Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-22
CONGRESSIONAL.
PROPOSED REORGANIZATION OF THE NAVY.
In SENATE, JANUARY 10, 1853.

The Committee Naval Affairs having had under CON
sderation the organization of the Naval Establishment
the United States and the Navy Department report
That in examining the history Of the legislation Of Con
with reference to the navy il appears that very lit
tie has been done by law for the purpose of giving
organization to the Navy Department Until the year
1898 the Secretary OF War performed the duties deyoyed
upon the Secretary Of the Navy The Department of the
passed for that purpose the 30th of April l798
ssts of but single section, which is Us follows:
BE enacted, de- That there shall be Executive de-
partmen under the denomination Of the Department of the
Navy the chief ocer of which shall be called
of the Navy whose duty shall be execute such orders
he shall receive from the President the United States
tive to the procurement of naval materials the
construction armament equipment and employment Of
sells Of well all other matters connected with the
naval establishment Of the United States"
BY this act every thing appears to have been left to
Executive discretion and no organization whatever pre-
scribed by law.
On the 10th Of July of the same year. however an act
was passed creating single officer in this department
called an accountant whose duty it made to
for moneys advanced and expended for the naval service
Nothing further in the way Of organization for the Navy
Department done until the passage Of the act of the
7h February 1876 entitled An act to alter and amend
the several acts establishing Navy Department by add
ing thereto board Of commissioners" This act pro-
vded that the board of commissioners shall be attached
to the office of the Secretary Of the Navy and under his
superintendent shall discharge all the ministerial duties
OF said ONCE relative to the of naval stores
ment and employment Of vessels of war well as other
matters connected with the naval establishment of the
United States The second section this act also autho
rzes the commissioners to prepare such rules and
atons shall be for securing uniformity in the
several classes of vessels and their equipment and for
pairing and refttng Them and for securing responsibility
the subordinate officers and agents.
Seventeen years after the establishment of the Navy
Department and twentysx years after the establishment
of the Government the first effort to have been
made to secure responsibility in the subordinate officers
and agents of the navy The want of responsibility in
the subordinate officers and agents is still the vice of the
Navy Department So far the act of 1915 from effect
ing the desired object of securing responsibility that it
actually diminished, by dividing, the little responsibility
which before existed The Commissioners Of the Navy,
by that act clerks to the Secretary of the Navy
to register his edics and employed principally making
contracts and collecting materials and whatever nfor
nation advice they may have given other and
important matters connected with the navy was given
without the obligation of law and consequently without
the public and serious responsibility which should attach
to official advice.
No further legislation took place in reference to the
ganzaon of the Navy Department until the session Of
Congress of 1872 Then, by the act of August 81 1872
the act constituting board Of navy commissioners
repealed and five bureaus organized and attached
the Navy Department. These bureaus we're
/. Bureau of Navy Yards and Docks.
2. Bureau of Construction Equipment and Repair
3. Bureau of Provisions and Clothing
A. Bureau of Ordnance and photography.
s. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
the advantages of the best and most efficient professional
ability and for the same among other reasons that these
chiefs of bureaus continue to be clerks without the
responsibility necessary to secure Independent action and
proper cooperation These defects the committee hope
obvae by the bill which they have reported by making
these officers connection with the Secretary of the Navy
the official and responsible advisers of the Secretary in
relation to naval matters
1t therefore plain from all previous legislation
the subject of the navy that Congress has made little
progress towards such organization is ade
quate to the correction of those pernicous influences
which have been felt in the administration of naval affairs
from the beginning
The constitution confers on Congress the power to
"provide and maintain navy" This has been done in
the most general manner whilst with the exceptions
toned above all other organization has been left Exc
cutive discretion The President by the constitution
commandernchef of the navy which implies previous
organization yet appears according to the present
ganizaton he is really the only officer in the Government
responsible for the civil administration of the Navy De-
partmen The Secretary of the Navy is in fact like the
chiefs Of bureaus, only clerk in the language of the
act of l79S o execute such orders he shall receive
from the President The chiefs Of bureaus and the Sc
cretary take shelter from responsibility under him while
from the very nature of things it is impossible that the
President give that attention to the details of the
naval service which should correspond with his response
bity.
The act Of the 3lst Of August 1872 establishing the
naval bureaus gave each branch Of the service head
presumed to be peculiarly qualified for the discharge
the proper duties Of his bureau But nevertheless prac
bureau than there in the old Board of Navy Commits
sioners The Secretary Of the Navy Department being
necessarily civilian is entirely dependant on the chiefs
Of bureaus other irresponsible advisers for information
in relation to the service This information is generally
given in unofficial manner and therefore involves no
responsibility and is consequently, too often given with
out knowledge reflection. The want of professional
knowledge and experience Of the Secretary of the Navy
acting in subordnaton the President while the Pres
dent from the multiplicity of his engagements is alto
gether unable to bestow the details of the naval
vice any attention commensurate with his responsibility
to demand the creation of suitable body to
which the country may look with greater confidence It
appears Indispensable therefore for the proper admins
traon Of naval AFFAIRS that there should be associated
the Navy Department officially, Of the greatest abb
lily and professional experience and that they should be
placed in position actually Of high and public responsible
lily The subjects which exclusively entrusted to
single bureau often of much importance as renders
it desirable that the experience and the knowledge pos
sessed by all the chiefs Of bureaus should be put
son for the benefit of the public service The chief of
one bureau may often be competent Judge Of a
subject belonging TO another bureau than the chief Of the
latter and all the chiefs Of bureaus could not fail de-
rive instruction from frequent and mutual discussions and
deliberations practical questions pertaining to naval
affairs The country has right the benefit Of all the
experience Of public functonares every question upon
which the concentration Of counsel may be conducive to
the public safety II is likewise entitled TO know to whom
it is indebted for merorous suggestions and who should
be held responsible for inudicions erroneous action
The Secretary Of the Navy Department is entitled to re-
ceive from his subordnates the information which he
require, in official manner and under the sanction of
official responsibility He ought not to be permitted to
act upon questions relating to the public service upon the
suggestions Of interested secret irresponsible advisers
That advice and those councils upon which he determines
questions Of magnitude pertaining to the service ques
tons affecting the rank honor and personal interests Of
officers ought be of record for