be
observed, that generally the number of persons IN
the navy to subsst and coIhe is fully as great as IN
the army.
In the army, also, Quartermas,er General. with
number o. clerks, IS allowed, and, while the du.
ties DO not, It is believed exceed those proposed 10
oe committed 10 bureau OF equipment, either IN
the number or value OF objects TO be attended To-
the annua. expense considerably exceeds that pro.
posed for a bureau OF equipment
IL IS observed by the Secretary of the Navy that
greater imposi,ons have been practised in furnish
Inc articles coming under the head of equipment,
than, II IS believed, in any other branch OF the ser
vice; that hitherto the accountability for stores AZ
ter being put on board Of ship, has been merely NO.
minal; that the proposition now is TO establish
perfect accountability; and therein will consist an
improvement 10 this, ss in every other branch Of the
service.
The bureau o. Ordnanee.-The number of clerks
proposed would probably be sufficient; but their
compensations should be equal to those of the Ord
nance bureau OF the army.
The bureau Of HydTogTdphy.-Th number NJ
clerks and proposed compensations should be on a
footing with those Tor a board Of ordnance
bureau OF medicine, &c, Two clerks one of them
should be good accountant, and would have 10
assist IN the correspondence, and receive 81 200 Der
annum, 81 900 for the other.
These bureaus should he conducted in nerfe,, b,,.
mony each with the Others and the heads of them
will when necessary, form a council for the Score.
tary. They should move upon one general prlneI
pie OF action, with aview TO the same great purro3e
W; the construction, armament, and full eauipmeni
nomy. "''4 w.
With regard to the Office Of the Secretary Of the
navy Mr. Upshur says that Department has never
Possesscu proper registry Of the personnel Of the
navy. book is kept sh OWN the comniss,oo al
warrant officers; these form, however. in nom, ~
number, but small portion Of the nayy a nm
per registry should show The names station aso
nativity, date OF entry into service, md date or
dis;hafge from the service Of each and every ind
Vdual, Of every description, belonging TO the o,vv.
snu ny ~homsoever any important service should
oe rendered, u should be specially noted on the p,
sls'er' as due to the ind vidua his family, and nd.
country. - 1 ''
10 Keep such a registry, and prepare al the com
missions ana warrants Of appointment, and orders
ior service, would require al least three gooI c,L
ne whole per5onnei of the navy may be stated a,
IoVOo' and rather increasing; and Il may be sad
hat many Of these nre leaving the service dairy
WINE others are entering 20 take their ace so ia,
the changes are so frequently made as To occ,s,oc
Jar more labor than a stationary numier create,
Than 10000 would require.
IN INC army. the Office Of odI1tlnt gsuenL charg
60 WIN duties similar 20 those arising out of re-
gsify OF the navy, Bnd probably not more ert.n
sive or nrduous, IS allowed, Il - believed. src.sJ
rg $1,000 pe' nnnum. ! would p..s.e, for the
IVY Department, one princi-a .tkat the head
oi THIS hranch, at Si.7OO. tt3 sssistsuts VIZ. on,
Al Sl4UO ard one 100 90, maxim, the essr.,.,,.
cost OF th's branch $500 which Is allowed for n,
mlar duties ~ the War Department
The provision for another bran. Of dYf,,e NJ
h'sh importance IS equally detective. THIS rs for
mePln3s money warrants, AMI keeping the &c
count OF appropriations.
To Illustrate tho advantages, c,se or eo,o,,,,.
occurrences Will be cited. Suppose one of our ,i,,
4" Poe ON iorelgn stlton, under orders to return m
s'"e port 100 the Dnued States. The usual rq,,.sc
nN' ''en aief ier arrival. for The pur,er 10 milo
nv i,9'NltIpn ON the navy ogcnt for money 10 r,,
| on 'he crew. and The agent then makes his te9uy
sNoi on the Department, based on the pur.et's
| IsquNuon' Tor me amount. WlihOu knOring tb,t
80 eiu's,oh' ofe correct, they are presumed to
mitted 'ef'''' "' "a
Sucn acquisitions are not, however. nlwavs ,o,.
rect. They have never been kno,,n -, ~. - ~
me sum required but they have sometime IN de-
great loss o the Government. exceeded tbe 5,,,,,.
actually required. But. Independently al tb,, 80
suetntipni on actual loss is, under the present me-
ilce, sustained, by OBTAINING the crew an to,d -,
sIp, voting The reception Of the mony 10 pay them