Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-12-09

would possess two-fold vrtue-of fair and generous
treatment at parting invitation TO continue memeer
of family caring for them during temporary absence
wish raise the standard of character among
1t is my design also Immediately to adopt in modified
form, the Apprentice System" and encourage the
stment of American boys from fourteen until they
twenty years of age The object in view will be to
train them up first large receiving ships, and
transfer certain number to each vessel starting
cruise to make them practical to teach them in
their youth to become familiar with all the duties of
sailor the requirements Of the service the sacredness of
obedience to ORDERS to watch their proper moral
and mental training and thus incorporate into the SER
vice gradually but surely body of seamen to be proud
Of in times of peace to be relied upon in tunes OF dam
ger am also very clearly of opinion that the number
of in the service should be increased ct least twenty
| five hundred.
MARINE CORPS.
The Marine Corps constitutes most interesting, i'm
portant and useful portion of the naval force Their
service is equally effective land and They
an armed and disciplined police ship-boari. Well
trained and drilled before being detailed for duty at
Of the fact that they set apart to sustain the
officers in command in the preservation of order and the
suppression Of mutiny the frat symptom of insubordna
tion nds them ready with strong hand and bnrnished
arms at the 10 put down disorder OF dsobe
dence Recent at sea, painfully resh IN the
recollection of ALL impress the mind most wildly Of the
practical value of such body of ship board in
moments of peril and ALARM when panic and diser
DER often unnecessarily fruitful of desoaton and
death But land also their services have been
found Efficient either in the navy yards shore far
from their couutry This corps accompany men-of
in all their cruises in times Of peace and war; and have
signalized their vaor in many field Their numberDow
is entirely too small and earnestly recommend an in
crease, by which time would be allowed for their
proper discipline and drilling before they ordered to
sea, and their efficiency rendered still reliable
satisfied also that the corps could be improved and
elevated in character by adopting system of ap-
pointing officers Of military education and training
YARDS AND DOCKS
four limited space compes us to defer the publication
nff
learn from that the Government possesses eight navy
yards. including the in rapid progress Of con-
strucon Mare Island California To keep these yards
in proper condition for useful service, and to erect
them the necessary buildings and fixtures occasion the
expenditure annually Of large of money, not
withstanding the diligence and vigilance of the De-
partment. Large appropriations will be from time to
time required for the yard in California, which, it is pre-
sumed, viii be complete establishment it s the only
the Pacific The Secretary enters into full
PLANTATION Of his proceedings under the act CT March 3d.
1883, authorizing pursuant to recommendation Of his
immediate predecessor, (Hon John p Kennedy, the
strucon OF basin and railway in connexion with the
floating dock in California The dock is completed, and
the contractors actively engaged in constructing the
basin and railway The balance dock, basn and railway
at Pensacola have not yet been accepted by the Govern
ment The first test of their efficiency having been
satisfactory another test is to be made The ground and
appnrtenances which formed the navy yard at Memphis
have been Internationally surrendered to the mayor Of
| that city and abandoned by the Government.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Naval Academy has, during the past year. conti-
nued to present the country practical evidence of the
wisdom and foresight Of its protector. Under the ygi
lant superintendent of Commander Godsborough and
his worthy assistants the strices discipline has been
forced, to the marked benefit of this institution.
The plan of education is thorough and the training
Of the youth admirable The cruise in the practice ship
is of immeasurabe advantage in imparting early
age practical knowledge of seamanship During the last
summer the Preble with thrty-one young midshipmen,
visited Portsmouth and Plymouth in England, and Brest
and Cherbourg, in France thereby aordng them op
porunity of examining the naval establishments at those
points The contract has been made for the erection of
machneshop at Annapolis under the act of Congress
authorizing it. and shall avail myself Of the first oppor
tunty, when the service viii permit TO substitute
steamer for the sloop now used practice ship The
number of students at the Academy is hundred
and sixty Attention is called the report of the Chief
Of the Bureau Of Ordnance and Hydrography and the
annual report of the Board of Examiners that Of
the commander of the practice ship.
The Naval Obscrvatoryis still entitled to generous
support and eminenty demonstrates the utility of its
original establishment The achievements quietly
and gradually effected by Lieut. Maury, although not
attracting the admiration Of the multitude dazzling
the behoder with sudden flashes of triumph reflect
ed honor upon himself and his country; have brought
remote nations in comparative proximity to each other
have promoted commerce. by pointing out the mariner
paths the great deep, where favorable winds and
| currents lend friendly aid His .Win6 and Current
Charts and Sailing Directions saving millions Of
money by shortening the voyages of merchant vessels
freghted with treasures. am officially informed that
it stated in paper read before the British Assoca
ton last year that il was estimated in India that set
of wind and current charts for the Indian ocean, like
those that have been constructed this Office for the At
lantc ocean, would produce annual saving to British
commerce in those alone of notess than 81 000
(f250, ,000,) and for British in all Of
| $40, 100000 year. This estimate based on the
condition Of shortening the voyage only ne-tenth,
whereas the length of the passage to all places
beyond the equator has been shortened much and
the estimate again repeated the last meeting Of
the Association at Liverpool 1t has also been estmat
ed that the value OF these charts to the and
navigation of the United States is equivalent in the
ing of time to several millions year trust that these
considerations may prevent all objection the compare
lively small expense annually called for to sustain this
! establishments
The Department is advised that Mr. Robert L. Stevens,
of New York, is rapidly progressing in the
tion of the iron steamer be shot and shell proof
for harbor Defence accordance with his Contract
der the acts Of Congress of 1842 and 1852 In his COM
municaton Of the 18th of October he informs that
the boilers win be ready to be put board in about three
weeks and the shafts beams, cranks and links
y finished and turned and that he has nearly Eve hun
dred engaged the work 1t is very desirable that
this vessel sheud be completed large having area
dy been expended by Congress upon it. If the under
taking is successful and the contractor accompshes
what he promises the benefits deriyabe from it for har
| Dor defence are incalculable.
Great difficulty having been experienced in procuring
American waterroted hemp, special agents have been
appointed in the districts of country in which it
likely be obtained The instructions for its inspection
and receipt offer every inducement encourage its pre-
paraton The supply Of hemp has been principally drawn
from Russia, and the present state Of affairs in Europe
demonstrates the Importance of being dependant
other countries for supplies of this necessary
| article.