Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-09
WARRINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

nave agreed on the main features of the hill
land, indeed, Oh nearly all Of its detailsl which
Mr.. Bocock, their chairman, is shortly TO "a.
Port-the "Bill to re-organize the Navy of the
United States.''
Inere IL much conversation and no little
teeiing In interested circles with reference to
1nis measure. The subject is an important
one, and the object aimed at most desirable.
The United States Navy: with what brilliant
associations it is connected in the past with
what high hopes in the future but what mir
gled modification and reproach does it inspire
in the present. Once, our navy, though small
was an institution of power and energy a
thing of life. Now it has sc freely vitality
enough to keep it in existence. 1t seems to
struggle with the nightmare. 1t has become
sort of close corporations rotten borough.
1t must be purified, renewed and regenerated,
and have life and energy infused into it. Of
course this Is not an easy task, for several rea-
sons. 1t is, in general, difficult to arouse the
attention of Congress to the necessity of i'm
portant legislation for this branch of the public
service. 1t is not a subject which admits of
successful demagogueism or Buncomising. 1t
appeals to patriotism-it calls for statesman
ship. 1t is, therefore subject ansuited to
the tone and temper of modern legislation. The
cry of the extravaganza and the prodigality
practis.d in our naval expenditure is easy.
Any shallow-brsined demagogue may take it
up. Many have already taken it up, until it
has become stale. 1t is worn threadbare
The question-what can be done to reform
abuses and raise the Navy 2-is one to be an
swered by the statesman and not by the dem
agogue. Another difficulty in the way Of
thorough reform springs from certain class
Of the naval officers themselves. No patient
likes to take medicine s'Chastening for the
present is never pleasant, but grievous." Many
Navy officer clings to his destructive privi-
leges, like spoiled child to stick of candy.
Idleness is the canker of the service. The
spirit Of men becomes dull, and their faculties
rust, when unemployed. Action-action is the
life-blood of usefulness. But, what do we see
now? Men holding commissions in the Navy
who have rendered no service whatever for
ten, fifteen and twenty years. They give fine
parties-they cultivate their farms-they pur-
sue their own plans of business or pleasure
with as much freedom from restriction as any
other citizens; and yet they are Navy officers,
drawing large pay per year. 1t is shameful
it is a gross fraud upon the country-it is the
ruin of the service; and yet many of them think
that the right to draw money, without earning
it, is an inalienable and indefeasiblc right.
Talk about cutting down leave Of absence pay,
or Of dismissing the idle and vicious from the
rOll-it is treason-it is sacrilege-it is down
right Enthusiastically is change Of the
whole basis Of the service. Young men enter
the Navy now, too often, as the most easy and
gen,eel way Of loa6ng! They graduate at the
academy, and get an assignment to nice
frigate or steamer. They take pleasure ex-
cursion to the old world-stroll through the
streets and gaze at the wonders of London
lounge in the saloons of the Palais Royal, and
plunge into all the giddy designations of Paris
They intrigue with the black-eyed girls, and
quarrel with the jealous and lazy Dons Of
Spaia. They sail through the beautiful Med
iterranean from Calpe's Strait to where the
EuxiRe rolls its dark waters upon the ''blue
Semplegades." They touch upon its classic
shores, and recreate in the gay cities which
adOrn them.
Lieutenants 60 into the civil Steam marine
on leave Of absence, and resign when the de-
partment tired of paying them for years
wherein they render no return therefor to the
United States, orders them to legitimate duty
Others loaf, instead of thus being honorably
employed while on leave. Officers of higher
grade, with interest at court, stay on shore fol
five, ten, fifteen or twenty years, at times uader
pretence of doing this or that shore duty 70,
weeks or months. We are we'll aware thai
such is not the habit or disposition of the mair
body Of the officers Of the different grades in the
service. Those who are amenable to these
charges however, have become so numerou:
as actually and VIGOROUSLY to have destroyed
the efficiency Of the Navy of the United States
Now, We apprehend that a main feature Of the
bill agreed on will be to put an end at once tc
every thing of the sort. First, by retiring OF
fair allowance, all faithful officers, who, 70,
any cause, are really incompetent to the pro
per discharge of all the duties appertaining
under any circumstances to the rank each such
officer may hold in the service. And next, by
forcing ont ofths ssrvies such officers as will
not cheerfully obey any and all orders given
to them. This the committee will aim to &C.
complish by graduating leave of absence pay
cutting it down to 600, after the officer has beer
on leave long enough to show that he is indis
posed to return the Government an equivalent
for the money he receives from the national
treasury. These much needed reforms we al
happy to know, will be joyfully hailed by the
great body of the officers of the Navy of the
United States, who are tn emselycs the mail
sufferers, from the fact that the service lis
embraces superannuated, imbecile and other
wise incompetent persons, as well as Others
who might as we'll be incompetent, because
they are bent on avoiding faithful discharge
Of their proper duties.
A Voting Machine.-0ur attention has been
forcibly attracted by machine brought to oul
Office by the inventor, Mr.. Samuel Huffman, o
Illinois, formerly of Virginia, for speedily
taking yeas and nays in legislative bodies
We have frequently read Of plans to the sam,
end, and have also now and then seen model
for the same purpose. This, however, is the
first promising to fulfil its object. 1t consists
Of two series Of compound levers, with pricker