New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-05

tley should M matter of coufe be kep'in state f
practical efficiency for the purposes for when they e1
lat. There IL no tenabe middle pOsion between u'o
maintenance Of the navy-yads in the best and mot
efficient condition accomplish the objects for when
they were established, and the absolute abandonment
Of the navy Itself.
have therefore, presented an estimate mace by the
Chief If the Bureau of Yards and Docks, and 70 DC
found in his accompanying report Of the expenditure
which will be necessary TO carry forward improvements
in the uayy-yards, provided Congress shall ceem IL
expedentto resume its former policy, and TO prosecute
it during tie next fscal year.
Will view 10 insure the greatest practical ofcien-
cy by removing and excluding abuses, and obtaining
for expenditure full equivalent in labor, the navy
yards have recently been placed under Uniform sys
TEN of organization, apFlied equally TO all Of them,
which seems TO 10 well calculated these OBJ
iects. They are commanded each by Captain OF the
Navy, who has authority In the gard analogous TO tbt
Of the commander Of a ship at tea. lie is responsine
that every do bis duty. He has tie power 10 CTS,
mics any one for neglect misconduct except naval
officers and master workmen, whom, in such case, H
his duty TO report to the Department In order 10 IN
capable master workmen, they are required 10 oe
examined BY boerd of naval officers, who must report
them fully qualified for their duties before they can re-
eeive their appointments. They are immediately re,
sponsible for the worhmen employed under them, ana
therefore they have tie selection Of them subject to
the approval Of the COmmandan; and II Is his duty at
Gil times 10 limit the number to the neCessles OF the
service. The duties Of every officer IN the yerd are
specifically defined by regulation. 1t has been the OBJ
jet Of the Department TO improve and elevate The con-
dition Of the master mechanics ard other civilians,
and 10 increase their responsibility Under this ys'
tenn it i impossible that abuses should exit without In
yclvng tie cOmmandant and the cOpe OF naval officers
under his command Even ii il should happen, as may
sometimes be the case that few men Of the lboring
classes in public EMPLOYMENT earning q subsistence by
the sweat of their brow, shosh receive somewhat
than equivalent for the labor Of their hands,
it would not by any be Tie greaiest evil that
happens under Government nor be sufficient reason
for abandoning convenient and necessary public works
All history shows that the eafs Of working men do
not usually receive too high reward for their labor
and If Government never suffers poeuuaIiy except by
them the extent Of the injury will not be alarming
NAVAL ACADEMY.
The Naval Academy under the superintendent OF
CAPT. George S. Bike, is ia admirable condition.
twenty-five acting midshipmen, graduated IN June;
l3j candidates permitted to be examined Tor al.
missions 36 failed TO present themselves or were found
disqualified and 90 were examined and admitted
The adopted year ago OF pacing the fourth
class on board the toop-ofwar Plymouth attached TO
the Academy Las proved entirely successful have
csused the figste Constitution TO be subsuedf lot the
Plymouth, ard to be anchored In TIE harbor Of Anna
polls for the accommodation Of the fourth cass. Inc
historic recollections associated with this slip VIII
exert salutarS influence tie minds Of youth de-
voting themselves 10 tie naval service 1t acoommo-
dates all the eectiOns OF the Fourth Class, win STUDY
and recitation rooms, and tie officers and acting mid.
shipmen and the Of The ship, with tleeling and
mefs apartments.
A Board Of Officers consisting of Commodore f. A. F.
Iavalette, Capt. WIN. 81. Glendy, Capt Cadwalader
RinggOld Commander Cicero Price and Commander
Wm. Rogers Taylor, was appointed III May. last to
Wines the examination OF tie classes OF aching md
shipTen, and to inquire into TIE state oil tie police
discipline and general management Of the Academy.
They have made favorable report OH all the subjects
submitted to them. On their arrival at Annapolis, the
fourth class had already leen examined 10 hasten
their departure in the practice ship The hrst, second
and third classes examined in the resence Of tie
Board and made most gratifying exhibition ct their
requirements in the academic sfuGes ard In the prac-
teal exercles Of gunneTy, field artillery infantry lac.
tics and broad and sml swords. The Board observed
with pleasure the progressive advancement IN profess
ioDd requirements from the lower to ne higher clss
es and particularly the proficiency Of The graduating
cass which has left the institution with ground
work Of professional education promising great future
usefulness TO the Navy and 10 the country The police
ard discipline Of tie institution have been most care
fully preseryed It's records show gradual diulnu-
ton OF the number found deficient al tie examinations
since 1855. In that year those found deficient were
% per cent Of the whole numbers in lS56,-l9I per
cent; in 1857, ISi per cent; in 1853 La per cent; in
1882 AZ per cert, and for the first hall $780, 10 per
cent. The grounds, public buildings and apparatus
are in excellent order, with the exception Of the
wooden structure covering the guu-hatcry and maga-
zine, which IL insecure and should be renewed. Tue
plan Of keeping ship permanently attached to the
Academy as a home fer the fourth class Is highly ap-
proved az valuable addition TO the means Of instruc-
ton rs well accommc daion. The Board of Officers
Supernterdent and Lis associates, and shy that the
Institution Las prosyered in their hands, and provides
for the Navy high standard Of general and profess
sonal knowledge. 1 concur in these views.
The praciice-slip Plymouth, Commander Thomas +.
Craven, left Norfolk June27 with III acting MidsLp
men on board to make her annual cruise. She visited
tie ports of Fayal, Cadiz, funchal, in Madeira, and
Sann Cruz, in Tenerifie returned to Hampton koads
on tho Sd OF September and spent the remainder OF
that month i'll various moneuyeIs ior instruction In
Chesapeake Bay
Comuander Craven commends the proficiency Of the
frst-cass in navigation and seamansi ip Ills class
navigsted the ship from Tenerfe to Hampton Reads,
performing with accuracy tie duties Of watch officers.
Their observations for ascertsnng the position OF the
ship were 70 reliable, that Con mander Craven felt
uefect confidence in the correctness OF their work
He perceived IA very great improvement in the third
class Of this wear oyeI that Of the former year arising
from their having BEEN during the bait academic year,
20 thoroughly Drilled on board the scbool-ship. lie
SAYS " the very great advantages obtained by the
Junior, or Third elasr. ever the hrst-ch,S, IN praGi
seamanshp and their very superior efficiency and use
fitness when prompt assistance was required, IN the
management Of TIE yards, sails, &c. exhibited itsel IN
a remarkable degree"
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.
Dining the past year the suppression OF the AiIican
ssye-trade has received attention, and the work has
been prosecuted with yieor. Tie following vessels
engaged IN the traffic have been captured and sent IN
for adjudication namely: the brig Delicia, captured
December 81 1859 by tie sloop-Oiwar Constellation,
Capiain John s. Nicholas of Kahenda, tie coast
of Ailics and sent into Charleson brigantine Viz
ginian captured in Congo River, February o 1860 by
he sloop-cf-war Portsmouth, Commander John Cal
honn and sent into Norfolk bark Wildre, captured
in The old Bahama channel, April 20 1860 by tho I.
:. steamer Mohawk, ieut.-COmmandlng 1. A. d.
Craven, and sent into Key West with her cargo OF I'VE
hundred and thirty Africans, Of whom hive hundied
aud seven were delivered to the Marshal; brig Fal-
mouth captured oil Porto Prnya, May 6 1860, by the
loop-of-war Portsmouth, Commander John Calhoun,
and cent into New-York; bark William, captured oh
the coast of Cuba. May . 1860 by the L. s. steamer
Wysndo.t, Lieut. Commanding Fabius Sanley, and
sent into Key West with her cargo of FIVE hundred and
a, -bnu Eva lup1rpd and thirteen