Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10


not done duty, on shore, for tVslue fifteen and
t0eny years There heueans who have seen double
the service OF some of higher grade and receive but
nag tner pay There are many passed naidshipmen Of
more than Ten years sevee whose pay leave is
hundred dollars and there their superiors in rank
tess man Zen years sea service whose pay is tent vs
hundred dollars
The pride of rank and position is the animatng ele-
ment that imparts vgor to the arm courage the heart
buoyancy to the spirits Of the faithful officer and there
peculiar constituencies to the slightest neglect But, in
country like oursso full of rich fields inviting the
terprsng presenting many paths through which the
aspiring may to fame and fortunewhat there
in the above one Of the picture which naval sys-
tenn exhibits to attract the accomplished young Of
the day? The timid and the laggard promoted as
rapidly as the brave and the active The officer who has
borne himself well in twenty years service amidst the
storms and the dangers Of the sea- beneath tropical
and near unfrendy coasts, obtaining his few months
leave Of absence finds himself only receiving the same
pay with those of his grade who have fingered
amid the comforts of home and rarely touch the
deck OF ship But it may be said that pay should be
increased with rank and that the officer of the lower
grade should be content until he atains higher rank
This reasoning however, is met by concedng the
rectness OF the principle but protesting against the
tenn which blocks up the path to rank by imbeciity
ncompetency and thus deprves merit and hard service
task to point out defects than prescribe remedies But
the evils of system hardly be diminished by tme
and no reform can be expected without effort
entertain the opinion that retired list redcedpay
inefficient who haze claim the bounty of their Govern
e services rendered. promotion regulated By capacity
merit, and not 6y mere seniority Of commission pay TO some
extent controlled By seG-sUc reforms not only de-
manded by the condition of the service by consdera-
tons Of justice but absolutely necessary the
walton of efficiency and usefulness There officers
whom the infrmies of age, the ravages of disease
incident to the exposures Of rough seafarng le have
rendered unfit for duty They have been faithful public
servants ready obey orders and from their
ton improvden for the future On retiring such
to secure the aid of the vigorous and active,
grateful country may well deal generously and thus at
the time, administer kindness age and fidelity
justice to the deserving believe this plan of retir
ed list can be SO arranged as to protect the Treasury
from the heavy drains Of an odious pension system
They all on pay Reduce the pay of the retir-
ed stop the pay of the discharged organize thus corps
Of efficient officers, and question of economy this
system, with proper guards and restrictions may be
rather Of retrenchment than extravaganza To apply
these principles, and reduce them practical operation
may at first seem nconvenient and embarrassing But in
common with many who have bestowed much considera
ton this subject, persuaded that the difficulties
far from being insurmountable.
board OF officers of various grades carefully select
ed by the President be convened periodically
port to him the names of those who, in their judgment
should be made subjects of the rules prescribed Their
report may be subject to the approval or reversal
modification of the President. To enable them to act
ntellgenty and imparally in this delicate task the Sc
cretary OF the Navy lay before them not merely the
Navy Register and the records of the Department but
may materially contribute to their enlightenment by in
viting in the least offensive and most delicate mode the
opinions of the officers themselves touching the fitness
OF those OF their own grade and those below whom
ISOLATION and opportunity have enabled them to know
But forbear to enlarge upon the details necessary
give shape and effectiveness to the proposed reform
In the present system OF pay, experience and obser-
walton convince me that there is radical Al
though pay should not be and not the chief incentive
to activity yet every consideration ustfes the policy
and propriety Of to extent regulating pay by
vice. The difference between leave of absence and duty
pay very small that it practically invites the officer
to avoid seaservce, and really makes it profitable
to be idle than to labor If gave certain per
cents increased pay under proper limitations and
strctions the beneficial effects would be twofod. 1t
would be but just reward to diligence and would smu
late officers to to to swell their income for
themselves and families recommend, therefore,
dhcaon OF present pay system in accordance with
these views, and satisfied it will promote desire
for seaservice instead of reluctant obedience to
ders The pay Of the forward warrant officers also needs
regulating. They useful officers.
The specifications, however, OF the various changes
which appear to aimportan in regard to rank, pro-
notion and pay would unnecessarily extend this report
and, with the expression of hearty willingness to
operate with Congress in arranging the details of mea
accomplish what may to it seem needful, pro-
coed to throw out few suggestions touching the mod
cation of system in regard to seamen with view to
encourage permanent enstments, to identify them
thoroughly with the navy and elevate their char
acter by plan of rewards as well as punishments.
SUGGESTIONS TO PROCURE sEAMEN.
rcan institutions have been successfully infused into
almost every department of Government and penetrated
almost every fibre Of the body polite the neglected sailor
if except the generous muncence of asylum and hos
pta has too rarely felt the friendly touch Of the egsa
tive hand and has continued to toll under code of
discipline and laws but little modified since the days
when the pressgang dragged the unwilling victim from
the howell to the man-of-war.
With population approaching 80, 600 000 full Of
terprise and adventure the difficulty of procuring sailors
to man our ships warmore particularly the difficulty
of enlisng the young ofour counrys not only
attracting the attention Of the public but seriously
barrassng the efforts of the Department to maintain
the small naval force now allowed by law. Hundreds Of
merchant vessels almost daily darling forth from
busy marts readily filled with cheerful seamen counting
danger upon the element which they love to live
while shipsofwar lingering in port until the
cruitng officers by hard effort manage by the aid
Of the exacting landlord Of the sailor tavern and small
bounty, to procure tardy enlistments.
Our cities, towns, and villages thronged with ath
lec young men, struggling anxiousy for employment in
petty Offices in every department of labor and when dis
appointment and ideness beget dissipation, and dsspa
ton reduces to degradation and friends regard them
burdens family and nusances society," then and of
ten not till then, do hear the remark that they
now only fit to become sailors in the navy!
Why are the laboring young men Of our country
luctant to sail and under their counrys flag Is
it dishonorabe calling? Why do merchant marine
find comparatively little difficulty in procuring
Is 1t because they for them, encourage them
MORE pay them betterf
While am far very far, from proposing to relax dis
ciplne tolerate INSTRUMENTATION to hesitate at admin
stering punshmentsure punishment to correct the Of
fender and deter the innocent do propose reform
Of system REGARD the meritorious to elevate
the character Of seamen to give more responsibility
to their pursuit to them to become identified with
into and part of the navy ITSELF pay
them BETTER to encourage them to love the flag under
which they SAIL and when they walk the deck of the
owar in foreign port and compare their condition with