Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24
IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVY.

q bin creating collection district in the State d
California.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVY
Mr.. MALLORY moved to proceed to the consideration
Of the bill to improve the naval service Of the United
States urging the Importance OF some prompt and def
mite action on the subject.
The motion having been agreed to, the bill was con-
sdered, and several amendments were made and con-
Cured in materially changing the bill from that org
naly reported. Ii was ordered to be engrossed and
would have passed. but Mr. HAMLIN suggested that the
question on the passage be taken tomorrow which was
agreed to.
The bill reads as follows:
BE IL enacted de- That the grade of flag officer hereby
established and that there shall be twenty flag officers
eight captains and seventy commanders in the naval service
and the pay of dag officers shall be follows On service
the same allowed to the senior captain All other pay
allowed them shall be the that Of other captains
Sec. And Be Il further enacted That appointment Of
masters not in the line Of promotion shall hereafter be made
and the recognition of passed midshpmen distinct
grade hereby abolished and much Of all parts
Of acts recognises such distinction allows passed mid
shpmen different pay than that of midshpmen hereby
repealed from and after the time when the provisions of
next section hereof shall be carried into effect The masters
now in the line Of promotion and the passed midhipmen
who shall remain in the service and not be promoted the
rank Of after the retirement provided by the
section, shall be commissioned according their
present ranks and if there thus remain than seventy
four such officers masters shall be commissioned until
the number shall be reduced below which
Der shall hereafter constitute the said grade of The
duty Of said grade shall be the President Of the Uni
ted States shall prescribe. The number of mdshpmen and
acting mdshipmen ncuding all those the Naval Acade
my shall be determined as follows, viz One shall be APP
pointed from each Congressional district of the United States
upon the Recommendation of the Representatives thereof
from each State upon the recommendation the Senators
thereof ten to be appointed BY the President at
large and those authorized by this to DO selected
the boys of the navy. @1
sec 3. And be further enacted That before any change
of the grades aforesaid shall take effect the Secretary of the
Navy shall cause each captain, commander lieutenant medi
cal officer and report under such regulations
may prescribe the officers Of their grades who are
tO all 1ufiac
aoat and from his scrutiny of such reports may be fled
in the Department within six months after issued to
said officers the Secretary with the approval Of the Presi
dent shall retire, permanently furough drop the
service all officers who in his judgment qualified;
and Of the officers urloughed retired the
tired list only shall be entitled to the naval uniform
shall have their borne the Navy Register but as
of the line Of promotion and of command and shall be
counted Of the number limited by law their respective
grades. Permanently urloushed officers SHALL the date
their urough be out of the navy and the places retired
and permanently urloughed flag officers and other officers
shall be supplied by regular promotion by seniority of rank
The Secretary of the Navy may upon the application of any
officer of the navy pace him upon the retired
the interests Of the service The Secretary the Navy with
the approval of the President shall retire or drop from
the service all masters passed mdshpmen and midhpmen
Who in his Judgment are not qualified to perform efficiently
all their duties. ".... t....
Sec H. And be it further enacted That officers on the retr
list shall receive and those on the
furough list shall receive twofhs of the service pay to
which they entitled when retired urloughed and that
Of the pay of the masters authorized to be commissioned by
established by the regulate the pay the navy of
the United States approved March third eighteen hundred
and thirty five
Sec. And be further enacted, That it shall be the duty
every officer in command Of any vessel of the navy the
United States upon the termination of his cruze, make
special report the Secretary of the Navy upon the
conduct of the petty officers ordinary seamen lands
and boys under his command said cruze and
signae those who entitled from their good con-
Duct to special notices and such reports the Secretary
Of the Navy annually select not exceeding five of said
boys sixteen who may appear him
deserving and send them to the Naval Academy
ton mdshipnen And to each petty officer seaman ord
nary seaman, andsman and boy reported for good
duet provided that the number reported from each ship
shall exceed Of the thereby the Secretary
shall be issued certificate of conduct and character
such form he may prescribe which Certificate provided
the to whom the shall be issued shall reenist in
The navy within three months from the date thereof shall
title every petty officer to three months extra pay and
proprate medal be devised by the Secretary and every
seaman ordinary seaman andsman, and boy to three months
extra pay.
hundred men shall be made to the marine corps
bureaus attached the Navy Department there shall be
bureau to be called the Bureau of Orders and Equipment
which shall be the duties of equppng the vessels
and of supervs registering and detailing the officers and
of the naval service and such other duties pertaining
the service Secretary of the Navy direct and
orders of such bureau shall be considered emanang
the Secretary of the Navy and shall have full force and eff
feet SUCH and all the duties of said bureau shall be per-
formed under his authority and supervision.
Sec And be further enacted That the President Of the
United States by and with the advice and of the
nate shall appoint udge advocate Tor the naval servce
who shall not be naval officer, who shall be learned in the
law who shall be attached to the Bureau of Orders and
Equipment who shall receive for his services three thou
sand dollars per and his travelling expenses allow
ed officers Of the navy 1t shall be his duty prepare
the direction of the Secretary Of the Navy all charges and
specifications charges be preferred before naval
martial of inquiry, and keep records
thcreof prepare specific instructions in each acting
advocate under the direction Of the Secretary Of the
NAVY: cody all the laws Congress- and the
rulings and decisions Of the district circuit and supreme
courts of the United States touching martial and
of inquiry; compile and submit the Secretary of
the Navy general instructions, FORMS and principles appca
them the of conducting them, and
perfect records such courts of heard
tried before them Pocded That nothing herein shall
preclude commanders of squadrons foreign stations from
ordering such courts now authorized by law.
Sec And further enacted That the chief Of tho bu
established by this be allowed the Thanking pr
vege as that conferred by law the chiefs Of the other bu
reaus and the President of the United States by and with
the and of the Senate may hereafter appoint
chief any bureau attached to the Navy Department
and Repairs and Of Medicine and Surgery, any Off
Ger, at his discretion.
MEETING OF CONGRESS-.
Mr. DOUGLAS called up for consideration the bill fix
ing the time of annual Meeting Of Congress the first
Monday in October of each yen.
Mr. DoUaLAs explained the object he had in view in
offering the bill to the consideration Of the Senate.
Mr.. HUNTER rather favored the first Monday in No
vember as the suitable period, October
Of the months in which members were more engaged
than any other in the whole year. and moved to subst
tute the first Monday in November in place Of October
Mr.. CLAYTON advocated the original proposition Of
Mr. DOUGLAS best calculated render the long session
shorter and the short session longer.
Mr.. MASON avowed his preference for the first Mon
day in November but expressed his objection to any
change of the periods now fixed by law.
Mr.. BAYARD thought the only change that could be