Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-12-11

cies To the nominations already made for the class
Of beginners to the Of October 1853 may be ad
ded at once, with the thirty vacancies, many ms
may be necessary to make sxtytwo The classes should
then advance regularly the end terms
without additions and the law may provide for the
nuai supply henceforth Of sxtytwo in the have
Indicated The grade OF mdshipmen might be at
to be limited to two hundred and fifty, and the
hng OF that complement should await the supply may
hereafter obtain from the graduates.
any OF the present grade of passed midshpmen and
masters should be found qualified for admission to the h
geographic corps the vacancies which may be made by
their appointment to it may be filled by promotion, and
hasten the period at which the organization may
be brought into full operation.
The school has yet to receive classes Of mdship
Of the date previous to 1851 When admitted they
will constitute an extra portion beyond the quota allowed
to the academy and would suggest in regard to them
that they should be permitted heretofore to constitute
part OF any class for which they may be qualified and
upon their graduation be entitled to their
to the proper grade being mainly important provide
at that each yearly class Of admissions should
be constituted Of the appointed number of sxttwo and
In no event to exceed that number The future organiz
ton Of the school will necessarily follow upon the obsery
ance of this provision.
In proper connection with this subject of the academy
II IS my duty to apprze you that have recently adopted
reguaops for the government Of apprentices to be adj
mitted at the several navy yards and workshops under the
control Of this Department The proprety Of these regu
atons has been suggested by the bureau of yards and
DOCKS and am indebted to the intelligent abors Of three
Morris, Shubrick and Smith, to whom referred the sub
jectfor report, which have received, and which will
be found amongst the documents accompanying this
municaton The report presents the regulations which
have approved The number of apprentices establish
cd for The present. by this system eighty They
are required to undergo examination twice in each
year. Snd after the first year. those most distinguished
in the previous trials to be subjected to another OF
still extensive and rigorous character upon which
such shall be reported worthy Of the highest appro
and reward and as demonstrating talent adapted
to emnence in the public service to be commended
to the Secretary of the Navy for such further advantages
Of instruction he may have it in his power to confer
regard it most salutary power to be invested in
the Secretary of the Navy for the beneficial performance
Of the duty thus assigned to him. that he should have au-
hory to admit into the naval academy those apprentices
whose good conduct and capabilities shall have earned
this distinction and to provide that they should there be
conducted through of study appropriate to their
intended future vocaon and calculated advance them
in mathematical and mechanical science under such
guaons in regard to the term of their application their
duties and department the Navy Department might
think it expedient to adopt. Having completed this
of study they should be returned to the yards from
which they may have been received allotted to suta
bic employments In the service.
1t would be useful provision in this scheme to give to
the young educated preference in the admissions
pontments their education would particularly qualify
them their admission into that corps nevertheless to be
dependant upon successful examination and favorable
certificate to moral and intellectual character
the operation OF this scheme the would derive
the benefit of the best talents and requirement for the
supply of engineers naval architects and constructors
and superintendent in the various departments Of
chancal employment connected with the service.
take great pleasure in presenting this subject to your
approval and to the attention Of Congress.
In view of this Reorganization of the academy, sub
nit also, as question worthy of consideration, whether
it would not be sautary provision to require that the
officers of the marine corps should be prepared for that
service by education at the school My opinion
is that would be attended by manifest advantage both
respects the necessary accomplishment for naval
vice in that corps and the personal character and depor
ment Of the officers belonging to it. 1t amongst the in
cidents Of their employment that they sometimes
quired to perform important military duties on shore in
which necessity is found for that species Of knowledge
only to be gained in the military naval school, and in
every service to which they caedt quite apparent
that this knowledge and the spirit to appreciate the du
ties of command that nseparable from it, must increase
the efficiency of the officer and elevate the character Of
the corps to which he is attached If these considerations
should influence the opinion Of Congress they do my
own they win suggest the expedency of making the pro-
vision to which have invited their attention.
In concluding this notice Of the naval academy it is due
to Commander Stribng who has charge of the instiu
ton, and to the officers professors and assistants under
his command to say that the assduity and intelligence
with which they have performed the laborious and
pcated duties assigned them merit the highest appro-
baton and that the prosperous condition of the school
and admirable arrangement of its details, particularly
manifested in the department and proficiency of the young
confded to their care emneny ente it to the ia
vorabe opinion and encouragement of the Government.
particularly commend to the notice Of Congress the
consideration Of the appropriations asked for by the Blu
Of Ordnance and Hydrogaphy for the Improvements
necessary purchase the grounds and complete the build
ings required by the academy.
Organisation and Discipline of Sedmen
There is no subject connected with the prosperity Of
the navy that in my estimate better deserves the atten
ton Of Congress than that relating the condition of the
corps of mariners which constitutes the great working
force in the navigation and management Of the public
vessels.
In obedience sentiment which is prevalent through
out the country and which is naturally suggested by
those impulses dsnctvey characterize the opinions
and habits of people, Congress has been recently led
to the consideration Of the ordinary mode Of punishment
which had heretofore been supposed was necessary to
the preservation Of the discipline Of the Navy The
suit Of this consideration has been the passage Of law
for the entire abolition Of corporal punishment board
Of our ships both public and private This punishment
which, for long time has been prsctsed in the navy
and commercial marine, not only without question as to
its efficacy in maintaining the proper observance Of duty
on shipboard which, indeed had become incorpo
rated in the sober conviction Of both officers snd men,
an indispensable necessity Of the service that IL had
grown TO be the most unquestioned usage and generally
received incident Of naval cpinemsny judcous per-
sons believed might be dispensed with, not only
cepaby to the feelings of nation but also without dis
the service The adoption Of this opinion BY
Congress the passage Of the act Of September 1850
which forbade the accustomed penalty, without providing
substitute for it. has afforded the navy the opportunity
TO make the experiment. very sincerely regret to say
that the records of this Department well the almost
entire of facts and opinions brought TO
notice from authentic sources and vouched by inte-
gent and experienced Observers all tend to indicate
unsatisfactory result The omission OF Congress TO
provide for the punishment of what may be called minor
offences discipnc order board