The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
NAVY APPROPRIATIONS BlLl-REFoRl


The House resolved itself into a Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union-Mr. DISNEY in
the chair-and proceeded 10 the consideration %
the bill making appropriations for the expenses OF
the navy for the year ending June 30 1851.
MIR. STANTON, Of Tennessee, said, after few
preliminary remarks that the entire to be APP
propnatcd by this bill amounts within fraction 20
nine and half millions Of dollars. In time OF
profound peace the expenses Of the navy have
grown 10 this enormous figure; and II was not SUR
prising that II should be a subject Of loud com
plant, which was not without foundation. lie
thought that u was important 30 stop and consider
the evils which give rise 20 the complaints and the
remedies by which they are to be corrected In
some quarters II was common 10 attribute the evils
70 the officers Of the navy. II some Of them are
idle and inefficient, IL Is because there is employ
mcnt 10 call forth eminent abilities.
Whenever occasion has required they have never
failed 20 sustain the honor OF our flag, and no man
can forget the glory they achieved in former times.
IL Will be 80 again, when the tempest Of battle
m zee; and the ancient fame Of the navy will not
be tarnishedi aud the shouts Of the fret victory
which viii greet our arms on the ocean will show
that the spirit Of the old is not extinct, and will
drown every murmur which Etigmatizes this corps
az idle and cxtrayagant.
The eyi.s which flow from the system are more
properly attributable 10 the legislative and the Ez-
ccutive branches Of the Government.
When our navy was established, the ships en-
pl0ycd la II equal ia al respects TO tho best
vessels engaged IA the commerce u the country
Since that period, the commerce Of the country has
made immense strides and adyo ncement la an its
instruments and agencies, but the navy has not
kept pace with it. lie asserted what he presumed
could not be denied--that the navy is worthless in
exact proportion o. IL il unequal, In any important
particular, 10 the commercial marine which IL IL
designed 10 protect
He object 20 show how and where Il was
possible 70 reform the system, and make a rcduc-
zion ia the appropriations In this bill without inter-
lerng, ia any dcgree, with the value of the service
itself
There should be no reduction, be said in tic APP
preparation Tor the National Observatory, and
spoke II the important operations OF that establish
uont The results are written on the armament
and recorded among the stars in language which
viii BE- leCbe 10 future generations, when the pct
y conflicts and feeble trUmphs Of the naval pow
ers Of the earth shall have been long FORGOTTEN lie
would not reduce the appropriation for the publi-
cation Of the American Nautical Almanac, nor for
the Naval School at Annapolis. The whole amount
for these three objects amounted but little over
scyentysiI thousand dollars. lie proposed 10 show
how, m his judgment, it was not only possible 70
make reductions, bat AZ the time 10 increase
We efficiency and value Of The whole establish
mcut.
One item, among the largest in the bin, was one
and quarter million Of dollars for dry-dOcks 10.
propratcd under contract, which cannot be- dis
regarded; and therefore, THE amount cannot Dc
diminished. The next Ia an appropriation OF
S7sj,OJO and a fraction Tor navy ysrds; this can.
not be reduced during the prcscnt year, but can
and ought % be during the ensuing. The next IL
which cannot be disrcgarded; making, together.
$3.50 600; leaving $4,000 and a fraction, on
which be thought d reduction Of one third could be
properly and succosEfuliy made.
After the expiration OF the present scal year tho
number o. petty Jfbccrs, soamen, landsmcn. and
huys, he proposed, shall not exceed FIVE thousand.
From this, The chief reduction b. 20 flow II IL 90.
tirnated, by eminent officer Of the navy that tie
cost o. the naval establishment is one thousand dol.
lars per man Therefore, thc reduction of tic psr.
s0nnd from seven thousand five hundred 70 fvo,
would be "a saving Of two and hall millions. Es-
tabiish retired let for the worn out officers in
accordance with bin which he had reported re.
ducc thc number Of midshpmcn (now four hun
dred and SIXTY iOur) ~ least one-half that there
may not 10 more than one for every congressional
district, and at least one third q the pay Of Of ccrs
I and men can be saved.
Nr. SrhNroS scut 10 the clerk an amendment.
which hc intended 10 offer, in substance 70 divide
the navy into Two squadron, one 20 be ass rncd 10
The Pacific, the other 30 the Atlantic verty o.
twenty iOus efficient vessels, kept ia con rnissir,
under THE arrangement, would DO more good and
perform more service than 'he Whole u the liz
squsdrJns as q present existing composed Of thif-
" -eight vossel7
Tie advantages were pointed ont. among tben.
that crUisog should be made for Twelve months in.
stead ofthrce years. The health Of the of CREAM
men would be better and the rick could De brought
home 90 our own hospitals. We would have more
efficient soldiers and seamcn, and could dispense
with our foreign hospitals and effect large saving
Of money in other par icuars lie spoke about vcs-
scls foreign stations having notIng TO do, sonc
lying in port for SIX months; the crow as IL we're,
kept Ia prison, while the officers were lu<uriating
aihr Of These ships, IL was said, arc sometimes
grounded on the beef bones thrown overheard by
The crew.
Il was the part Of wisdom TO slough OF tho old,
eBcte parts q the system, and substitute a better
mode Of defence single efficient ship moored
within sight Of this Capitol, ready to 60 TO in