Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-06


serious grievance TO him. But when it is remembers
that the ends of punishment shpboard arc not merely
for the sake of example and reformation but to
faithful and specific execution of the contract of enlist
ment with the at the very time when duty
REQUIRED and to protect the rights of the dutifu the
honest the peaceful and orderly, any punishment to b
efectual must be speedy and certain. Confinement il
ordinarily means of securing the accused from
and of preventing repetition of positive wrong but e
obstinate INDECENT, vicious men, some of whom will
perhaps be found in every ships company notwthstand
ing any precautions OF enlistment it is not sufficient
remedy to enforce the performance of positive duties In
civil life no provision is made by law for the specific full
ment of contracts duties except in few equitable
cases. where the time of performance is not material The
only remedy for failure in all others is by ndemnfcaon
money be awarded by courts of justice held at periods
regulated by the convenience of the community In mill
tary affairs at sea land, it is far otherwise Time
well aacry in performance are OF the very
of the contract and upon them may depend the safety
the ship and her company from disaster ut sea- well
the honor of her dag.
Again. theft unlawful violence, and other wrongs must
be kept under wholesome restraints by the of
punishment at sea well shore. But public ship
carrying no superuous men, the service cannot without
injury spare from daily duty those who commit offences
during the time necessary for their punishment ny i'm
prisonment, if that were the appropriate punish
ment say nothing of weakening the ships company by
this process and the imposition upon good double
duty and .he mental service of waiting offenders while
thus imprisoned
detrimental to the service, and it is apprehendedwl be-
come more serious unless speedily remedied.
When vessels arrive in port after cruise, it is found
impossible to keep the on board until proper mus
ter exercise at quarters and inspection have taken place.
which are the means adopted to ascertain whether Off
have done their duty keeping their ships and crews
in effective condition And, Independently OF numerous
cases Of delnquences overlooked or disposed Of BY DIS
charge honorable or shonorabe there have been nearly
hundred trials Of enlisted by courts martial since
the passage of the law in question.
These details exhibited not to conrayene the policy
kkotth
of the abrogaion of whipping cannot be eettuay tried
until Congress shall prescribe some substitute Whether
this shall be by the adoption of the system recommended
by the board of officers above referred to- providing that
courts martial may be ordered by each officer command
Of ship and smmarily held to determine guilt and then
graduating therein stated well as holding
out rewards by other and more approved method
is referred to the determination Of Congress-
The buildings Of the Naval Academy at Annapolis are
the of completion under the appropriations made
at the last session Of Congress- and the soopofwar
Preble has been attached to the academy practice
ship for instruction in practical seamanshp After the
examination in June the pupils Of the insttuto were
embarked in this vessel and proceeded cus to our
Northern boundary and thence touching at the principal
ports of the United States between Pora nd and the
Capes of Virginia. returned in the latter part of Sep
TENDER.
On revision of the regulations, it As determined to
make important change in the plan &c education here
toore approved This consists in auiring continued
Of study of four years at Ac academy without
going sea- except that the vacat on of three months in
each year spent In cruise lr4 the practice ship, the
former course requiring two ye the academy three
at sea- and then two more at the academy class OF
fifty acting midshipmen admitted in October last and
will constitute the first cir SIS to which this new system
will apply 1t now be ieved that for all the purposes
OF naval education the academy affords advantages equal
to those Tor military ducaon at West Point and under
the efficient commaI I'd of the present superintendent Com
mander strbong. it is hoped that these advantages will
be fully realized.
The report OF Board of Examiners appointed accord
IN he of
didates for promotion and the general state of the ac
deny IN October last, is herewith transmitted
With great Difference to the opinion of Congress- again
suggest that it is highly expedient and proper allow
the appointment of ten mdshipmen to be made cat lar
by the President in analogy to the regulation respecting
cadets in the Military Academy, and above those p
portoned among the Congressional districts.
The Naval Observatory and Autographed Office have
been in active and vigorous operation during the year.
second volume of Astronomical Observations has been
published and already laid before you. The wind and
current charts planned by Lieutenant Maury the Super
ntendent OF the Observatory and prosecuted under his
direction with much industry being extended to the
Pacific and Indian oceans. This work is viewed with
great interest and satisfaction by seafaring
Mites and all those interested in the safe and speedy
navigation of the 1t has materially shortened the
passage along the highways by which
into and through the southern hemisphere bringing the
ports of those distant parts of the world days
and several weeks to than before let
ter from the Superintendent of the Observatory which
accompanies this communication, states the important
ports of the United States with the instructions afforded
by these charts make the voyage in forty days less upon
the average than those sailing without them and that
there is to hope the time may be still further
reduced
The expedition for astronomical observations Santiago
de Chill appears from the reports of Lieutenant Glss,
to have been actively conducted and will probably be
brought to close in the latter part of the next
The Nautical Almanac, under the superintendent Of
Lieutenant Davis is also in satisfactory state of pro-
gress and the first publication of the work may be
peced to be made in the of the next fiscal year
The commission appointed to examine condensers for
supplying the boilers Of marine engines with fresh water
has yet completed its labors will appear from the
letter of the commissioners hereto appended is how
ever promised in this communication at early day.
The further experiments of Professor Page the APP
pcaton of electro magnetism motive power in me-
chancs will be found in his report which is suboned
The last experiments Of Professor Espy in meteoroo
gca observations under the appropriations heretofore
made and his expectations in respect to the completion
of his abors forth in his letter. which is annexed
My predecessor brought to the notice Of Congress in
his annual report dated December 1849 the contract
of Mr. Robert L. Stevens for building war-steamer to
shot and shell proof which he considered to have been
abandoned by the contractor and longer obligatory
the Department, unless affirmed by legislation.
Acting this decision, directed certain materials for
this steamer which had been purchased with the means
of the Government be sold but the request of Mr..
Stevens suspended the order until he should have further
opportunity submit his the decision of Congress
and it is therefore commended to early consideration
The line of mail-seamers between New York and Liver
pool continues to be highly successful in the speed Of its
voyages the ocean; and the Postmaster General
has notified this Department that he deemed it expedien
increase the service of this line to twentysix trips in
the year instead of twenty in other words one trip
every fortnight at increase Of pay upon the
present compensation The subject win be by him pre-