The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-01-03
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for the Navy, even before the detailed estimates
are fairly in the possession Of the House, com
plains that 1.-THE Navy has long been the petled
child Of the nation, and it was now taking the
course thatother pets were accustomed oiake:
IL was running away with the whole patrimony
jhs State, 1T i undoubtedly true that the
n hsS long been The PET Of the dation, we
8SlkixtKf l0n9 continue 70 be- but this IS
ofle hsl cari Gus reasnn fnr aasaing so-sio-
Y1enily, and does credit to Mr.. Hale's frankness
at the expense Of his judgment. There are not
many aspiranis for popular favor, who would
endeavor to signalize themselves by laying rude
hands on the pet Of the nation.
The Navy has justly been The pride Of the
whole country. Ii has added more than any
other brauch Of public service to the reputation
of the nation abroad; il adds more 10 its strength
with respect TO foreign nations it adds more to
the commercial prosperity of the nation, and in
directly to its agricultural perity, by the pro-
lection which II gives to trade; and it is upon
the Navy chiefly that we must rely Tor defence
against the most powerful nation on earth, and
the one with which we are most likely to be
brought into collision. AT the same time it is
free from all the dangers attending standing
army.
These are the reasons which have made the
Navy the pet of the nation, and Induced the
People most willingly TO assent to large annual
appropriations for its gradual increase, beyond
the immediate urgent wants Of the country,
with the view of building up Navy which
may in course of time place This great Repub-
lie at least upon a level with second or third
rate European power. The effect of this an
nual increase Of the number of vessels has been,
of course, TO increase the amount of expend-
lures annually required for their support But
it seems now TO be suddenly discovered that
comparatively large and growing Navy is not so
easily supported as a small and stationary one:
and favorte policy of the nation, steadily pur
sued through all mutations of party is as flip
PANTY assailed, As if it were mere proHgate
or negigent increase of contingent expenses in
one of the Departments.
Anncrease 10 the number of ships alone is
not an in~~-~ss, VI s5..o gys.Ali -
would add roihing to the strength of the nation.
Tn yss1usl be manned, and it is more difficult
r. and or make seamen than to build ships. The
mercantile marine is, to be sure, a good nursery
for searnen, but nothing more than nursery.
and a sailor taken from The merchant service re-
quires far more drilling TO become serviceable
map-of-war's man, than laborer taken from
the plough does TO become soldier The Sc
cretIry justly observes in his report, that "we
can have competent and skliu officers,
good and efficient sailors, only BY a long
course Of active sea service. That is the
school in which they are taught, and in
which they acquire knowledge of their duties.
To build Navy without the experience, skill,
and force necessary 10 sail and efficiently to
manage it, in the event of war with mari
time Power, Mould be, IN effect, but adding 10
the force Of The enemy at the nations cost and
The nation al disgrace" To send public YES
sellto sea, in time of war, with raw aud undis-
ciplined crew. is in fact nothing more than ma
king present Of her and her armament ard
equipment 10 the enemy. The only humiliation
which we sustained on the ocean, during the
late war with Great Britain, arose from the com
mission Of that fault.
But as the pay and provisions of seamen are
the,heayiest items in The naval estimates, an Ad-
mipsration seeking popularity only, or endeav-
orhg to avoid unpopuarty from eylravagaat
EXPENDITURES, would naturally fix on these for
reelection, as they are not actually and mmedi-
ately necessary, and moreover add little or moth
ing 70 the patronage of The Government. The
consequence of this has been that, heretofore,
the wishes Of the People with respect to the
Navy have not been fully carried out. The ef-
ficiency of The Navy has not, in fact been in
creased in anything like fair proportion to the
increase of vessels and officers, because they
have not been kept in active service; aud
so far from being pet, as the People desired, it
has been cheated of its just allowance, in order
that other expenditures, involving more patro-
mage, might not be reduced.
If this Administration, therefore, or the Sec
rotary Of the Navy, were seeking popularity,
they would have been careful not to ex-
coed in the Navy estimates, and particularly
in the item (pay Of seamen,) in which the pre-
sent estimates exceed those of last year, which
can add nothing whatever to their amount Of
patronage. Seamen ahoat can contribute very
little to electoneering purposes. Tue item of
provisions, in which some abuse might be inn
agined has not been increased from last year,
but diminished
But, besides that, the aggregate Of estimates,
differing only two millions from that Of the first
year of Mr. Van Burens administration is not
so great as it ought to be, in order TO conform TO
the intentions Of the People in increasing the
Navy, we think that there are obvious and i'm
perativc reasons for the increase now. so OBJ
vious that, although we have never vet seen
them urged to justify the increase, they were at
once discovered and pointed out by those who
were predetermined to raise the clamor against
il. This is somewhat remarkable II shows dis.