Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-07


sands miles from home. The term OF the crew
enlistment expired while they were far ia the east.
They were informed, while abroad that punish.
ment by logging was abolished i alludc 10 this
/ case especially. az think The test was q severe
one Yet, on their arrival at Boston, the most
| fattering reports reach me OF the good conduct
and discipline Of the crew. ] deemed il proper
also TO address an inquiry on the subject 10 Com
mander Walker lie responds thus In regard
to The first question, whether il is desirable 10 re-
store corporal punishment, l reply that. from sx-
perience well as conviction, do moi believe il
would be desirable or for the interest Of the SER
vice" And yet he and every officer concur in the
necessity OF prescribing and legalzing some sub
| sttute, accompanied, however, with plan Of re-
acard as well as pnaiishmentj punishment prompt,
suYe, IN order TO restrain The offender and deter
i the inconsiderate reacard equally sure and gener-
Gus, TO encourage fidelity and promote respect.
ability IL is not the seusry but the certainty and
| p,oniptness OF punishment which promotes discip-
line. The sailor who now commits an offence
aboard ship remote from home and the flagship,
knows that he cannot be tried, possibly for six
months, until the vessel arrives in port or falls in
with the Commodore ofthe squadron.
i conslderit alimporant that the commander
OF any vessel should be authorized by law TO order
summary court-martial for the trial of the petty
1 officers aud those below them; that they should
have the power TO punish by dishonorable dis
charge In arg port; by confinement on reduced
i
NAL OF shore privilege When the seaman knows
that these punishments can be promptly inflicted
by the officers in command of the ship he has much
| TO deter him from disobedience III ti ias .ss "A
But, in order successfully toinviie diligent and
| enterprisng men, they must know that their in
tegrty will be commended, and their faithfulness
| remembered. An honorable discharge leave-of-
absence pay shore privilege and the confidence
OF the officers, will animate and encourage them.
| hope may be excused for repeating that g I
deem it indispensable that some plan be adopted
| by which our seamen shall become more distinctly
and permanently part of the Mary, and attached
| TO the serrtce. Whenever a ship-ofwar now re-
turns from her three years cruises the officers are
| detached, and granted leave of absence for
three months, with leave oEabsence paw, but the
seamen are peremptorily discharged disconnected
from the ser0ice. If they have been meritorious,
propose that on their return they be granted an
honorable discharge, TO be considered a leave OF
absence on pay,) if within certain time they
chose 70 reenlist in the service. This would pos
sess two-ioh virtue-of fair and generous treat
ment al parting, an invitation 10 continue a men,
Der OF family caring for them during tempo
rary absence"
wish 10 raise the standard of character among
seamen. II IS my design, also, Immediately to
| ADOPT, IN modihed form, the Apprentice Sys-
| tenn, encourage the enlistment Of American boys
| from fourteen until they are twenty-one years of
| age. The object in view will be 10 train them up
at first on our large Receiving-Ships and transfer
i NUMBER 10 eacn vessel starting
cruise, to make them practicable seamen, to teach
/ them in their youth TO become familiar with all
the duties OF a sailor, the requirements OF the
| service, the sacredness Of obedience 10 orders |;
10 watch over their proper moral and mental train
lng and thus incorporate into the service gradu-
ally, but surely, body of seamen TO be proud Of
| In times of peace, TO be relied upon in times Of
danger. ] am also very clearly of opinion that
| the number of men in the service should be in
creased at least twenty-five hundred. a
Il MARINE CORPS.
i The Marine Corps constitutes most interest
/ ing, important and useful portion of the naval
force. Their service is equally effective on land
and on sea. They are an armed and disciplined
| police on shp-board. Well trained and drilled
before being detailed for duty at sea, aware of the
fact that they are sci apart 10 sustain the officers
| in command in the preservation Of order and the
suppression of mutny, the first symptom of insub-
ordination finds them ready, with strong hand and
FURNISHED arms at the drum-tap, 10 put down dis
| order or disobsdience.
| Recent occurrences at sea, painfully fresh in
the recollection OF all, impress the mind most
| wildly Of the practical value of such a BODY of
| men on shpboard in moments of peril and alarm
| when mere panic and disorder are so often unne.
cessarily fruitful ofdesolation aud death. But ON
land also their services have ever been found eff
cient, either in the Navy Yards or on shore far
from their country. This corps accompany our
men-of war in all their cruises in times of peace
and war, and have signalized their valor in many
a field. tl 4astk ~ rs ~
Their number now is entirely too small, and
earnestly recommend an increase, by which more
time would be allowed for their proper discipline
and drilling before they are ordered to sea and
their efficiency rendered still more reliable am
satisfied also that the corps could be improved
and elevated in character, by adopting some sys-
TEN OF appointing officers OF military education
and training. iaagsfes
tsee YARDS AND DOCKS.
u. Ia. -.
the one now in rapid progress OF construction at
Mare Island, California. To keep these yards in
proper condition for useful service and 10 erect
on them the necessary buildings and fixtures. oc.
casion the expenditure, annually, Of large sums of
money, Notwithstanding the diligence and vigil
lance Of the Chef Of that Bureau. Large appro.
pratons will be from time 70 time required forthe
yard in California, which, il Is presumed, will be
acomplete establishment, as il is the only one on
the Pacific The prices Of labor and material and
the necessares OF life in California are still far
higher than on the Atlantic coast.
My immediate predecessor, Hon. John p. Kenne.
dy) inhis last annualreport, recommended the con.
struction OF basin and railway, In connection
with the floating sectional dock, in California,
thus; = NO appropriation was made for the basin
and railway, without which the dock cannot be
safely or usefuly employed. i submit il 10 the
decision Of Congress whether these STRUCTURES
should not be made without delay
Congress subsequently, in the naval appropria-
lion BILL approved March 3, 1888, adopted the fol.
lowing section:
And the Secretary Of the Navy is hereby d.
rected 10 complete and carry into execution the
verbal contract for basin and railway in Cal
ifornia, in connection with the Goslisg dock, az
made by The late Secretary, in pursuance Of au-
thofliy for that purpose given by the act OF Sep
iembeF The iwentyeighih, one thopsaRd eight hun
dred and fifty, entitled An act making appropria.
tons ior the naval service for the year ending the
tbrtieth Of June, one thousand eight hundred aud
fyone, and ss stated In the letter Of the said laie
Secretary addressed 10 the honorable Howell Cobb.
Speaker THE House Of Representalives, and da.
ted The twenty-frst day Of January, one thousand
eight hundred and fhy-one, towards the execution
Of which one hundred and fifty thousand dollars Il
hereby appropriated Prpvidf8, That in the Iude-
neul Of The Secretary, such basin and railway are
necessary, and viii be useful 10 the public SER
vice. t
IN my last annual report, informed you thai
had given the subject much investigation that my
productions were decidedly in favor Of stone
docks that, Congress-, however, had decided thai
a sectional noating dock Is preferable in Cafor-.
MIA that entertained the opinion, that basin IL
necessary 10 render IL safe WREN a large shin IL
docked for repairs, which may expose Il 70 months
Of dangerous weather. and that should proceed