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

navy. future increase of the navy would suggest
proportonate increase Of officers Of every grade. ~
The promotions incident to this organization Of the
corpsthat is TO say of two hundred and fifty mdship-
aud one hundred masters-woud supply about TWEEN
tyfye acaneies year. The present number of higher
otc, Furnish something this yearly average and
there to suppose that il will be reduced in
future the more active service Of the navy the
present establishment may rather It, The school,
therefore, may be regarded rs subject to annual de-
mand for this number Of its graduates be advanced
into the regular line Of service Estimating the number
OF graduates at twenty the whole of them would
thus find position and employment; increase thirty
would OF course give remainder Of ve which may also
be disposed of.
propose, in further organization of this SYSTEM TO
construct scientific corps in the navy be established
the Autographed corps this corps be designed in
itsrst formation upon basis which shall provide for thr
ty masters thirty entenants fifteen commanders and
FIVE captains, making eighty In ALL should be espe-
ciay educated for that scientific professional service In
which portion Of the navy is constantly employed
Its chief duties should be connected with hydrographca
surveys astronomical observations construction charts
preparation and Improvement of ordnance the supervi
sion of naval architecture and machinery and the drec
ton OF civil engineering in the construction of docks and
other structures requiring scientific knowledge and skill
The corps should be entirely separate from and indie
pendent of the regular naval service Its line Of promo
ton should be confined to its own organization and its
government should be under its proper officers. In
addition to the duties assigned it shore and in hy
biographical surveys some portion of it might be appro
prated to service at and officers Of the
foreign home service An experienced officer
of this corps would find useful and active duty upon every
cruise IL should be left the Navy Department
gnlate the character and contingencies this and
make all the necessary rules and orders for its app
cation. 04
This corps should be built up under the direction of the
Secretary Of the Navy from the material afforded by the
academy with such additions to it, in its commence
men from the regular line of naval service his udg
ment the qualifications of the present officers might
bic him to make with advantage =
With view to the supply Of this corps from the acade
my propose that upon the yearly examination Of the
graduates the Board Of Examination shall be directed to
close attention upon the class submitted to them
order ascertain the particular adaptation of any of
the graduates to this species of SERVICE and that they
shall report the Department the of such they
find qualified by study talent and requirement for
admission to the corps; and IT, upon this report the
students designated shall to the corps
they many of them the established complement
the hydrographical corps may require shall be appro
prated to that services and upon being appropriated
they shall be returned to the academy for additional
Of study of two years. during which they shall be
employed in obtaining thorough knowledge Of the higher
branches Of civil engineering, photography astronomy
mechanism and gunnery in conformity with the best
tenn of instruction which the academy may be able fur
nsh At the end Of this probation of two they shall
be subjected to final examination, and, upon
mendaton to that effect shall be admitted the rank of
in the photographed corps Five years service
in this grade should entte them be promoted to lieu
tenants vacancies may happen and the promotions
thenceorward should await the ordinary incidents of the
corps which may supply the proper occasion.
Ii the Department should be able to contribute any
members to the corps from the present officers of the
think such appointments should exceed twenty
to each grade of masters and ieutenants and
manders, and that captain be appointed until after five
service in the corps there may be found the proper
officers to occupy the vacancies in this grade Ii should
be well understood that the Secretary of the Navy in
assigning present officers the corps should be governed
alone in his selection by high qualification and
pshment in the science required and not by seniority in
unless there be found officers of approved reputation for
their requirements in reference this service who may
| be willing to enter the corps
The yearly graduates of the academy will according
to this system be assigned to the two branches of
have described that is say the regular naval
service and to the Typographical corps The graduates
required for these two branches should be selected from
those who adudged by the board Of examination to
stand highest the roll of the class and if at any time
it should happen that the acquisitions should not embrace
the whole number of graduates in each year. then those
whose services not required being the lowest the
roll, should receive hvaorable discharge from the
school These would return to the occupations Of private
life well educated by the bounty of the Government, and
qualified for useful employment in the many important
vacations connected with and navigation, and
especially in the various service of steamships which
ate so large demand for expert and accomplished Off
GERS. In whatever situation they may be placed, they
will find abundant occasion to rejoice in the advantages
they shall have obtained at the school, and the proper
Of these advantages, indemnify the country for the
care and expense it may have bestowed upon their cu
the academy being understood in advance both by the
cadet and his friends, il is presumed win prepare them
to regard the discharge in its point of view, the
necessary contingency of amost important good
and not disappointment which should occasion
greet If the other hand il should turn out that the
annual number of graduates should be adequate
the demands of these two branches Of service the basis
of in the class Of beginners may be increased
the number at which experience may show that the desired
result may be obtained 1t will be easy, after the expe-
rment of few years to ascertain this number with suf
fcient precson and in the time the photographic
corps to be filed the extra supply Of the classes for
the next three years. by the admission the
of dates prior 1851 win very OPPORTUNITY enlarge the
classes to number which will satisfy that requison
In arranging the complement of officers to the hydro
graphic corps, have proceeded upon conjectura est
mate Of what suppose may be found necessary the
service required Of it, submit this to the judgment of
Congress for such alterations in the grades and numbers
as their of the subject may suggest Ihave
thought il safest to propose number rather below what
think the service may ultimately demand as il is easier
to increase this complement than reduce it, 1t is
proper for to say also that in assigning FIVE captains
to this corps may have exceeded the r which may
be appropriate to the organization. b.. no eaptain
according this plan could be appointed before the lapse
Of FIVE years. the experience which may be gained in the
interval may enable Congress- before that period has
gone by to adjust this grade its proper number and
assign to it its appropriate duties 1t may be hereafter
looked to for the supply of the head Of the engineer de-
partment the superintendent of naval architecture and
construction, the general supervision Of hydrographca
surveys and the management of the Naval Academy III
these functions may be efficiently discharged by it, the
number have assigned viii not be too large.
These the general views and considerations which
have induced me to submit this plan to your approval