The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-14
T HE N Az Y
THE PROPOSED REQ KN6.
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INTERESTING REPORT AND BILL
IL THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,

" VD ANU DAAh
IL THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
January 10, 1853.
The following is the report Of the Committee on
Naval Affairs, they having had under consideration
the organization Of the naval establishment Of the
United States, and the Navy Department.
That in examining the history Of the legislation OF
Congress with reference to the navy it appears that
very little 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 devoved upon the Secretary OF the Navy
The Department OF the Navy was not established
until that year. and the act passed for that purpose
on the 3Oth of April, 1885, consists OF but single
section, which is as follows -
"Be it enacted, &C., That there shall be an
executive department, under the denomihaton
of the Department Of the Navy, the chief
officer of which shall be called the Secretary OF
the Navy, whose duty it shall be to execute
such orders he shall receive from the Presdent OF
the United States relative to the procurement OF ma
val stores and materials and the construction, ar,
mament, equipment, and employment OF vessels OF
war; as well as all other matters connected with tne
| naval establishment of the United States"
By this act, everything appears to have been lett
to Executive discretion, and no organization what
ever prescribed by law.
On the 10th Of July Of the same year, however, an
act was passed creating single officer IN TINS de-
partment called an accountant whose duty IT was
made to account for moneys advanced and expended
for the naval service.
| Nothing further in the way of organization for the
Navy Department was done until the passage Of the
act of the eth February, 1916 entitled IAN act to
alter and amend the several acts establishing Navy
| Department, by adding thereto board OF commits
| soners.r This act provided that the board OF com
missoners shall be attached to the office OF the Sec
cretary of the Navy and under his superintendent
shall discharge all the ministerial duties OF said
Office relative to the procurement OF naval stores ana
| materials and the construction, armament, equip
ment and employment OF vessels OF war as well as
other matters connected with the naval establishment
of the United States. The second section OF this act
also authorizes the commissioners Ito prepare such
rules and regulations shall be necessary for secur
ing uniformity in the several classes of vessels, and
their equipment, and for repairing and reftting
them and for securing responsibility IN the suDord
nate officers and agents"
Seventeen wears after the establishment Of the Ma
w Department, and twentysix years after the estab
lishment of the government the first effort seems to
have been made to secure responsibility IN the SUB
ordinate 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 was the act OF 1915 from eaectng the desired OBJ
ject of securing responsibility, that actually dimin
ished, by dividing the little responsibility which be-
| fore existed. The commissioners OF the navy, by
that act, were mere clerks to the Secretary OF the
Navy, to register his edcts and employed Principally
| i'll making contracts and collecting materials; ana
whatever information advice they may have given
on other and more important matters connected with
tie navy, was given without the obligation of law,
and consequently without the public and serious re-
sponsbility which should attach to official advice.
No further legislation took place in reference to
the organization Of the Navy Department until the
session of Congress Of lsi2. Then, by the act OF
August 81, ls42 the act constituting board OF navy
commissioners was repealed, and five bureaus were
organized and attached to the Navy Department
| These bureaus wele:-
l. Bureau Of Navy Yards and Docks.
2. Bureau OF Construction, Equipment and Re-
5. Bureau of Provisions and Clothing
4. Bureau OF Ordnance and photography.
! 5. Bureau OF Medicine and Surgery.
~ fajl IN tn
vice 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
mere clerks, without the responsibility necessary to
4 secure independent action and proper cooperation.
| These defects the committee hope to Obvate by the
bill which they have reported, by making these
officers in connection with the Secretary Of the Ma
Wy the official and responsible advisers OF the Secre-
! tary in relation to naval matters.
II seems, therefore, plain, from all previous legis
lation the object of the navy, that Congress has
made little or no progress towards such an organza-
ton as is adequate to the correction OF those per-
nicous influences which have been felt in the adj
min4tration Of navalaflairs from the beginning.
The eon,tnGn r9nfers on CQpE I the h roe TO
in the most general manner, whilst, with the eXcep-
tons mentioned above all other organization has
been left to Executive discretion. The President,
by the constitution is the commander-ichief OF the
navy, which implies previous organizations yet 1t
ap ears according to the present organization he IS
really the only officer in the government responsible
for TIE civil administration OF the Navy Department
The Secretary OF the Navy is in fact like the chiefs Of
buleaus-only a clerk, in the language Of the
act OF l79S, to execute such orders as lie shall re-
ceive from the President The chiefs OF bureaus
under him; while from the very nature Of things it
is impossible that the President give that atten
ton TO the details OF the naval service which should
cores ond with his les ponsinility.
The act of the 3lst Of August, 1912, establishing
the naval bureaus gave to each branch Of the service
a head presumed to be peculiarly qualified for the
discharge OF the proper duties OF his bureau But,
nevertheless, practically there is no more RESPONSE
bilty in each chief Of bureau than there was in the
old Board of Navy Commissioners. The Secretary
Of the Navy Department being necessarily civilian,
is entirely dependent on the chiefs OF bureaus, or
other irresponsible advisers for Information Ill rela
ton to the service. This information is generally
given in an unofficial manner, and, therefore, in
wolves responsibility, and is, consequently, too
often given without knowledge or reflection. The
want OF professional knowledge and experience Of
the Secretary OF the Navy acting in subordnation to
the President, while the President from the multi
plicity Of his engagements is altogether unable to
lesow the details Of the naval service any atten
ton commensurate with his responsibility, seem to de-
mand the creation OF suitable body to which the
country may look with greater confidence. 1t appears
indispensable, therefore for the administration
Of naval affairs that there should be associated III 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
responsibility. The subjects which are eXclu lively
iutrusted to single bureau often Of so much inn
portance renders il desirable that the experience
and the knowledge possessed by all the chiefs Of bu
reaus should be put in requisiton or the benefit Of
the public service. The chief OF oHe bureau may
often he more competent judge of subject be-
longing to another bureau than the chief Of the let
ter; and all the chiefs Of bureaus could not fail to
derive in tlucton from frequent and mutual discus
sions and deliberations on practical questions per-
tanning to naval affairs. Tie country has right to
the benefit Of oil the experience Of public function
aries every question upon which the concentration
of counsel may lie conducive to the public safety.
il Is likewise entitled to know to whom it is indebted
for mertorious suggestions and who should he held
responsible for nudicous or erroneous action. The
Secretary OF the Navy Department is entitled to re-
ceiye from his gborliEaes the Information which lie
may require. in an official manner and under the
sanction Of official responsibility. lie ought not to
lie permitted to act upon questions relating to the
public service, upon tie suggestions Of interested,
secret, or ilrc-loneible adviser. That advice and