New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-13
IA NAVAL AFFAIRs.

NAVAL AFFAIRS
The Report Of the Secretary of the Navy shows
that since the present Administration came into
power twenty steam mcn-of-war have been added
to the naval force. 1t should be understood how
ever, that seven of the twenty the poor affairs
which were bought into the service for the Para
gaay expedition, and that several Of the thirteen
which were built are not yet completed. We are
glad to see that great praise Is bestowed upon the
steamers /" Pensacola and Seminole which
were constructed at Pensacola navy yard the Re
port says that they are highly creditable to that
establishment and give full proof that " it is able to
build ship Of war in the best manner, and that in
point Of economy well skill, if is not inferior
to any other This is high praise, but it might
have been more decided for we have seen the fig
uros of cost which show that these Southern built
ships were constructed at third less than othes
built at the same time in the North. Speak.
ing of the Gulf navy yard of Pensacola in this con-
nection the Report holds this language: Situated
as il b the Gulf Of Mexico in the vicinity of the
waters where our ships must be employed for the
protection Of Of the greatest Interests Of the
country it eminently deserves certainly as much
as others, the fostering care Of Congress- We
hope that tile justice suggested VIII be done and
share in the division of the naval appropriations
Mr.. Secretary Toucey either don't understand
the force of words, or else he is slyly and grayey
sarcastic in talking about the attack on the Feeiee
islanders by Commander Sinclair, Of the ship Van
dala. Speaking of the march of the attacking ex-
petition, he says: an With indonitaole perseyer-
ance the expedition after nearly fpe hours march
reached the gillage,' where they yaliantly acnuit
ted themselves Possibly it NAV REQUIRE inlonita
BILE perseverance, in a party of sailor-warriors 10
march for nearly five hours all in one day but land
citizens soldiers do not consider task Of such
magnitude as to call forth very stern Spartan quail
tiles of endurance and determination. Wonder il
some Of the Secretaryts relations were not en-
gagged in the expedition to which he gives such an
extravagant hich-oifical pnff,-which wa sbonld
consider cheap at five dollars line, But nerhans
it was meant to be sarcastic--a solemn sort of a
| Joke.
This report as preceding ones have done. refers
to the scarcity of miashipmen in the navy. for
though an act OF Congress of 1913 authorized fnp,
hundred and sixty-four officers of this GRADE there
are now but one hundred and ninety seven mi5shin.
men in the navy, though its force otherwise ana
number of ships have been so much increased Tb.
deficiency Of these young, active and efficient off,
GERS has been partially supplied by rating enlisted
seamen and landsmen as masters mates Tho
Secretary does not venture hypothesis as TO the
cause of this state Of affairs or suggest fo,
| remedying the evil, we will yenture tn do botb
Promotion is go slow and the pay of the midsbin
man so small, that very few young men of charac
ter and enterprise be found willing to tie them
selves down to the service for life when thew might
be carving out far more brilliant future on land
in much more agreeable capacities. They know
that they must remain .smidshipmtes !, for many
years, then lieutenants for longer term and NAV
if they live to an old age, possibly become can.
tains. Hence many midshipmen are constantly
throwing up their commissions as soon AZ the nov
city of the life which charmed the Adventurous
spirit of boyhood wears away, and opens their ewes
to its drudgery and its hopelessness.
Inc remedy would be the providing of an eX-
tenaeo fetlfng list, to which all old officers who
haa seen certain number OF years Of service might
transfer themselves on full pay and with chance of
promotlon by death within the ranks of that list
only leaving the active service open to the active
participants. This would induce the retirement Of
many ana leave the field open for young men to
rise, WMie sufficient number of veterans would
prefer not to retire and ensure an abundant supply
o. experiences ABILITY for important positions in
~, " ou aa h'on. ehe expense ac-
- " ..o Aa.a1 es.aoishiieht, us also would
ie ot easing " tiie saiafles OF midshlpmen which
ought to be done, but which would render the in
crease of the emolumenfs of otber ,.r,ao. .,..