The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-05-22

III, ,017 tons of the 50 effective ships, |
the tonnage is 83,869 tons. The wear
and tear of ships of war is from one-sixth
to one-tenth, and that is the amount which
yearly has to be repaired or replaced
The tonnage of the effective portion Of the
navy being SO, ,S89 tons, and that of the
commercial marine of the United States
being estimated $500 900 tons, the ratio
is less than one-sixtieth. Under existing
laws there is no promotion from the grade
OF seamen or apprentices to the rank of a
commissioned and commanding officer
They are alone eligible to the grade of
warrant officers, such as gunners, boat
swains, sailnakers and carpenters. Com
missiCDed officers enter at the Naval i
| Academy as acting midshipmen; and if
| they pass through the academic course
successfully, they are placed in the line o:c
promotion. Now, fellow citizens, you can
F.! form an estimate Of the immense extent
! Of our commercial marine, far exceeding
| that of any other nation-even her who
once held, but now no longer justly holds,
! the proud appellation Of "lIistress of the
| Seas" The extraordinary skill and eu-
! ergy of our seamen-the wealth and rap
idly increasing development of our nav
igating interest-the opening of new mar
kets, even to the hitherto closed ports of
Japan, are evidences of growth and pros
perity unparalleled in any previous age
Then carefully examine the diminutive
naval force provided by law for its protec-
! ton. | speak with freedom of the navy
as an arm of the public defence, without
intending the least disparagement to the
accomplished statesman who Immediately
presides over that department of the
! general government, or designing to i'm
pugn the integrity, fidelity and patriotism
Of those who have and are still deYoting
| their services TO this most important branch
OF the public services. My fellow-citizens
! consider the enormous expense and the
| limited protection which our navy affords.
! BY recent act Of Congress, interfering in
regard to the personnel of the navy, to
my deep regret, the operation of the law
/ bore with great and undue severity upon
many brave and gallant man, identified
with the glory and honor cf our arms
! Then, again, much of the present material
/ of this arm Of defence must necessarily
/ have fallen behind the improv ements Of
/ the age, whilst the immense cost Of main
! tanning the establishment constitutes
| fourth or fifth Of the whole income of
/ the government Well, what are we 10 do
in regard to this great interest, in view of
the present and rapidly expanding growth
OF our commercial marine At present
the means of protection into tonnage is
less than one-sixtieth of the interest to be
protected, and what will be the disparity
| if, with advancing and increasing CONNER
! aIa Tho . a-at,r la,,t
even should it suffer no serious decay or
diminTtion 1t must be obvious TO the
most casual observer that some new and
efficient system is necessary to have this
| great commercial interest, and the means
| by which it is to be protected, bear some
proportion to each other. How is this to
be accomplished Suggestions that seek
| to make radical changes should always be
| advanced with hesitation and distrust
! yet all great improvement in government
has hitherto sprung from the experience
CT the people themselves, who are usually
in advance Of their rulers In whatever
most concerns their own prosperity and
welfare. Well, my friends, 1t occurred
to me that the general government should
| hold out some inducements to our great
commercial marine to aid in protecting
itself That, under the sanction Of law,
with ample guards and restrictions, there
should be organized. Militia Navy, an
arm of defence corresponding to that en-
/ ployed by the government in the land
service, under our enrolled militia system,
by which shipowners should receive en-
couragement and aid by law, in construc-
/ ton OF their vessels, so as TO make them
capable OF bearing guns, if required ia
/ the service Of the country. That the
! Captains and subordinate officers be com
missioned in the name of the general gov
ernment, upon some equitable plan that
will give them rank and emolumcnt in
proportion to the demands upon their time
and service in the new capacity of repre-
senting the naval power of the Union
That the humblest youth who enters az a
cabin boy or in the lowest capacity as a
seaman, should be educated and trained
in his honorable, though adventurous
aud dangerous profession. That not only
in the navy proper, but in this new SER
vice, In which the interest Of commerce
and the naval power Of the Union viii be
represented. These suggestions though
not sufficiently matured to present the
working of the entire system, are offered
for your consideration, IN the hope that
they may engage public attention, IN CON
nection with this important subject, and
that some plan may be nanred which
shall contribute tp further advance the