The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-08-25
For the New Era.
NAVAL ENGINEERS.

The article III the Union of Friday last, refers
to the disasters which have been sustained by the
Naval Service from the incompetency of its En-
gineers-a fact the public were long since made
acquainted with at the cost of the finest War
Steamer in the world-the i'll starred 80 Nilsson
RI" which was destroyed in the Harbour of Gil
braiar, through gross carelessness or inattention
on the part of the Chief Engineer, or from his be-
ing unacquainted with the highly dangerous and
combustible properties of Spirits of Turpentine.
la further evidence of the incompeiency of the
principal Engineers, the public have witnessed
The result of the Abortion or Quixotic Steam
Boats that were introduced into our Naval Ser
vice, mainly through their recommendation,
thereby causing large amount of the " PEOPLES
Money to be appropriated without La,o or .aw-
Mority, by way of bonus, in addition TO the enor-
nous amount expended for the Construction.
Equipment, Repair and Transformation of these
worthless Steamers. Had these vast sums Of
money been applied under the direction of that
able and Scientific Officer, Commodore Stockton.
they would have been amply sufficient for the
Construction and Equipment of several common
sense Steamers like the .' Princeton" and placed
the Steam Marine of the Government in ia
vourable and proper light before the people, in
stead of rendering it mere laughing stock
Since the establishment of the Naval EnOineer
Corps but two serious accidents have come to the
writer's knOwledge-the one recorded above, and
one other both Of which occurred on board sea
going Steam Ships, at the time in CHARGE of
'' Chief Engineers - the ONLY GRADE which it
seems to have been considered unnecessary to ex
anime and reOrganize.
Pray, what could have excused the Grade of
Chief Engineers from the late examination @
They who, above all others, "require from the
Department the severest scrutiny of character
q nd tipat how ,bo :;
grade, to which is attached responsibility that
does not fall upon the subordinate grades-conse-
quently, they should have been the first to pass
thorough and impartial examination, TO have
proved their competency--can it be possible the
two accidents alluded to were sufficient evidence
of their competency or did the fifty dollar Black
Mail skreen them? Was there no personal NAL
ice that could be brought to bear against ana one
of them, no " said to be hood -winked Commo-
dore," to have prejudged any of the gentlemen
comprising this grade, in his private or official
Letters to their Commanding Officer? as ,Uas
The case with Mr.. Copeland, the Assistant En-.
glneer, while stationed at the Gosport Navy Yard
who was recently stricken from the ENGINEER
Corps by the late Board of Engineers. ostcnsi-
bly, for the crime of being ." 50 years of AGE, and
TOO OLD for sea servicer' But in reality. was
1t not to crafty the gentleman who threatened
MI. Copeland two years since, 81 that he would
work him out?' it looks like continuance Of
the prosecutions of that man, and when the par
ticulars are placed, as they will be. before vonr
readers, some will at least suspect more bfacL
mali was required. The Board should have
appended to their Report, that Mr. Copeland wa.
TOO OLD TO burn mp War Steamer with Spirits
Of IurPeniine and TOO OLD to allow accnmu-
latlons of Salt to cause an egpLosi0n, scald sever
al FTemen; and place the lives of all on board
10 jeopardy these being the exclusive privi-
leges Of chief Engineers, they were probably
omitted in the report of the Board
Being entirely at leisure, will endeavor Ia
place before your readers, at an early date, the i'm
porlant services that have been rendered the conn
try by two members Of the late Board Of Enoi-
neers, and also how ably the WeStern folks, and
other citizens residing in distant parts Of the
Union, who wished to become participators in
the FAT coNrRhcTs for the Memphis Mann
Yard are said to have been "jockicd'' by OFF.
GERS attached to the Naval Service, for the espe-
cial benefit Of more fortunate contractors, who
have superior claims on tho Bureau" of Docks and