The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-09
special Nolioe to subscribers.
at every point where American interests shall need ia
protection. and the work will be already done

4
| protection. and the work will be already done.
| Under different circumstances from those which now
exst--it we were not in the midst Of commercial aud
fancal embarrassnents II we were in our usual oondi
] on of an abundant and oyoriowing treasu-
yI should not hesitate TO recommend that resort
once To the general policy of miutaang more powerful
navy ON the ground that il is required for defence and
will be necessary TO maintain rights aud the honor
and character OF the country. Although il may be de
ayed vet tho time viii when this policy will
be forced upon under circumstances of great dsa,an
tage IL not voluntarily adopted. For the present how
ever shall reluctantly content myself with urging the
supply OF our immediate and pressing wants by the
sruction OF aarger number OF of the small
classes, such authorized By the act of Congress
of the last session. The addition Of ut least ten
vessels OF that description OF great speed light augb
and powerful armament their charact and Tonnage
will permit, is not only necessary measure but viii br
found to be efficient that Gamble devised rcur
ing small an expenditure of the public money.
The Naval Academy at Annapolis, under its presen,
superintendent Captain George s. Blake, continues to
give marked evidence of its great usefulness Fifteen
acting midshipnen graduated in June last. and Of
ty-six candidates for admission In September hyssis
were found qualified and admitted The number cf
acting midshpmen attached the academy is one
hundred and eighty nine
The board OF officers appointed to witness the annual
examination OF the classes, and report on the condition
OF the academy speak tsoraby of the police discipline
and general management of the institution They
in the recommendation of previous boards that the
standard of qualifications for the admission Of candidates
he raised or that of preparatory study be pro-
attainments They recommend that acting midshipmcn
be required to bind themselves to certain period
| after passing through the academic Of studies
that teachers of French and Spanish be attached to
ships ON foreign stations that laoceship be perma
nenty attached to the academy for the instruction Of tho
acting mdshipmen, and that every encouragement DO
held out to induce specially qualified by their pro
fesonal attachments and general good character 10
gage and remain permanently in this service
To enable me to accomplish this latter object and TO
transfer to the Naval Observatory where they aie much
needed, the naval professors Of mathematics nov
poyed at the academy would carneasy recommend
that authority be granted by Congress to do for the
has been done at West Point for the army organize
corps of professors at the academy composed Of civil
ins, with such compensation viii command the high
est abilities for this most important service.
The sloop ofwar Preble under Commander Craven,
having been detailed as practice ship with view to
the instruction Of the acting mlshipnen in navl-
cation and seamanshp, sailed from Hampton roads In
June last, with ninety pupils board The ports
Of Cherbourg and Cadiz and the Island Of Madeira
visited during the cruise and the ship returned to Nor
folk in September Commander Craven speaks In very
favorable terms of the zeal and proficiency exhibited by
the youths under his command and of the marked im-
provement they made during this short cruise III the
practical duties OF their profession His report Is here
with submitted
cannot omit to invite attention to The very made
quae provision that has been made for the acccmoda
tion of midshipmen at the Naval Academy. The mum
Der of misbipmen authorized by law Is AGA aud the
whole number IN the service is but 1856 OF these there
are at the academy lS9 while provision has been made
there for only $50 and there thrtytrcc congress
onal and territorial districts still vacant having mid
shpmcn at the academy elsewhere in the service The
academy is already crowded to overfowing and should
these vacancies only be filled, without filling the whole
number of vacancies in the corps which are now 228
the pupils could not be accommodated In this state of
things appointments could be made during the pres
year except from the districts which have mishp-
in the service As this is the only mode Of gaining
admission into the navy the way appears to be very ef
ectlaly blocked up and there is and must be- conse-
quently great deficiency of officers in the lower grades
of the service evil which cannot fail seriously to de-
tract from the efficiency of this great of the public
defence.
The present effective strength of the medical corps does
not exceed 50 surgeons and 10 assistants The Of
the service for the ensuing year Will require, for duty at
sea- 80 surgeons and 20 assistants for shore duty &c
surgeons and IL assistants making total of 65
gcons and 81 assistants required for active duty This
deficiency in the medical corps Of the navy cannot be
neglected without subcctng the lives Of those engaged
in this branch Of the public service unreasonable and
cupable exposure. The naval establishment has from
time to time been increased while corresponding In
has been made in the number Of medical officers,
that remaining nearly the forty years ago
Since the year 1915 Congress has increased the number
of captains from 32 to I6 OF commanders from la to
log of lieutenans from lao to 32' while the medical
corps, which then numbered I20 members, has but
49, including at least 20 who are ncacted for active
service. The recent addition Of considerable number
of steam vessels to the navy will necessarily in
creased demand for the services of officers ut nea while
the greater activity which prevails in L. and is likely
hereafter TO prevail will still further increase that do
mand TO meet the immediate wants of the service an
addition of 20 TO tho present number Of surgeons and az
many additional assistant surgeons will suffice With
that number the stations shore and vessels sea may
be supplied and short interval of relief from duty al
lowed an officer on his return from cruise.
There 6i purses in the navy OF these 81
duty, II shore duty, and IL on leave or
waiting orders. In the list of puisers leave are in
cuded those who, from age physical inirmity,
fit for duty and those who have just returned from sea
are engaged in settling their accounts. There are at
the present time 16 vessels in commission which should
have pursers but have In nine of these vessels
the duties OF puser reluctantly performed by the
inanng officer, who required TO perform them with
great exposure TO pecuniay loss, and with additional
compensation While he Is thus compelled to devote his
attention to duties not appropriate to his profession he il
placed in false position towards the under his COM
nand and in every question relating to their accounts il
required to be sole umpire between himself and them
IN puser Is assigned to duty for more than
vessel at the time when, Of course he is often
obliged without any immediate oversight 10 trust 10
the responsibility clerk such bc employed for
the small compensation allowed by law II would ba
advantageous to the service il Congress would authorize
the appointment OF small number of additional pur
Fifteen twenty would be sufficient for the pres
cnt.
In my last annual report IL recommended that the
pvates of the marine corps be increased 10 the number
of two thousand. The number at present is I56s OF
these 56s have been employed under the act Of March
g. Is49 authorizing the substitution of lancsrnen AZ ma
rines. Two hundred Of these have recently been tenn
porary substituted under the provisions of act for
the purposes of the Paraguay expedition. This NUN.
Der OF privates, agan recommended IL necessary