The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-08


sscrrs o. ~Azx, ass nm cuDrnn o. son ~
While tie jasS asd iberAl actiss of Congress during
The lat s~sos s~thorsns IN inerease Of pay Of sea-
n~n corresponding 70 the compensation in the merchant
service hss dcas much ~ encourage enlistments and
80 rscssved 9TH grateful Joy b. many veteran tar,
SLAP vscr character and saeress 70 the system Of
fsps@ this Dpoi Ant. indeed vital part Of the pub
Nc service Language cannot describe, the mind can
hang sfesns the fidelity, the discipline OF the
nsxecied sailor Property hie sicsry defeat national
.ac ~ 100 ~ am vsrv
la frum Recommending the restoration OF punishment
,, snxrnr Ia my cssnon the experiences Of the navy
~ <st lusthss It's sbrogation The soop oil war sara
iegs. comusader WALKER, constituting part OF the
qasiron 80 yspsa eft the United States in September,
lao, sod retarsed IN the sams month Of the present
ssr cruising Tor four years beneath tropical suns
I'd suait ancooxesL people, thousands OF miles from
hosus TIE % the er~w's enlistment expired while
-. 80 ,a.s we hsy were ,n'o, hn,;sh Mns
siuds To this especially as think the test
severe one Nsf On their arrival at Boston the most
cirins a the crew deemed proper also TO address
an inquiry on the subject 20 Commander Walker. He
re.psas shuss-"in regard to the hrst question,
~hsfher u = desirable 70 restore corporal punishment
reply that from experience well conviction, do
not believe would b. desirable for the interest Of
the service" And yet, and he and every oBcer
IA ,be necessity Of prescribing and -galzng sub
stitate, accompanied, however, with . plan OF
wsrd .. ren - punishment, punishment, prompt,
deter the ineonsiderate reward equally sure
and srpsrous "a encourage fidelity and promote
o. p.nsssa, When yrowo,ns asenIin:
The SAILOR Who commits offence board ship
mote from home and the tag ship, Knows that he can
not 10 triei possibly for months until the vessels
I've. sors sus 10 With the Councillors OF the squad
esssiasr Il all important that the commander Of any
vessel should he authorized by Law 10 order summary
roar partial for the trial of the petty officers ,d those
bsie~ them that they should have the power punish
y a'ss Lar q Any port X
and deniaf 81 shore privilege. WHEN the knows
that ths-s ranshment BE- promptly inflicted by the
ocers ~ command of The ship, he has much to deter
Rat in order saecessfay 10 invite dgen, and enter.
ns %ss s ,nss . s,ss .s .s', msSs VI. Be-
less and tn. confidence 81 the officers wi animate and
encourage them. hope may be ~xensed for repeating
that = deem il ind sp~sssbs that some plan BE- adopted
BY ~hch .ssmsn shall become more distinctly and
permanently part Of the navy and attached 10 the
three yssrs cruise the efcers detached and grant
ID Rave ~ sbssnce for three months with leave Of
sssnse psy eu, ~ sssmea ars p-rsmp,or, disehsrs
usesticsious ] rropese that their r~tarn thsy be
granted ''honessse di-chsrys" (to BE- eeasidered
choose 20 rvenlist 10 the service This would posses.
ivofoid virtuef fair nd ressroas treatment II part
lag invitatica - eosiinus member Of family
ssA 20 rsiss the standard 4 character among see
meu. 10 my design also Immediately 10 adopt In
ssy from end sss'a, s
they are t~entyns wars Of age The object in siev
' M 10 them W u arst srs. rrcei,ns
stating on cruise 10 make them praes,csI sesmss 70
teach them their youth 10 e~coms familiar With AL
the duties q Sscr shs r.auir~msss Of the service,
their proper moral End mental rsisag and tAus iscor
porss into the service, gradually but surely body Of
ssamen % be proud q 10 time. q pesee % Be- rssd
m al Glsavi rago
Mon that the number 81 the service should be
increased at iesst twenty ave hundred.
sAErss coRr~
The q arine oorpa constitutes most interesting, i'm
potant aud useful portion ~ the naval force Their
vice 10 equally effective land and They
armed and disciplined police shirboard Well tised
and drilled before being detailed Tor duty Of Of
the fact that they set apart 10 sustain the ocsrs
in command In the Of order snd the apprss
sns. sh.% sh s,oss "ss ana srs
AT the drumtap ~ put doe disorder dssobeSience
Recent Occurrences At ses, psisffnly esh IN theees'
lection Of ALL impress the mnd most vvtly Of the prac
teal value Of such body Of shipbcArd in
Of peril and alarm. when panic and disorder
often unnecessarily fruitful Of desolatloa and
death. But on land also their services have been
found ecienf either IA The Navy Yards shore far
from their eoansry. This corps accompany mea-cf
have sign. Med their vsior In many . aeid.
Their number nov Is entrviy toe small, aed ear
nestly recommend an increase, by which more time
would be allowed for their proper discipline and
drill rg before they ordered 10 sea their e6hc
ency rendered sfiii reliable sm satisfied also
that the crps could be improved aud elevated in chsrse
ter, ~ adopting some system OF appealing officers OF
mili'-iy cducstion and training.
YARps AND DOCKS.
We have now eight navy yards, inclusive Of tho one
in rapid Progress OF construction at Mare Island
California To keep these ysrds In proper condition for
useful service and u erect them the necessary baa
ipes and fixtures OCCASION the eSpendifare annually Of
large of money notwithstanding the diligence aud
viganc. 81 the chief OF that burrsu large appropr
tons will be from time 10 time required for the In
shsh ,sI sA, vii, &c, &
prices Of labor and material and the Of life
California still far higher than the Atlantic
coast
Ny immediate predecessor, (fSon. j. p. Kennedy, in
his last annual report ned the construction IL
basin and railway In conneeficn with the floating
tonol dock u California thus" No appropriation
made for the basin and railway without which the dock
cannot be safely or asefuly employed. submit IL 20
The decision Of Consre.s whether thee structures shoa
Congress subsequently, in the Naval Appropriated
BILL approved March 1855 adopted the following ssc.
tom
"And the Secretary Of the Navy j. hereby directed To
co !cte and carry into execution the verbal contract
Tor basin and railway In California in connection with
the floating dock, made by the late SECRETARY psr
Of authority for that purpose given the Get
September the twenty eighth thousand eight hun.
for the ns, service for the year ending the theh of
June thousand eight hundred and one aud AZ
stated in the letter Of the said late Secretary addressed
to the honorable Howell Cobb, Speaker Of the House
Of and dated the nty day Jan
uary, thousand eight hundred aud towards
the execution Of which hundred and city thousand
dollars Is hereby appropriated provided that In tbs jug
ment OF the Secretary such basin and railway
sary and will be useful 10 the public service"
In my last annual report, informed you that had
given the subject much investigation that my prc.c
tons decidedly in favor Of stone docks that Goa
gress however, had decided that = sectional floating
dock is preferable California that entertained the
opinion that basin IL necessary 10 render u safe when
large ship is locked for repairs which may expose
to months Of dangerous weather and that should pro
coed TO execute the contract unless Congress should 9th
erwisc direct.
The difcul,ies abcat the title 10 Mare Island we're
not removed until july last. Previous TO making the
contract, the opinion Of the Attorney General asked
Ms to the proper construction Of the Law, and he
advised that it mandatory in It's terms W the
amount 10 be paid and the execution Of the con.
tract il the basin and railway were decided 90 b.
sary and useful 70 the public service. He the
following Language: Thus far the terms Of the act
in my opinion, positively mandatory AMI II only
remains to discuss the prcviso 10 the clause, which
Provided That in the judgment Of the Secretary such
basin and railway necessary and viii b~ useful
the public service In all machines, great
small. arts are found which necessary 20 the
action, to the safety 10 the permanent vaiee Of
fha hat a nsrha nfr xfl.n a -