The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-11

ly called ia every ship but in my Judgment all the
duty they did can be better performed BY acting
ters mates or other petty officers which our improving
class Of able will abandantly supply, and which
every officer in command may create
Itisa mistake to suppose we shall want mdship-
mem and the assumption that shall hereafter want
them is the foundation Of The senator's argument
Mr.. ToOMBs Ny argument is that the law demands
them.
Mr. MALLORY. What lawq
Mr., T0oMBS The law Of la43, organizing the navy,
says that there shall be four hundred and eghyour mid
shipmep.
Mr. MALLORY If that were the questionf the law re-
qures an addition TO those the Naval Academy and those
doing service to make up four hundred and eighty
four hope that means will be taken 10 reduce all super
numerary midshpmcn but the senator is mistaken Bas-
much the law Of 1855 reduces the number of mdship
men by creating greater number Of masters.
with other arguments Of this character to which we
have listened, shall not delay the Senate. know that
there is intelligence enough and far than enough in
this body naval subjects to any such suggestions
at once and i s unnecessary for me to discuss them
The beneficial results OF the action of this naval board
have been the most surprising and those who have
thing 70 do with service it everywhere Heretofore
the Secretary Of the Navy in ordering ship unpleasant
sen duty has sometimes had to order from two TO six
officers in succession with the possibility of getting
What is the result now The Secretary of the Navy has
but to intimate desire for officer for any line of service
and forthwith he has many volunteers But short time
ago-and these not single instances-he wanted an
officer suddenly to go to the coast of Africa, station
dsagreeabe any to officers in service He sent for
OF the most brilliant officers nthe corps and without
giving him any orders he observed to him, 81 want
officer for the coast OF Africa when you be ready for
7" ~ believe the train starts for New York at
o'clock, and am ready now" the reply. A few days
after he wanted an officer to go for the Amelia at San
Domingo, vessel which consul there detained He
telegraphed to officer at Philadelphia and, lest
delay might occur he sent to the Coast Survey Office for
another. When the latter in, he said to him that he
wanted an officer to go to San Domingo When will you
be ready He made the same reply: can go this al
ternoon in the four o'clock train In the time the
officer from Philadelphia and claimed the right to
go, as he received the first order. 4. #.r.#..." .
is tha cririt AZ fltapn t,oSt1
ator from Georgia looks this remarkable and it is
remarkable and worthy Of notice. that the reform in the
navy has brought about this result saons which have
heretofore been regarded those to be avoided by every
political influence that could be brought to bear the
department not only accepted but accepted with
eageness and all naval duty under all circumstances
performed in the best possible MANNER. .. a. ..
Under these crcumst tanoes the Committee Naval Af-
fairs have brought forward tho bill before the Senate The
senator from Georgia and Others have dssented from its
provisions TO certain extent will not delay the Senate
with discussing the provisions of the bill but will say
that the provision for admiral is to which attach
very little Importance have not the slightest objection
TO the e, however, which gentlemen seri-
ously to object to- We want grade in service to
correspond with the highest grade of all the naves Of Eu
rope and il is unwse to withhold it from preu
dice against designation The fathers of the republic
had such feeling with regard to the grade Of admiral
records abundahty show.
The committee of the Continental Congress appointed
Ezekiel Hopkins commandern chief of the feet December
90, lTT5 (See American Archives 4th series vol g. D.
1850 General Washington addressed him admiral.
ssy this law it will be seen that Mr. Hopkns was no,
made captain, but the 'commander-in chea rank that
was intended to correspond in the navy to that held by Wash
ssn o%f' SUas he
frequently styled admiral in the papers Of the perod"
Coopers Naval History, VOL i, P. lo2
No "commander-in-chief" was appointed TO All the va
cancy occasioned by the dismissal Of Admiral Hopkins
though such measure recommended TO the national
Legislature by committee of It's own body August "a,
i7al
SHn
naval officers to the rank OF officers in the land service
should be: admiral general vice admiral lieu
tenantgeneral rear admiral, as major general COM
modore bTigadier general captain Of ship OF forty
guns and upwards colone captain of ship Of TWEEN
ty TO forty guns lieutenant colonel captain of ship
OF ten TO twenty guns as major lieutenant as captain
October 2e l779, Congress by resolution authorized
the creation OF "board of admiralty and in 1871 an
agent Of marine appointed TO execute the functions
of the board Of admiralty and those OF the several naval
boards which bad been previously authorized.
In March, lso0 Mr.. Secretary of the Navy Stoddert
earnestly recommended TO the chairman of the Naval Com
mtee Of the House Of Representatives that authority
should be given 10 appoint two admrals two vice admi
rails, and two admiras He impressed with the
conviction that by navy alone respect to
our rights as sovereign naon that the best interests oi
the country mperiousy demanded that this system OF de-
fences should be cherished and he believed that justice
and policy required that the brave and experienced officers
should be rewarded and the young stimulated by confer
ring long and extraordinary skill and vaor the usual
naval honors and distinctions" (See Naval Chronicle p
! $50 and also the public documents
NAVAL Chronicle p. 345, seq Coopers Naval History
vol /, Introduction, p. q, a seq
Admirals recommended by the following Secreta-
res Of the Navy Department See American State Papcr
Naval Officers PIP. 324 Bls sl5 90s, 9O9, Bl6, 9l3)
November 2S, 1914, By William Jones. American State
Papers--Naval Officers, p. 32i)
December 30 1919 by Smith Thompson (Do, p 6ls }
| December 2, 1922 by Smith Thompson and President
Monroe (P. 1857
January a. 1924 by Samuel L. Southland and President
Monroe (Pp. 907 900, 9l3.)
We have such fleets commanded by the admi-
rails Of other naval powers for limited number Of ships
compes 10 separate and scatter them almost sngy over
the face Of the Deep and hence must expect that
fret contest will he distinguished last
by u escapes from the squadrons and cts OF The
cmy aud brilliant single combats While the squadrons
Of other nations actively drilled and exercised In fleet
sailing exhibiting perhaps interesting spectacle rs
old witnesses-that Of numerous magnificent
ships instinct with life each perfect nnd independent in
ITSELF aud each filing s appointed place, and performing
its appropriate duty in formidable array Of power di-
rected and controlled by the signals OF tall admi
rnl-we have such school OF practice with our
limited navy. know Of but attempt nj fleet ma
BmuynF In service for the last quarter Of century
Tho tito Of admiral independent OF positive law
down 10 from carly naval history and is given TO the
highest grade in oil the nayia Of Europe think there
would be wisdom in adopting either this or some other
designation by which other naves would know that he
who bears Il possesses those powers is committed TO those
duties and IL entitled 10 all those rights, privileges and
immunites with which their highest officers invested
Our highest grade that Of captain the title OF commodore
has legal existence with and is conceded according
to taste courtesy This suggestion is based upon
any regard for empty ttes but upon dispsssonate re-
view Of the duties deyolyed upon naval and the
too frequent delays and interruptions TO which they
subjected in their execution.
Scarcely year passes that unpleasant misunder
standing does not arise between captains and the adj