Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-12-23
THE SECRETARY OF TIE NAVY-NEED OF
ANOTHER REFORM.

| DEN ~ ~o'
THE SECRETARY OF TIE NAVY-NEED OK
ANOTHER REFORM.
Mr.. Dobbin was appointed to a seat in the Cabine
by the spontaneous preference of the Presdept, III
dependenty OF all outside puiinG and pressure aud
indeed, in direct defiance of electoral recommen
dation OF another Individual from the State
As the Cabinet is iu sort the privy council OF
the President, Its most essential function is 10
sis, his discretion with its collective wisdom, ht
aone is responsible for the policy of the Admnisra
tion and is ofthe greatest importance that there
should be perfect concert between the chief members
of the Executive department, one would naturally
conclude that they would be selected by the unbias
ed discernmeut Of ths President, with reference only
to individual fitness and ability and in utter disregard
of the claims Of clques, sections aud competing
didatss. In tho case of Mr.. Dobbn at any rate this
principle Of selection has been vindcated By the
most iucoutestite success II he had no very great
notorie,y at the time Of his appointment, he Will at
least re,ire from Office with reputation which is
commensurate with lhe limits of the country, and
which will endure as long as there is Navy TO re
dress the wrongs aud to maintain the honor OF the
republic. Too often experiment proves that the moi
.y and notorious politician may be better than
clever charlatan and that his capacity for tie pub
lie service in inverse proportion to his personal pre-
tensions Rarely indeed, do any Of our Distinguished
msn retire from office with uultnpared reputation In
stead of being difficulty and reproacl 70 Mr. DObbin,
responsible position has only given him an upportua
ty for the display OF his modest bu sterling abilities
and lie returns to private life with name all th'
more brilliant for the test which eItingnislies 30
many of our splendid statesmen. His reputation wll'
live not only in the tradition Of his iucorruptbe in
tegry and hi. diligence in the discharge OF duty
but in the historic record Of hose reforms which dis
tinguish his administration, and which have contri
busd so much to the character and efficiency OF the
American navy.
This imperfect appreciation Of the services OF Il
worthy public funeonary cannot be inappropriate
now that he is about to retire from Office; and il s al
the more opportune in connexion with the criticism
which we have to offer upon certain defect in the
administration Of the Department under his control
1t is the traditional policy OF The Government for
which no particular individual responsible, to main
tain a .quadron in the Mediterranean Sea and this
squadron generally represents the flower Of the Navy
I in respect both of and chips. Now, what ~ tho
sense OF such an arrangement No necessity car
be pen,ed in i,s defence: for though our commerc"
NAV have been exposed to depreciation when The
o pirates of the African shore ravaged the Mederrn
nsan there il certainly no nsed OF any such costly
apology for protection, now that the smallest srhoon
Or of the smallest Power is "a safe from violence and
n,ult in those waters the Roanoke is IN thu dock al
Gosport. Since the American victories over the Cor
ssirs Of Tripo aud the British bolnbarimcnt of Al.
viS. there is no apprehension OF danger to our com
merse, and no excuse for the Mediterranean squad
ron.
Perhaps come one nay is important to our rank
c. nation 10 display our power IN the Mediterranean
Our answer is, that tho best squadron we can main
tain in those waters only serves TO impress neishbor
pg nations with sense OF our inaignfcance. In com
= parisoa with the fleets which England France Russia
and Lesser power maintain in the Mediterranean
,be nrgest collection OF our finest ships and frigae'
would make q very poor spectacle. In this vie"
then it is better tina, We shond not attempt an erh
bitou which only serves defeat its object, aud to
l. disparsgs the power of the nation. .
Ays;n, come people have gu idea i'la' '.' p'',
. .saes OF squadron in the ~"'e'' u ':''
y .,;., !, tho protection of American rights
=, ,h. OTTOMAN domipons. To this argument the
reply is equally prompt aud satisfactory. Ihe
rights of American citizeas in respect OF per
.nn and nroperty, are as secure in the terrific.
~ of the Porte as Of any Christian Power. Be
sides, if there disposition TO violence, it would
not be restrained by any apprehension of harm from
the immediate presence of an insignificant squadron
OF ono steamer, single frigae, and a diminuvc
sloop. The distribution of the squadron implies the
usu Gciency OF this argument in It's favor for instead
Of cruising where the argument supposes American
rights to be in peril, we find it quietly anchored in
some .nu. port or traversing the Mediterranean
on an excursion of pleasure. Events of no very re
mote date admunish that we have more TO fear
from the ndiscretion Of SONS ardent Lieutenant, Or
tho bunders OF stupid Commodore, than to hope for
the protection Of American honor and interests from
the presence of SO small squadron in secure a
sea.
Certainly thsfe is nc special occasion for naval
force in the Mediterranean, any more than in the
Baltic and the waters of Northern Europe. Our in
forests in the latter region quite extensive and
quite as exposed to yole,ce i'll ;he other Yet we
have no squadron there, and we have suffered sort
Of Inconvenience in consequence.
AS we have already suggested, the idea Of main.
tanning naval force lhe Mediterranean, originated
in the necessity of curbns tha pratica prop-nstes Of
the Barbnry powers. After tho cause ceased to ope.
rate other influences combined to perpeuaie the ar
range,nent Nobody who is familiar with the opera.
tops Of rhe Mediterranean squadron, will want any
explanation of the secret of its existence. Cruising
in calm weather along the coasI Of SPAIN and from
the pillars of Hercules to the SympIegades; paus.
ing at the Piraeus long enough for a superficial
survsy OF tie monaI,ents Ct Grecian art, ard a
tI,a;. Hill, Naia thr.o
ing lesurely amoug the islands of the Egsan
SEQ; halting at Smyrna Tor purchase of figs and
Persian shawis; steering thence for Constantine.
ple and lingering there until the Sweet Waters are
visited and tue Sultan is in ali the nagnfcence
of orienta, luxury; ascending the Busphorus and
penetrating into the Euxine just far may be
patbe with the dscacy of the ladies' stomachs, yet
unused TO the horrors of sickness; returning by
the louian Isles and Venice ip cne direction, or by
Alexandria in another to view either the
Winged Lion of st. Mark or the mysterious SphicI
of Pharoah as the Commodores culture o. the taate
Of his female friends, may incline to the study OF
mediaeva or prinev al civilization, in the eoemn go.
ry of recent or remote decay leaving in time to
escape the fury Of Levener, and enchorng for the
winter in Naples or Genoa al some other port where
living is cheap, the climate genial, and the opera ex
celent this is brief bat correct history Of the or
binary operations Of the American squadron
ju the Mediterranean sea. 1t. movements ere
determined Sy the pleasure of tile Commodore
and Of the ladies, who accompany hira in Contempt
Of the orders of the Department And to make the
excursion as sgraeabs ros.hie he either selects the
steamer as bis nag chip, condemns it to the igno'
bls duty of q to~.1oat for the frgate. Meanwhile
he vindicates his pluck by ridiculous squabble Of
panctillio with some French Admiral with as little
brains as himself, and keeps up pre!en:e q sar,ous
e.r;, 4, r,-r,er of dijIy despatcbes to