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


protection in 1917 10 merchant marine This
is entirely exclusive too of the immense acquisition Of
board which naval forces called upon protect
Since 1915, our merchant tonnage has uebled while TO
protect IT. we have ortyour guns aoa less than at that
time The result will be more remarkable II apply this
calculation TO the sea-board Great Britans mercantile
tonnage this time is four millions four hundred and
twenythree thousand and nnety-two the best stas-
tics that can hndone million two hundred and thirty
thousand hundred aud forynne less than
Now without finding any precise statistics this point
will merely observe here volunteering the suggestion
that this calculation is only approximately right must
vary somewhat BECAUSE by early act OF the present
Queen, the manner of calculating mercantile tonnage In
Great Britain is widely different from They
mate in single as we'll doubledecked vessels the
tua capacity and any particular vessel of theirs would
hardly ton as much as similar one of ours by sys
ten. Our tonnage, at all events may BE set down at a
million greater shan theirs #.
According TO her Naval Register in 1856 Great Britain
has her list six hundred and ninetysix ships carrying
fourteen thousand mine hundred and twenty guns.
OF these vessels four hundred and nineteen seeners
carrying four thousand hundred and eveny-seye
guns. She has therefore, fy-hree vessels than
have guns aoat This is condition of things very we'll
deserving attention. While have gun to pio-
tect every eight thousand hundred and ss tens Of
merchant tonnage she has twenty-five and veeghhs
guns to attack it, This is the condition Of navy with
reference to Great Balns now and this is the condition
of tbs which navy would be called upon
protect and her navy TO attack AT the recent review at
Spihead the accounts Of which senators have all seem
she had two hundred and forty shps-owa OF various
classes in first rate eagoing condition. in the very high
est state of discipline ready to leave port on eicr-
gency at an hours notice or all those vessels believe
there but two that not Steamers These steam
of forty-fye thousand horsepower and carry
thrty-three thousand seamen. Our utmost complement
is thousand FIVE hundred 1t appears from the
evidence taken before the parliamentary committee the
British navy and enlistmens, that in l64S before the
Eastern began, and before preparation had beef
made for it. there we're thousand seamen and
eight thousand In the British navy exclusive of
Der India navy which, by the bye is not only nursery
for her seamen but very important branch OF her naval
service .af@.ss 5e ast H. a
Mr. PUGH Allow me to ask the senator question
He has stated the number of ships and the number of
The question TO which desire to direct his aten
ton is whether the number of officers in the navy not
grossly dsproporcnate to the nhmber of ships and gross
ly disproportionate to the number of seanien a.E
Mr. MALLORY If our officers in the navy were COM
fined to ships alone and all regarded as fit for
active duty every day sed free say there
than the present number OF ships In the navy de-
mand but the officers OF our navy employed In various
The coast survey employs large portion OF them
do not know the precise number but there are alto
gethcr perhaps one hundred doing this and similar duty
famarizng themselves with the coast OF the country
surveying all the important harbors, and becoming first
rate Dots and in home sauadrons every coastsurvey
officer acquires matter OF course information OF the
first consequence to the naval deeces Of the country
If therefore, TO conne our officers TO the active
going ships in service, the number would be dis
proportional to the duty but the country has always
looked to the officers as nucleus around which to expand
the navy mt breath You may extend the navy, II you
have officers possessing the proper professional educaon
precisely West Point during the Mexican war; sent Its
teachers and professors In the share Of It's graduates
throughout the volunteer corps of the servc nd eayened
it with military knowledge; and much of the success of
volunteers in Mexico owing TO the scientific at
tainmens leavened by the influence Of West Point We
may supply deficiency in ships at very short notice
but good officers to command them the results only
OF time and careful training In this view Of the question:
the country has kept the supply of naval officers beyond
the active demand on sea for lis limited ships and has
found duty for them in the coast survey and elsewhere
ard for the reason, Congress has egsated them into
the seagong ships Chartered by the to carry
the mails
Mr. PUGH wish to press my inquiry one step fur
ther for desire 10 be informed this question IL see
stated not only by the senator from Georgia, but In the
report OF the committee, or all events in paragraph
from speech made in the House of Representatives,
quoted by the committee that large number OF officers
ia the navy have been in service for many years. that
they have been at home their farms and plantations
engaged Ia other pursuits and wish TO know what
number Of officers is appropriate for the ships in service
seagong ships and for the coast survey
service and for the ships which have ordered by the
bill passed at this session wish to know that for the
purpose of guiding my own Judgment in voting for or
against the proposition OF the senator from Georgia. 10 re-
| duee the number of officers In the service.
| Mr. MALLORY. have not In my mind now the exact
number Of efficient ships in our service or course the
number very limited and the interest OF the country
ques that they should be increased should be opposed
to any POLICY which would increase diminish the mum
ber Of officers as the ships might be diminished wear out
become renewed from time to time. therefore cannot
answer precisely the wishes IL how many OH
GERS are necessary to the efficient ships of the service
giving presume he wants to give the necessary
e and leaves Of absence 10 supply deficiencies vacan-
ces &c not able At this moment to supply that but
will obtain the departments views the point for the
SENATOR IL he desires it.
| Mr. TOOMBS That Is n question easily answered. You
get 1t mathematicay by the complement tables Of
the navy and the lists of those who aoa We have
now but eight thousand seamen according TO the compile
ment tables. You cannot by possibility If you put them
In the classes requrcd employ than eleven captains
in the whole OF our ships If you wish to employ more
than that number captains must have more seamen
We now have in the service sixtycght captains OF whom
employ eleven with eight thousand scsmen and IL you
employ thirty captains at the same ratio you
would be compelled to increase the number Of seamen In
the navy TO twenty-five thousand.
Mr. MALLORY. think the senator entirely mistakes
the character the navy when he that employ
but eleven captains There s law whatever that limits
any particular employment to any particular grade
Mr. TDONBS. There is n law In the statute book de-
clarug that captain must be appointed TO twenty
ship.
MIR MALLORY know of no such law, but know
very well that captains employed on tweniy-gun
ships.
Mr.. TooMBs. A twcnty-guu ship Is the lowest com
maud for captain by Law.
Mr. MALLORY That is the smallest ship In the service
and Of course he cannot command nny smaller one but
the inquiry of my friend from Ohio is limited TO the mum
Der Of officers for legitimate duty. believe he excludes
duty navy-ysrds and similar service.
Mr. PUGH. No. sir, meant to include those commands
usually assigned to naval officers wish TO get at the
number Of officers doing duty from year TO year. who
be advantageousy put out Of the navy wish to Know
the number Of officers who remain shore many years
without doing duty.
Mr.. MALLORY That is precisely what the Committee
Naval Affairs have endcayored to show and when they
submitted the first bin for retired list at the last Congress
they rendered report giving the number OF officers who
had remained shore for years and showing precisely
how many captains commanders and euenants had been
on shore doing nothing for period of The senator
fad In Tho