Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-22
LORD NATHAN G0FF.
WHERE THE PRINCELY SECRETARY
or The NATIONS NAVY
Holds sway-Deseription Of His Cor
geous Private Apartments in the Grand
est Library Room in the World
Ths Secrstay's Daties-A
List ofAl Former Com
manders Of the
Navy.
PERSONAL eOsSlPAsoUTNATHAS, jR.

During the Revolutionary war, ano
for some years afterwards, the affairs o
the Navy were managed by bureau o.
the War Department. On the 18th o.
April, l79s, Congress enacted law "to
establish an Executive Department, &c
be denominated the Department oil the
NAVY" ltwas not until after the wal
of 1912 IS, during which the Navy
fought its way against heavy obstacles
into favor with the public, that the gov
ernment began to bestow upon the ser
vice the fostering care it merited at its
hands.
The Department is in charge OF Sec
retary Of the Navy, who is also a mem
Der OF
The Presidents Cabinet.
His subordinates are two assistant sec'
retaries, the chief clerk, chief OF the bu-
reau of wards and docks, chiei OF the
bureau of navigation, chief Of the bureau
of ordnance, chief OF the bureau OF pro-
visions and clothing, chief OF the
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Chief
of the Bureau of Construction and Re-
pair. Chief of the Bureau OF Equip
ment and Recruiting, and the Engineer
in Chief.
The Secretary OF the Navy performs
spch duties as the President of the
United States, who is Commander-in-
Chief. may assign HIM, and has the su-
perinteudence .of construction, man
ming, armament equipment, and en-
ployment Of vessels OF war. In short,
he has the general charge oi everything
connected with the Navy, and the exc
cation Of all the laws relating thereto
is confidc 4 TO him. All instructions to
officers in command OF squadrons or
vessels, all orders OF officers, commis.
sions of officers both in the Navy and
in
The Marine Corps,
appointments OF commissioned and
warrant officers, and orders concerning
the enlistment and discharge OF sea.
men are issued by him. The orders aud
instructions from the different bureaus
are issued by his authority, as are those
of the commandant OF the marine corps.
The first Secretary of the Navy (who
was also Secretary OF War; was General
Henry Knox. His successors have
been, Timothy Pickering, OF Massachu-
sets: James McHenry, OF Maryland; /;
next In l79S when the Navy Department
was first organized came George Cabot
of Massachusetts,; 1898, BENJAMIN Stod-
dert, Maryland; 1901, Robert Smith,
MARYLAND, 1906. Jacob Crowninshields,
Massachusetts; 1909, Paul Hamilton oil
South Carolina; 1918, William Jones,
Pannsylvaria; 1914, Benjamin w.
Crowninshields, Massachusetts,; ISIS,
Smith Thomp son, OF New York; 1873,
John Rogers, of Massachusetts,; 1926,
Samuel l. Southard, New Jersey; 1879,
John Branch, North Carolina; 1881 Levi
Woodbury., New Hampshire; 1884,
Mahlon Diekerson, New Jersey; 1888,
James X. Pauiding. New York; 1871;
A. p. Upshur, Virginia; 1913, David
Henshsw, Massachusetts; 1914, I. W.
Gilmer, Virginia; 1914. J. y. Mason, OF
Virginia; 1916, George Bancroft OF
Massachusetts; 1916, John Y. Mason,
Virginia; lS49. w. b. Preston, Virginia
1850, W. A. Graham, North Carolina
1852, ]. B. Kennedy, Maryland; 1888,
James c. Dobbin. North Carolinia; 1857,
islsc Toucey, Connecticut; 1861,
Gideon Wells, Connecticut; 1869. A. t.
Borie, PENNSYLVANIA; 1859, Il. NJ. Robe
son, New Jersey; 1877, Richard w.
Thompson. Indiana; 1881, Nathan God
Jr., West Virginia.
All West Nirg,nians are so familiar
with the lie and personal appearance oI
the
Present Secretary ofthe Navy
that | will not attempt any biographi'
cal sketch or description o! him. II
will be gratifying for them to know tha;
| Secretary Gotf has proven himself to he
a most popular, courteous and able 9th
| Ger of the government, in the high posi-
ton he now holds All with whom he
has come i'm contact have been greatly
pleased with him, especially the various
officers of the navy, who were quick &c
discern his shrewdness, remarkable per
cep,ion, and knowledge OF affairs. The
chiefs of all the Secretary's departments
speak in high praise OF his ability, al
well as his social qualities, and the same
opinion is expressed by all-the hops
that he will be retained under the new
administration. However, the Secretar!
is making no effort in that direction
and his most intimate friends say tina
he does not desire the position longer
| and il anxious TO ieturn to his old hOm,
in the Mountain State.
| IL is pretty well understood that rh'
| present Secretary can hold his place un
der President Garfield if he desires 1t.
The Navy Department occupies TIT
south half of the east connecting wing o
the State, War and Navy Department
building.
This Vast Structure
consists OK three harmonious building
| united by connecting wings, and togeih
er forming in design and execution, th'
finest editice of the kind in the world
| The style is the Roman Dor,c originally
treated. 1t combines the massive pro
portions OF ancient with the elegance o
modern architecture. The dimensions
from north To south are 50T feet, an,
from east Z. west 3i2 feet. The creates
heighth from the terrace level over a.
l3O feet There is a sub-basement anC
basement Of marine granite, and super
structure Of Virginia granite, comprls
inc four stories in the pavllions oi tht
north and south fscades, and one in TIT
roof. and five stories and one in IN,
roof in the east and west centre rsvil
ions. The whole is crowned b!
| an artistically designed MansarC
roof. The building was com
menceS in 1871, and is only two
thirds finished. Its cost is 5000, 900
The building has four facsdes OF equa
importance, the north and south anC
the east and west being respectively
counterparts. There are
Two Courts
into which there are four private car
riage ways from the east and west. The
est ini ives iacaies present the sp
pearance OF centre and two lateIa
wings. The. centre is connected with
the north and south by two wings
There are four grand entrances by the
north-south and sast-west centres OF the
pavilions approached by massive fight:
OF steps through the projecting porti
Goes. The platforms are of immense