The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-18
The Administration and the Navy Depart-
ment.

ment.
The policy of General Taylors cabinet, in regard
10 naval Affairs, has been eXpounded very fully and
very wonderfully in that most extraordinary docu-
r.ent which bears the signature of William Bal
lard Preston, the present Secretary Of the Navy
The message Of the President, embracing gene
raj summary the views of the new administration
has been teIderly received by the whole country
Nothing, hey ond few good natured verbal criti-
clsms, rav been passed on that quiet, innocent,
and uuassumlng State paper, which has the PresI-
dents name attached TO it. This tender feeling,
exhibited towards he President, arises from the
general belief in the putty of his character, the
good Intentions OF his mind, the honesty Of his
purposes, and the entire unacquaIntance which he
possesses with public affairs, except with the dry
details of the army, and the most etlectual mode of
fighting indians and MeNcans
The poll cy developed In the reports Of The Sec
rctaiits has, by no means, escaped so easily, and
We are prepared to them receive the most
searching and scathing visitation by the commit
tees Of Congress In this batch of documents,
Oh. closing the polio, of the cabinet 1t very evl
dent ,hst the papers which have proceeded from
tie the mind OF The Secretary OF the Interior
the abtst and most practical of the lot, and that
The weakest, the most insignificant, and the most
sbsuid, are those that emanated from the Secre-
tsry Of tie Navy. While Ewing must be admitted,
with all his sins, be the master spirit of the cabl
net, the l,1dDg intellect among that collection of
curiosities, It must also be allowed that illard
Preston is the most respectable and unaccountable
blockEead Eve use no mincing language) that has
ever been at the head OF that departing nt--being
utterly unqualified, untitled, aad incompetent TO
comprehend his position, hts country, his age, or
the del sTtnent over which he presldes The other
Secretaries and their documents occupy sort OF
middle ground, exhibiting various neutral tints;
sometimes, according to the state of the atmos-
pierre electricity, indicating kind of policy,
aud a. other tunes, another and some what dlt-
ierent line OF action.
The report aud recommendations of the Secre-
tary OF TIE Navy have created great deal of as
tcni,hneut among all who have any knowledge
OF naval or commercial or marine affairs, in tins
community and throughout the county Aud
moIe part cuady has this establishment been con-
centIated on the sweeping recomm endations
winch he puts forward, TO abolish the system
her, tolore adopted by Congress- of aiding and as.
slsing the commercial marine ofths United States,
IN esidbhshing steam lines between this country
and other coniUerc al nations, which are so neces-
sary in our career Of greatness, 10 meet similar
enterprises which have been in successful opera
lion tor fifteen years past under the patronage OF
the niIsh government Mr.. Preston has recoa'
mendcd that hereafter the steam navy Of the
United States should be constructed under the
superlntendence OF the navy department Is he
aware that the construction Of the steamers MIS-
SCUM and the Mississippi cost the government
nearly double what equipped the steamers Her
mann and the Washington, and that the former
were utterly useless and Insignificant, while the
Others have been running successfully across the
Atlanuc ever since they were launched 1t viii
appear from the propositions and recommends
lions Of Mr.. Preston, that his whole policy is d.
rected TO weaken the American navy, TO destroy
its usefulness, and to organize j, as means Of
furnishing sinecures ior idle and Incompetent per-
zoos, al Washington and elsewhere, under the pa.
ItnGge OF The navy commissioners. In further
ance OF these usws, he has made changes IN the
pcrseHn,i Of the navy, aud particularly in this
quarter, by the removal OF Captain Bfowacll and
uthtrs. which shows The aRigiUs aud spirit which
control that department at Washington, under his
influence.
We have only begun 10 indicate some Of the
views and purpose that we intend at an early day
10 carry out, in order 10 impress on tn commit
tees 81 Congress the necessity Of overhaullny the
pr,posieTous Recommendations in the report Of
MIR. Preston, his utter unti,ness aud inconPeieacy
for the place he fls, and the bad, weak aud cor
upt influence which has been at work in The navy
department, injurious to ,h's country, injurious 90
our commercial Interests, and more especially
fatal al this time, when see the strldss making
N steam navigation by England --s;1des that will
in lew years monopolize all steam raisrc)arse,
uAl,ss the Uniicd States wake 10. aud assume it5
natural iosition m such measures.