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

nscanss> which will henceforh exact from the Govern
ment more than accustomed vigilance in noting the
Of events and than its usual energy in the
duty Of guarding citizens who may be connected with
them Ii is therefore, necessary than ever that
we should have respectable force always accessible to
our counrymen in this field of action aud capable of
giving them protection against the perils Of and
popular outbreak and revolutionary commoton, which in
future than in the past may be expected TO
characterize many of the States and communities to
which their business invites them steamer Of large
class, adapted 10 the general duties of cruise. and
smaller to be kept at hand at San Francisco for use
in California and Oregon, regard almost indspensa
bic additions TO the squadron assigned that service
Looking TO the Atlantic find motives equally strong
for the increase of naval ornaments and particularly
for the enlargement Of the Number Of steamships
Whilst am fully that the power of the United
States happily consists in their ability to provide
for the contingencies Of invasion than in the actual
hbiton Of equipped force and that may dispense
with much that is deemed requisite in the relations Of
European Powers still we cannot fail TO recognise the
fact that the respect due the interests of people
requires the habitua and familiar presence of flag in
every region of sustained by such amount
of force and of such quality, may give signif-
cant token OF the resources we command at home
salutary conviction this points, great extent in
spired by the excellence of when brought
into comparison with those Of other nations. We
not afford to lose impair reputation for producing
the best ships and the best disciplined that navigate
the ocean, however may afford to exhibit them in
smallar numbers
tent upon the effort TO build up powerful steam naves
Most Of them already far ahead of this species of
force and it svery obvious from the urgency with which
the marine of Europe is pressed to this char
acter that there is deep and conviction of
impending necessity in which the improved force will be
mainly relied the efficient element of Are
far removed from the occasion the Of ap
pretended conflict to warrant any Indifference
part to the possible issues of collision Are affairs
little exposed abroad concentrated at home,
to exempt from all necessity consider the effects
which follow the changes in the naval organ
zation of Europe?
These considerations and others which they suggest in
duce to ask the attention of Congress to the recon-
mendatons of the Bureau of Construction accompanying
this report and to invite them with the most earnest
soctude provide for the building of three first class
wpropeer fgates and the number of propeller
sloops-ofwar To these might be added with advantage
few smaller steamers adapted to quick dispatch and
coast navigation.
Our navy yards are abundantly supplied with large
quantities of the best timber id the best condition which
could not be better appropriated than TO this object
There frgates the Sanee and the Sabine which
have been housed the stocks in Portsmouth and New
York for the last years These might be launched
and fitted for service and their places might be occupied
as well as the sheds vacant In other yards by the
steamships proposed to be built
In connexion with this subject would call the atten
ton of Congress the necessty~of authorizing the
tabshment of factories for the construction
Of all the machinery necessary to the complete equip
ment of the largest class of steamers The impor
of such establishments the Government felt by
this Department in the daily conviction that only by the
command Of such resource may the navy be promptly
and surely supplied with the best machinery for the pub
lie vessels The inspection and control of the work whilst
il in progress the of the best material and
the puncua compliance with the demands of the service
advantages that may only be efficiently secured by
having the workshosunder the command of the Govern
ment The experience Of the past will also fully demon
state that this mode of supplying the machinery of our
public vessels must be- in its general result
mca than any other and will certainly secure much the
most reliable kind of work The plans would be uni
FORM failure Of machinery less frequent and the improve
ment of the models of construction more certain.
The mail contract law of ls47 contains provision
which authorizes the Government to appropriate any of
the vessels built under il TO the naval service. would
commend that of these Of the first clas be selected
and equipped with the proper make this
suggestion from persuation that il is matter of i'm
porance TO the Government practically TO determine by
experiment question upon which much doubt is enter
tanned, and which it is necessary solve whether these
steamers really adequate the demands Of the naval
service and may be useuy converted into ships Of
The determination Of this question settle point of
great moment touching the reliance be placed upon
these ships in any sudden emergencya point much
safely TO be settled in time Of peace than in moments of
excitement and pressure when other may be
at hand TO meet the consequences Of failure.
II is further necessary to make provision for in
of The present limit Of thousand
Ave hundred men is insufficient for the necessities
Of the service IN its existing condition Ii the full
PIGMENT Of men appropriated by the regulations of the
navy board Of the vessels in commission,
than the whole number allowed would be required
think il therefore indispensable to the proper ecen
cy of the service that addition of less than fifteen
hundred be authorized be made to the establishment
and that correspondent addition be made the yearly
estimates Of naval pay 1t equally necessary that pro-
vision be made for increase of wages either in monthly
pay or in the shape of bounty be given after enlist
men The amount Of this increase should be regulated
by some reference to the wages given in the merchant
service, which are much higher than the naval
pay as to increase the difficulty to which have hereto
fore alluded, in the procurement Of the best men.
reference 70 the report Of the Bureau Of Medicine
will inform Congress Of the condition Of the medical
vice Of the the pressing necessity that exists for
increase Of vfcers in that department Great relief
would be afforded by authority appoint number,
not exceeding twenty assistant surgeons and to make
correspondent promotion Of equal number, Of
many by proper length Of service may be qualified
for il, into the upper grades
beg leave also to call the attention Of Congress 10 the
report Of the commanding officer Of the marine corps
which will show how inadequate is the present limitation
OF that corps TO the ordinary demands Of the service
The opinion Of Cen Henderson upon this point OF itself
entitled great weight is reinforced by that Of many Of
he most experienced officers Of the navy will be in
the correspondence accompanying the report to which
invite careful attention In conformity with these opn
IONS respectfully recommend Congress the passage
Of law to authorize the enlargement Of the corps by the
addition Of eighty sergeants eighty corporals thirty
drummers and hers and thousand pryates and that
the four captains four first and four second ieutenan
condonay allowed to the service by the proviso TO the
naval Appropriation bill Of March g. 1S49 be retained
permanently in the corps.
The same necessity which has led 10 this representa-
on Of the the service in those branches
TO which have just alluded compe me to ask for some
addition to the corps Of pursers. This important dyi-
sion OF the naval organization is found TO stand in need
Of more aid han the present allowance affords The corps
scarcely furnishes that proper rotation in service which