Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-12-21

U u
should not oyerloolss the present
magnitude and PROSPECTIVE exten
! sion of apr commercial marine, nor
fail TO give due weight TO tue facl
that, besides the two thousandlniles
OF Atlantic sea-boarJ, we havs now
la Pacific coast, sire itching FROM
Mexico to the British possessions in
the north, teeming with " eallh and
enterprise, and demanding the con-
slant presence OF ships of war. The
augmentation Of the Navy has mol
kept pace with the duties properly
and prohtabIy assigned to ii in time
Of peace, and it is inadequate for
the large field Of its operations, not
merely in the present but still more
in the progressively increasing ext
gencies Of the commerce OF the u.
States. / cordially approve of The
proposed apprentice system for our
national vessels. recomm ended by
the Secretary OF the NAVY.
The occurrence, during the last few
months, Of marine disasters of the
most tragic nature, involving great
loss of human life,- has produced in
tense emotions Of sympathy and sor-
row throughout the country. II may
well be doubted whether all these ca
lamitous events are wholly attribu-
table to the necessary and inevitable
dangers Of the sea. The merchants,
mariners, and shipbuilders of the U.
States, are, it is tue, uasur-
passed in fsr-reacbing enterprise, skill,
intelligence and courage, by any 9TH
ers in the world. But with the In
creasing amount of our tonnage in the
aggregate, and the larger sized and
improved equipment s. the ships now
constructed, deficiency in the sup
ply of reliable seamen begins TO be
very seriously felt. The mconveni-
enee may, perhaps, be met in part,
by due regulation for the introduce
ton, iwo our merchant ships, Of In
denied apprentices, which, while it
would afford useful and eligible occu-
patton to numerous youngmen, would
have q tendency to raise the eharac-
ter Of seamen as class. And it is
deserving Of serious reflection, wheth-
er it may not be desirable to revise
the existing laws, for the mainte-
nance Of discipline at sea, upon which
the security of life and property on
the ocean must to so great an extent
depend. Although much attention
has already been given by Congress
to the proper construction and ar
rangement of steam vessels and pas
senger ships, still it is believed that
the resources of science and me-
chanical skill in this direction have
not been exhausted. No good rea-
son exists for the marked distinction,
which appears upon our statutes be-
tween the laws Tor protecting life and
property at sea, and those for protec-
ting them on land In most of the
States severe penalties are provided
to punish conducte-s of trains, engi-
neers, and others employed in the
transportation of persons by railway
or by steamboats, on rivers. Why
should not the same principle be
applied to acts of INSTRUMENTATION
cowardice, or other misconduct on
the part of masters and marmers,
producing injury or death>tO passen-
gers on the high seas, beyond the
jurisdiction of any Of the States, and
where such eGnquencies can be reach
ed only by the power Of Congress-
The whole subject is earnestly rec
commended to your consideration.
The report of the Postmaster Gen.
eral, to which you are referred for
many interesting details in relation
to this important and rapidly extend
ing branch Of the public service,
shows that the expenditure of the
year ending June 80, 1854, Including
ole hundred and thirty-three thou
sand four hundred and eighty-three
dollars Of balance due to foreign off,
cess amounted to eight million sew
en- hundred and ten Thousand nine
hundred and seven dollars. The
gross receipts during the same period
amounted to six millions nine humid
red and fifty-Gve thousand five humid
red and eighty-six dollars; exhibiting
an expenditure over income of one
million seven hundred and fifty-fye
thousand three hundred and twenty
one dollars, and q diminution of de-
ficiency. as compared with the last
year, Of three hundred and sixty-one
thousand seven hundred and fifty-six
dollars. The increase Of the revenue
.f tho donorfrnant for tho wear end