CHAPTER 6.
Efforts of naval officers to establish a naval school - Views
of Captains Stewart, Tingey and Evans in 18]4 - Views of the Mid-
-shipmen of this period - Their opposition to trie promotion of
sailing Masters - Naval Regulations of 1818 - Examination of Mid-
-shipmen - First practice cruise for Midshipmen in 1817 - Lieuten-
\. -ant Mackay's warning voice - Naval officers as writers - Naval
progress between 1830 and 1840 - Depot of Charts and Instruments -
The Naval Lyceum - Chaplain Jones's letters - First professional
book by an American naval officer - Revised Regulations of 1835 -
Second practice cruise of 1839 - Lieutenant Mackenzie's plan of a
naval school - His strictures on tho naval uniform of his day -
His proposed uniform for the navy - Action of officers on board the
"Constitution" and "Vandalia" in 1835 - Plan of Lieutenant Powell -
Chaplain Jones's plan - His efforts in Washington - Secretary IJp-
-shur's failure to establish a school - Commodore Stewart's views
in 1842 - Efforts of Lieutenant J.IT.Ward - Effect of the discussion
of the subject of naval education by naval officers.
The earliest expression of opinion by American naval officers
upon the subject of naval ediication is found in the replies of Cap
tains Stewart, Tingey and Evans to a circular Ietter1 (f ,n. ^ This
letter was dated November 17, 1814. Secretary Jones's report to
the Senate Committee was dated March 18, 1814.) from the Senate
Naval Committee, forwarded in 1814, to every Captain in the service
with the request that each should give his views in regard to eer-
-tain plans of naval organization and reform discussed in a report
of Secretary Jones. In response to that portion of the report
Chap.6. - 1 - (p.l of ms.)
recommending the establishment of a naval school on shore, the fol-
-1 owing opinions were given:-
Gaptain Charles Stewart, commanding the frigate Constitution,
Boston Harbor, November 26, 1814. "The best school for the in-.
-struction of youth in the profession is the dock of a ship, pre-
-suming that none would be offered or received into the service,
as Midshipmen, whose education had not been such as to fit them for
officers, and calculated for gentlemen. To derive advantage from
expenditure, and induce that corps of officers to pursue their pro
fession in time of peace, through private service, I would allow
no half pay to Midshipmen, except for such term as they can produce
a journal of their voyages, and certificates of the Master or owner
of the vessel, countersigned by the collector of the port. By
this means, many will be induced to pursue that calling to acquire
the essential knowledge of seamanship, the properties of different
species of vessels, an acquaintance and familiarity with coasts,
coimtries and nations; a knowledge of their marine, commerce and
fortresses; the genius of the people and their language; which
would be essential to them as officer's, and important to the nation
It would enable them to form a true estimate of the requisite force
for the attack of any point, place or object, and the seasons best
calculated for expeditions and enterprises with the least hazard to
themselves, when they should, be called to execute the object, or
plant the standard of Our Union over the humbled foe".
2. Captain Thomas Tingey, at Navy Yard, Washington, December
10th.,1314. "It is firmly believed that a Naval Academy will have
an amply beneficial effect on the Naval Establishment, and tend to
Chap. 6. - 2 - (p. I,'3, of ms. )
preclude the probibility of public ships and vessels falling under
the management of incompetent, uninformed men",
3. Captain Samuel Evans - at Navy Yard, Brooklyn, December
6, 1314 - "Such an institution would unquestionably be productive
of great advantage to the service".
Captains Bainbridge, Decatur, Hull, Morris, Perry, Porter,
Shaw and Warrington were silent upon the subject of a naval school.
This inquiry was made in the midst of great excitement caiised
by our naval triumphs, which perhaps accounts for the inattention
of so many distinguished officers to the educational project of
t
Secretary Jones. In fact, the young Captains of that day were too
much absorbed in the struggle upon the sea to discuss a subject
which involve-i such a radical change in established ideas. As a
class, they were self-educated men, well versed in the seaman's
art, and the great majority of them believed with the gallant ,Stew-
-art, that all the needed accomplishments of a naval officer, could
best be acquired on the deck of a ship-of--.war. The events of the
hour and their own brilliant example, seemed to corroborate this
view of the case, and many years elapsed before the now theory of\
naval training found willing acceptance in the higher ranks of the
service.
What the opinion of the Midshipmen of this period in regard to
the proposed naval school may have been, we are not informed; but
it appears they were sensible of the want of better education.
In a memorial addressed to the Senate, January 16, 1815, by a large
number of Midshipmen, protesting respectfully against the practice
of promoting sailing masters to the grade of Lieutenant, their ed-
Chap.6. - 3 - (p. 2,3 of us.)
-ucational status is thus alluded to - "Your memorialists beg
leave further to observe that the extent of their information and.
acquireme/its depends only in a slight decree upon themselves.
Thoy have been separated at a very early age from thoir families
and friends, anci made, as it were, the wards and children of the
public. The education they may have received depended riot upon
their parents, guardians or private preceptors, but on the consti-
-tuted authorities of the Country and on the teachers of their
choice. Your memorialists, without presuming to praise themselves
hope they will be found to have availed themselves of every oppor-
-tujuty given them for acquiring knowledge. But if there could be
any doubt that a Midshipman regularly serving his time in thff Navy
of the United States, i;- fit for promotion, they with the utmost
deference, submit, whether that great ovil would not be better re-U«-
-rnedied by devising some more effectual p*i#. for their education,
than by promoting over their heads st--angers entering from the
merchant service". 1 (f.n. ^ American State Papers - Naval Affairs
Vol.1, p.360.)
The inference to be drawn from this statement is, that Mid-
-shipmen had been receiving some theoretical instruction; but not
such as could aid their advancement in the service in time of
peace. Their modest suggestion of a better system of edxication
was not heeded by the authorities who, perhaps, supposed that the
appointment of schoolmansters, already s^jacti^ed by law ^(f.n. ̂ Act
of Congress approved January 2d.,1813.) , would be a sufficient
remedy for the evil complained of. It will be shown, however,
that this expedient was a failure from the start and could not be
Chap. 6. - 4 - (p. 3 of ;ns.)
depended, upon to prepare Midshipmen for their examination for pro-
-motion which was the sole object of all the early attempts at edu-
-cation in the Navy. Yet, wo find that the Board of Navy Commis-
- sioners who, by authority of CongressJCf.n.^ The Act of February
7, 1815, "To alter and amend the several acts for establishing a
navy department", created a Board of Navy Commissioners as an ad-
-junct to the Navy Department, and authorized their Board to pro-
-pare rules and regulations for the better government of the Navy.
The original regulations of 1802 needed revision in many particulars
to adapt them to the altered state of the Mavy at the close or the
war with England, -1815 - and it was not unt ' 1 1818 that the new
regulations we re issued. The Commissioners who discharged this
important duty were Captains John Rodgers, David Porter and Stephen
Decatur.) prepared the revised regulation of 1818 made the condi-
-tions of promotion more severe.^(f.n. See Chapter 6 for the re-
-quirements for promotion in 1818.) It seemed absurd to require
of candidates a knowledge of arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry and
astronomy in addition to the professional branches, without giving
them facilities for the study of those subjects, and we can account
for this anomaly only upon the hypothesis that the Board of Navy
Commissioners sought to fix a standard for the future which might
possibly be reached under some system of naval education.
A few captains of this period took particular interest in the
professional welfare of the Midshipmen. Among these was captain
William Eainbridge, at whose suggestion the U,3.Brig "Promethens"
of 1?, guns, and commanded by Alexander S Wads worth, was dispatched
in 1817 with a large number of Midshipmen on a criiise of iristruc-
Chap.6 - 5 - - (p.4 of rns. )
-tion aloi^g the coast of the United States. This was th^ first
practice cvuu.se for Midshipmen in our Navy, and it is stated that
great benefit VMS derived from it in every kind of professional
work, including the surveying of harbors, ana coast lines, in which
young officers had not been previously exercised. If this suc-
-cessful experiment had been repeated yearly, there would have
grown up on board the "Promethens" a school both of practice and
theory worthy of the name and adapted to the wants of young offi-
-cers, But the inactivity of peace, in despite of nov.- regulations
commenced to tell unfavorably upon the tone and spirit of the ser-
-vicet apathy succeeded energy among officers of all grades, and GO
rapid was the decline of the once efficient Navy of the United
States, that in 1828 one of its most active minds made the inorti-
-fying confession that "it were better to dismantle and sell our
chips, and turn the officers adrift to seek a livelihood in some
other way". Moreover, in the years succeeding the war with En-
-gla.nd there occurred frequent duels in the Mediterranean and olso-
-where between our officers and English naval officers resulting
from trifling causes, and such was the pugnacious spirit of the
midshipmen, that they often fought each other when an enemy of the
right sort could not be found. The young captains were inclined
to be autocratic, on board their ships, beyond the limits of the
regulations; Commodores' fists were shaken in Lieutenants' faces,
and if some Midshipmen were not pitched overboard it was not from
any tender consideration "or them. Indeed there was a time (1816)
when 54 Midshipmen serving in the Mediterranean squadron addressed
memorial upon the subject of their ill-treatment to the President
Chap.6. " - 6 - (p.4,5, of ms.)
of the United States, James Monroe, praying him to urge Congress to
enact a law "holding sacred our feelings from abuse, and our per-
-sons from injury, until duly convicted of offences for which suit-
-able punishment shall have been awarded by a competent tribunal".
(f.n.-. 1 American State Papers - Vol.1.) It must have been an ex-
-treme necessity that compelled so large a body of Midshipmen to
the .unusual step of officially charging their commanding officers
with repeated breaches of discipline and of the 15th. Article of
( 'J ' W>\*\ But the .ndnola Navy was aroused at length by the warning voice
of a young Lieutenant, whose manly virtues and professional attain-
-ments commanded the respect of the '-/hole service. We allude to
the gallant and accomplished Daniel H. Mackay2( f. ri. ?< Lieutenant
Llackay was lost in sloop-of-war Hornet in 1829.), not yet forgotten
by the veterans of our Navy, This officer in the "American Pjuar-
-terly Review" of 1828 pointed out the necessity of immediate re-
-forrn, and called attention to the revolution which steam ships and
Paixhan guns were about to inaugurate in naval warfare.
We had superb ships in those days - such as the north Carolina
This fine vessel carried on her crtiise a library of 4000 volumes -
a taste for reading and study was cultivated on board - her crew
numbered 920 men, and al-hough rated as a 74 she carried 92 guns.
Her officers heard a good deal of talk at Malta and Gibraltar of
war sure to come with the United States in consequence of the
President's proclamation just arrived out there.
Tie was followed by Lieutenant A.S.Mackenzie, who, in the
"North American Review" of April, 1830, eloquently exposed the
Chap. 6. - 7 - (p. 5 of rns.)
wants of the service, and contended that no organization thereof
could, be effective without a naval academy. This view' of the sub-
-ject was also sustained by Lieutenant L.M.Powell, in an unpublinh-
/f- -ed manuscript (1836), by Li eut enant L . 3'1 . Maury in the "Southern-£
Literary Messenger" (1840), and by a host of anonymous writers
betwe-en 1830 and 1845, in"Nile$' s Register" "Stewart 1 s Naval Magazine"
al"The Nation^ Gazette", "The Military and Naval Magazine" "The Army
and Navy Chronicle", and other publications of a less pretentious
i
v
i Laidont in Stoektou g i < T h t i ^ g a n v» q t. r> /» v -K nn . ,
£A*.
in command of the Erie as a Li eutenant, ̂ happened
to make a remark which a Midshipman commented upon in the L'
-ant s hearing in a manner conveying the impression that the lat-
-ter was taking advantage of his superior rank. In order to check
the tendency of yountf officers to speak disrespect. fully of their
seniors, he accepted a challenge from the irate youngster, and af-
-ter rnceiving the latter 1 s fire, discharged, his pistol in the air.' 17*^.Ju • ~
This had a good effect. Aft or- tho wa-r English naval of ficers^hec-
-tored ancl bullied offic-.rs of other nations and manifested par-
-ticxilar spite against Americans, Stockton felt called upon to
fight a duel at Naples with an English naval officer, whom he
wounded: also with an English Arrny officer at Gibraltar, whom he
wounded, and he accepted a challenge from all the officers of his
regiment, but the Commodore of tho American squadron prevented
further proceedings. Other duels followed lat.er, in one of which
Stockton again wounded his opponent, and by subsequent deeds of? /rivi.8 .- ', y&)
daring, enthused the whole population of Gibraltar, Finally the
Chap. 6. - 8 - (p. 5 & note of ms, )
Governor and Commodore arranged a treaty of peace, which was cele-?
-brated at a grand ball given by Governor Don, at which English and
American officers met in perfect harmony. Stockton fought only
when it was necessary to vindicate the honor of his nation or his
own honor.
In 1838, while Executive officer of the 74 Ohio in the Mecli-
-terranean, gave much attention to naval architecture, gunnery and
the stoarn engine and on his return to the United States, was per-
-mitted to construct a steam ship of war - opposed by. old navalj „ \xsAj &mK***j.tMf£,
tj^ **officers. OemmantfQx.i- jphe Princeton in 1842 and finished in 1844 -
the first man-of-war steamer in our service. Her speed, model,
sailing qualities and powerful armament made her a great success,
0U tract ed great attention abroad, and served as a model for many0
foreign naval architects. She was armed with two long 222-pound ;
wrought-iron guns of Stockton 1 s design (the first in our service)
and &*, 42 pound carronnades. For the first time tho art of gun-
-nery for sea service was reduced to something like mathematical
certainty by the experiments made with these heavy guns. Their
shot pierced a mass of timber 57 inches thick at a distance of 560
I yards from the gun. The improvements in the art of war adopted on
board the Princeton made her the most powerful war vessel of her
time. Soon followed the terrible disaster of the explosion of one
i of the "Peacemaker's" guns, causing the death of the Secretary of
, State, the Secretary of the Navy and other distinguished visitors
on board. (February 28,1844.)
\ The Princeton had a library of 350 volumes.
Memorial of 54 Midshipmen in the Mediterranean squadron to his
fc;e .
Hotes Chap.6. - 9 - (p.5 of ms.)
Excellency President Monroe, in 1816, asking Tor better protection
than was afforded by the existing "Rules and Regulations" for the
better government of i<he Navy of the United States "against the
tyranny and cruelty of commanding officers afloat "in striking our
persons v/ith the fists, sv/ord or any other weapon" Complaint that
the American officers on the Mediterranean station have not only
been cursed, insulted and spurned, but traduced, and actually
struck by certain commanders, and for ^vhich no adequate penalty,
redress or correction has been adjudged by Commodore Chauncey, nor
by legally organized Courts Martial (Note: A Court Martial wa.s4
^ held on the frigate Constellation in Bay of Naples, August 26, 1816
to try charge against Captain John Orde Cr eight on of the U, 3, Ship
Washington, of striking Midshipman John Marston jr. on the quarter
deck of the \Yashington in the harbor of Gibraltar, The Court
decided that the charge was not proved, and Captain creight on was,
of course, acquitted. After this the above memorial was sent,)
loNArticle of ""War - 15 ArTTt-s^e of the Act for the/betterx \. . - '
~\. i ^\ , ' \ / ' 'overnment or^lri^ Navy orHJig7 United Site's, approved-Aj/ril 23 I860
Article 15 - No person in the Navy shall quarrel v/ith any
other person in the Navy, or use provoking or reproachful words,
gestures, or rne nances, on pain of such punishment as Court Martial
shall adjudge,
Vol.2, Statutes at Large, page 47. Commodore Oliver fT, Per-
-ry was also tried for striking Captain Heath of the Marine Corps,
and a duel was fought in .consequence, and another memorial to Con-
-gress was sent by a large number of lieutenants, surgeons, pursers
and marine officers of the squadron of similar tenor to that of tho
Notes Chap.6. - 10 - (p.5 of ms. )
Midshipmen; dated Port Mahon January 17, 1817,
XX Lieutenant Daniel Mackay - First Lieutenant of the Hornet whon
she was lost in the Gulf of Mexico, in September 1829 - was a very
remarkable man and officer. A poor friendless boy worked his way
into the merchant service from the hawse hole to the dignity of
Mate. Entered the Navy in his 20th. year. When war with England
was declared he jumped with joy. Distinguished himself in the bat-
-tle of Lake Champlain, Obtained a Midshipman's warrant in conso-
-quence, and by his practical skill as a soaman rose in the esti-
-mation of his brother officers. But the weary drag of twelve
years in the grade of Midshipman, owing to the perpetual slowness
of promotion after the war almost compelled him to follow the ex-
-ample of other meritorious yoizng officers. At last he became an.
Acting Lieutenant and Lieutenant, and passed number two in his clac
nt the examination for promotion. Afterwards when serving in tho
Mediterranean squadron he visited Paris, attended the scientific
lectures of Gay Lussac, Thenard, and Dupin. His insatiable thirst
for knowledge and his great ability enabled him to exhaust every
subject connected with his profession far beyond the the record of
any other officers of his day, In fact he was a model young of-
-ficer in character, and deportment, most accomplished as a seaman,
an officer a Lieutenant and a gentleman. He was well versed in
the literature of the day and spoke French, Italian and Spanish
fluently.
It was in this year (1829) during the operations of Commodore
David Porter against the West India pirates, that his son, the fi*»»'-
Adiniral, Porter, t&o- fce«d--Q-£ --our Navy, entered the service as
Chap. 6, - 11 - (p. 5 of ms.)
a Midshipman at the age of 11 years, serving in his father's ship.
Vvr.jL.' Midshipmen's dirks were used in our Navy until about 1835.
Wise in his ...... described them as "Little glittering ta\)sting
forks of dirks dangling at their sides" and they were doubtless
used to t ^ost bread or spuds in an emergency.
Midshipmen fought duels (1830-6) upon the slightest provoca
tion, at Port Mahon, Agrigentum, Naples, Smyrna, Gibraltar or
wherever their ships happened to be. Oftentimes a Lieutenant was
sent ashore with marines to arrest the whole party concerned,
Many quarrels took place at the mess tables, and in one instance a
reefer who deemed himself offended threw two dirks on the table
demanding that trie offender should take his choice of them arid
fight it out then and there. At another tine a Lieutenant wound3d
in a duel at Mahon was brought to the ship's boat at the landing
place just as two belligerent reefers and their seconds arrived
trie re from their ship on their way to fight a duel with pistols in
the suburbs. If a careless Midshipman ventured to sit down at the
mess table in his shirt sleeves it was regarded as an insult and ho
had to fight a member of the mess drawn by lot. At times "Courts
of honor" so-called were held by older officers to settle differ-
-ences between their juniors. The fighting spirit was up through-
-out the service and having no foreign enemy to contend with, of-
-ficers fought each other. A gallant Lieutenant commanding an 8-
gun schooner, when an English armed schooner suspecting him to be
a slaver fired a g\m across his bows in the Bahama Channel, ranged
Lip alongside the Englishman, cursed him vigorously and challenged
him to a duel in iravana whither he made sail at once, and waited
impatiently for a week in vain for the arrival of the Englishman.
Chap,G,Notes . - 12 - (p,5 of ms.)
These officers young or old wore men not to be trifled with afloat
or ashore. At some of the Mediterranean ports there are still
preserved memories of duels fought by Yankee Midshipmen.
Among naval officers until after the Mexican War,' the code
duello prevailed so that "it would have been deorned an act of Pot-
-troonery to refuse a challenge, unless the challenger by some
gross misconduct had clearly forfeited his Aight to be recognized
as a man of honor",(James S.Biddle, commenting on Burr's duel with
Hamilton and the practice in general.)
Duel between Commodores Docatur and Barron in 1820, near
Y/ashington, resulting in the death of Decatur arose frori profes-
-sional jealousy - gave a terrible shock to the Country,
Duellists in the old Navy. Captain Isaac Bell, who comrnand-
-ed a division of Farragut's fleet in the memorable advance to Nev/
Orleans, was one of those who fought several foreign officers du-
-ring his early career. He was noted for killing or winging his
man with pistols, and was reputed to be the best swordsman in
America.
An American Midshipman on his first cruise in the Mediterra-
-nean, treated a party of titled foreigners who visited his ship
in the free and easy way he was accustomed to treat his messmates,
and he was challenged to five duels the next day. It took all tho
diplomacy of the American squadron to get him out of that scrape.
( S o Adrai r a 1 Ra r 1 Engl i ah s ay s , )
1828 . Sir Jonah Barrington. Judge of High Court of Admiral-
-ty in Ireland wrote "Personal sketches of his own times", in
which duelling is mentioned. Speaks of the bloody code of ho/nor, or
Notes Chap.O. - 13 - (p. 5 of ras. )
"the thirty-six commandments" as they were then irreverently call-
i| -eel by the convention of duelists who framed them.
"A false sense of honor drove men of sense and virtue to the
commission of this modification of murder". Some say duel is a
remnant of that right of private war which was abolished by the
institution of Society" - supposed to be a "necessary evil" Many
persons then thought (1328) that if duelling were abolished there
would be an end of all legitimate gentility or manly spirit,
^ Some fought duels as a means of seeking the bubble, reputation* j
at the pistol's mouth.
The duel regarded as the bulwark between a gentleman and the \
ruffian - an ordeal that must be undergone by every one who would
keep his honor, or his courage unblemished.^jfcrfcz&Ljfat. -Yty&z*
^ Nowadays (1885) /xcourage has become of a moral and civic, rath-
-er than merely of a physical type.
There is some distinction to be noted in the selection of
weapons - the pistol is brutal and "since the fatal bullet may be
sped with the same deadly aim against the lightest offender in a
mere punctilio and the most culpable assassin of your fane or hap- |
-piness - whereas the sword demands skill, presence of mind, acute-
-ness of eye l^and gives room for courtesy and humanity in the en-
| -counter itself^ which each may possess in an equal degree in this
1 v.Court of honor -^this wager of battle the stakes are not airways
equal".
By a fortunate hit, the Pi re-Plater gains a reputation which no
other act of his life perhaps has given him the least claim to".
It is at least a doubtful proof of courage.
Motes Chap,6. - 14 - (p.5 of ms.)
Some attribute the decrease of duelling in our age to a gro;v-
-ing indifference about the courtesies o? life, or to the sxippossd
effect of the duel itself in bringing us all to a level of polite-
-$ess which offers fewer occasions for its exercise. But it is
rather a growing sense of consideration for others and knowledge
of ourselves arising from education and Christianity.
Clipping from New York Sun, July 1885. Curious features of
actual life. Challenging thirteen Midshipmen,
U "We were all boys together then", said Admiral ---, "bxit Judson
was the voungest of the lot and ought to have received more consid-
XJ,v\' -eration. He was only thirteen years old when he was made a mid-
/ -shipman and sent among us, lie had been a mere boy before the
mast and had been promoted to be an officer. That's what made
the trouble. The navy was very aristocratic - five times as aris-
-tocratic as it is now. Boys xvero appointed because their fathers
were rich or distinguished or influential in some way, and it was
rumored around that young Judson 1 s folks weren't anybody, and that
he had been appointed a midshipman for coolness and judgement in
saving life when his gig was run over by a Fulton ferryboat, and ho
only a common sailor. Of course this showed that he was brave,
but we assumed, that he was plebeian, and we would'nt have it, and
when he was assigned to the Levant we revolted against the imrud-
-er. Three or four stood by the boy, including Passed Midshipman,
'-3~l >r Murray, but thirteen of us cut him dead and gave no-
-ti«e that we would not mess with him, We were not a little as-
i -tonished the next day when he sent us. thirteen challenges to fight
him Under the rules of the duelling code. There was no such thing
Notes Chap.G, - 15 - (p.o of , us.)
n,s a declination known among gentlemen, hut several of the officers
v,rhom he had challenged reconsidered the grounds of their refusal to
mess with him and withdrew their objections. By t^e time we had
reached Florida (it was in 1838) only seven of us stood out for
what we called 'discipline' - tha o is, the right of rich men's sons
to monopolize the navy, I can sen now that it wasn't very chiv-
-alric cause to fight for. I went with the party down the coast
below Pensacola to see the first of the seven duels. Murray was
Judson's second. The challenged party insisted that his own duol-'V
-ling pistols should be used by both. Murray demurred, but fin-.V .\ , -ally acquiesced if Judson could have one shot to try the weapon.
This was conceded, and Murray, pointing to a magnolia leaf that
hung down from a branch a dozen paces off, said: 'Judson, cut off
the stern of that leaf!" Re immediately raised the pistol and obey-
-ed the order accurately - the leaf came fluttering to the ground.
'That pistol is all right*, said Murray, It almost caused a pa-
-nic. The seconds conferred, got the principals together, matter's
were compromised, and Judson 1 s antagonist acknowledged his social
and gustatory equality.
"But when we thought about it next day it looked to us like a
surrender. We made a tacit agreement to fight, and as a matter of
fact the six other duels came o'.'f that fall - three in Pensacola,
one near New Orleans, and one or two in Havana. Judson wasn't
scratched, except by a pick in the cheek with a sword, but herj&jjt
wounded four out of the six. Yes", said the aged officer,
"I v/as one of the four: but never mind about that, it settled the\
\ question about his being good enough to eat with. He resigned
Notes Ghap.6. - 16 - (p.5 of MS.)
from the navy forty years ago, I should think. He lives in Stam-
-ford, Delaware county, New York, and. those who have seen him late-
-ly think he will live forever".
Clipping from Washington Star, December 19, 1883, Duelling
in the Navy of long ago.
Public opinion at the present time so emphatically condemns
duelling that the present generation can scarcely imagine what a
great chan.ge has taken place, particularly in the r.avy, within tho
last thirty-five or forty years regarding the subject. It is true
that even at the time it was practiced everywhere there were some
v;- few oV persons of influence always opposed to the custom, but they
j were only a small minority. It is not worth while now to argue
the question whether or not duelling was right or wrong; the pur-
-pose of this article only aims at relating some of th-? meetings
between parties who went to the field. In 1844, when on the Af-
-rican station, under command of Commodore Perry, the flagship
Macedonian, Captain Isaac Mayo, was visiting the island of Grand
Canary, where two of the midshipmen fought; they used'the old fush-
-ioned ships' pistols, carrying a bullet nearly as large as a mus-
-ket ball. Owing to unavaidable difficulties the friend of one
of the gentlemen could not get leave that day to leave the ship,
so it was agreed that one second should act for both. At the word
both fired, and both were wounded; one was striick just over the
right eye - the ball glanced, running found the skull under the
scalp, and lodged over the left eye; the other was hit in the side
on one of the small ribs, and tho ball brought up against the back-
-bone. Strange to say, neither fell., for at the distance - ten
Notes Chap. 6. - 17 - (p.5 of ms.)
paces - with such heavy bullets, one would think an ox would be
obliged to fall. The person shot in the head insisted upon
fire, but his opponent declared positively that nothing xzould in
-duce him to fire at a man blinded by blood, which was streaming
from the wound. The one second also declared that he had enough
of it; and, also, that as both were wounded, he thought that both
ought to be satisfied. That was the first intimation that the
party demanding another shot had that his opponent was shot, so ho
readily consented to let the affair go no further at that time, re-
-serving the privilege of another meeting when both were in fight-
^-ing trim. With that understanding **wrt party returned to the
ship. One of the gentlemen, the one wounded in the side, not
having a very nice coat, borrowed one of a messmate, and the first
thing lie said to his friend when getting on board ship: "Your coat
is all right, nut I am not". He had taken the precaution to pull
the coat off, fearing it might be injured. Of course all the rnid-
-shipinen knew the fight was to come o'''f, and were anxiously excited
for each was of such character as to caxise the belief that they
were in earnest, but were greatly pleased that it ended as it did,
both being deservedly popular. The two never met again, as one of
them was ondered to one oP the ships of the squadron, the other
retained on board the Macedonian. Had they ever met the fight
would have been renewed without a doubt. In 1846 or '47, when the
United States fleet was blockading the fort of Vera Cruz, the gen-
-tleman who was shot in the side was drowned while rowing guard to
the northward of the castle; a violent "norther" sprung up, suddon-
-ly as usual, and the sea swamped the boat. The morning after
Notes Chap.6. - 18 - (p.5 of ms.)
this sad loss his enemy joined the .squadron, having been sent by
the Navy department under these orders, and the first news he heard
was that his opponent was dead! Some years after that the remain
ing one was lost, presumably drowned, as the ship to which he be
longed has never been heard of since she left her last port.
Singular that both met the same fate, is it not?
The duel caused great excitement at Palmas (Grand Canary), for
such doings had never been heard of in that entirely original town.
If one of the officer's of the f rig ite was on the street nearly
every person meeting him would stop short, place himself in posi
tion and fire off an imaginary pistol! Even the ladies were
never tired talking of it, and seemed not to know why, if one hat-
-ed the other so, he did not stab him in the dark, or hire some one
to kill him? They could naver comprehend the Americans and their
ways. The ship was crowded for days by the best people of the
place, asking a thousand questions and visiting the wounded fellows
One of the girls, a very beautiful and accomplished person, asked
for and was given the ball that struck one of the two that fought!
A ~ft^pk»4rr --wlgo bal i PVPH ..irL_±Jhfl np^ p.. The commodore and eap-
-tain were living on shore at the tine of the duel; so, of course,
the executive officer sent a report of the occurrence as soon as
the parties returned to the ship. Now, Commodore Perry was bit-
-terly opposed to the code, but Captain Mayo strongly approved of
it, as far as his duty permitted; he gave every encouragement to
such doings. When, therefore, the report reached them, the Commo-
-dore gave Captain Mayo orders never to allow either of the fight-
-ers to leave the ship while on the station; but Captain Mayo said
Notes Chap. 6. - 19 - (p. 5 of ms.)
he liked "young blood", (whatever that means,) and ordered his<L
stewar\ to go off to the ship with a tub of ice and several bot-
-tles of wine for the use of the wounded, and to tell them to let
him know at any time if he could do anything for themI Commodore
Perry said he was astonished at Captain Mayo's conduct, greatly
encouraging duelling, but Mayo did not mind that, and was evidently
proud of his spirited voting officer.
Prom Boston Transcript. Edward Z.O.Judson ("Ned Buntline")
died at Stamford, Hew York, July 19 '86 - age 64. Son of a Phila-A :-delphia lawyer, ran away to sea, enlisting in the Navy. A year
$ later, when thirteen years old, President Van Bur en. sent him a war-
-ranfc as Midshipman for meritorious conduct in rescuring a crew of
a boat run down by a Fulton ferryboat on East River, Young Judson
was assigned to the Levant. Other Midshipmen refused to mess with
him because he had been a common sailor before the mast, and while
on his way to the Gulf Squadron, he challenged thirteen of thorn to
fight &c. Prom that time his reputation as one of the best shots
in the United States was established. He published his first
story "The Captain's Pig" in the Knickerbocker Magazine in 1838
under the pseudonym of Ned Buntline, when in his 15th. year.
Midshipman Judson - in 1836 - period of duelling.
Ned Buntline has got more bullet holes in him than any other living
American. His name was Edward Judson, and he entered the Navy as
a Midship^ in 1836, when dtielling was a common occurrence in the
; Navy. He fought seven duels when he was only thirteen years of
'; age with officers who had affronted him, one of whom is now an Ad-
, -mir;il in our Navy, At 11 he ran away to sea as a cabin boy, and
sailed around the horn &c.
Notes Chap. 6. - 20 - (p. 5 of ms.)
Depot of Charts and Instruments and the first Observatory.
Previous to 1830, American naval officers rarely stepped
beyond the routine of professional duty, and none ventured into the
field of authorship beyond the writing of official reports. But
/7 between 1830 and 1840 a few young Lieutenants and Passed Midshipmen-
(f.n. Some young officers attended a brief course of lectures at
Partridge's military school at Norwich, Vermont. Others attended
lectures at Harvard and Yale Universities, or placed themselves in
the hands of private tutors, and a few obtained leave of absence
for a year to conplete their education in Kurope,), full of the
spirit of naval reform used their pens vigorously in the nautical
and other magazines of the day, and doubtless stimulated many of
the progressive naval measures of that decade. The first of the so
in the order of time, was the establishment of the Depot of Charts
and Instruments,2 (f.n.^ The Depot of Charts and Instruments was
the germ of the National Observatory founded by Act of Congress, at
\f t ^ 0/washington, in 1842, As early as 1813, Mr. William Lambert of
Virginia introduced a bill in Congress for the erection of an ob-
-servatory at Y/ashington, and its final establishment was due main-
-ly to naval officers.) Lieutenant L, 1,4, Golds borough, on his ro-
-turn from the Mediterranean in 1830, called the attention of the
Navy Department to the defects of the implements of navigation,
such as charts, chronometers, sextants, quadrants, &c. furnished to
men-of-war by the process of requisitions upon navy agents, and
urged the arrangements to be made for the care of such instruments
and for the correct rating of all chronometers belonging to the
Navy, The suggestion was adopted by the Navy Commissioners, and
Chap.6. - 21 - (p.6 of ms.)
in a short time a depot on a small scale was under way in Washing-
-ton with Goldsborough in charge of it. At first, chronometers
were rated by sextant and circle observations, but subsequently by
a 30-inch transit instrument, made by Mr, R. Patten of New York,
and mounted, within a small circular building, upon a brick pier
having a b;tse about twenty feet below the surface. To Lieutenant
GoIdsborough, therefore, is due the erection of the first fixed
astronomical instrument for the use of the Navy of the United
States. fie was succeeded in the charge of the depot in 1833 by
Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, who, by permission of the navy Commis-
-sioners, removed the depot to Capitol Hill, at a point about 1000
feet N 5°- W. from the dome of the Capitol at Washington, where it
remained until july 1842. Hero Lieutenant V/ilkes erected at his
own expense an observatory 16 feet square, and mounted therein one
of the 5-feet transits made by Troughton for the Coast Survey in
1815, which was loaned by Mr. Hassler for the purpose. The prin
cipal use made oj' the transit was the determination of time, and
no regular observations were made there until the departure of the
Exploring Expedition under V/ilkes in 1838. In this year (1838)
Captain James M.Gilliss organized the first working observatory in
the United States, and his volume of observations for the five
years following is still a standard xvork. In 1842, he prepared
plans for the erection of a Naval Observatory, In 1849, he start-
-ed on an expedition to Chili for the dote/tninati on of the solar
parallax. In 1858, he went to Peru to observe total eclipse of
the sun, and to Washington territory in 1860 for the same purpose.
On the flight of Maury, Captain (Jilliss was appointed to succeed
Chap.6 - 22 - (p.6 of ms.)
him in command of the Washington observatory.
rNotes page 6 of ms. "First action towards astronomical re-
-seaech in America, hears date March 1810, when it wn.s proposed in
Congress by Mr. William Lambert of Virginia, that a first meridian
should be established for the United States, the meridian of the
Capitol at Washington being selected.
In 1813 Mr. Lambert brought in a bill proposing the erection
of an observatory, but it was only on March 5,1821, that authority
v.-as given to establish a meridian at Washington. In 1825 Presi-
-dent Adams recommended an observatory. In 1845 the observatory
v;as begun. Bad o-P- notss^
Other interesting events followed in quick succession, such as
the invention of a formidable prow-ship for harbor and coast de-
-fense by Captain James Barron in 1854; the addition to our Navy
of the first steam vessel of war - the Pulton1 (f.n: 1 In April 1859
the "Fulton" was commissioned for special service by order of Soc-
- rotary Paulding, under the command of Captin M.O, perry, as a prac-
-tice and experimental ship, with a large number of officers, Cap-
-tain Perry was instructed to conduct a course of practice in the
use:; of the Paixhan gun, and the various kinds of explosive shot -
also to experiment in reference to the practical operation, of the
Steam engine.}, the creation of the grade of Professor of Mathema
tics, the revision of the Naval Regulations of 1818, the founding
of the Naval Lyceum at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, in 1855; the publi
cation of a "Treatise on Naviration"^ (f.n,^ This, we believe,
was the first professional work by an American naval officer sub
sequent to the publication of Commander Truxtun 1 s "Treatise on
Chap.G. - 23 - (p. 6,7 of ms.
Latitude and Longitude" in 1794. it was written by the author
during a cruise in the sloop-of-war Vincennes (1833-36) and pub
lished by Key and Riddle, of Philadelphia in 1836. It passed
through five editions and was adopted for some time as a text-book
in our service.), by Passed Midshipman M.F.Maury in 1836; the arri-
-val of the Steam-packet "Great Western 1 ' 3 (f.n. s Old Admiral Coffin
it is said, tried to dissuade a friend from taking passage in the
Great Western hy assuring him that "in, heavy storms no steamer can
scud", and the old hero probably stuck to the point. But Dr.
Lardner, who had announced in 1836 the impossibility of crossing
the ocean by steam, actually made the voyage to New York, in 1839,
in one of the dreaded stearn coffins, and of course, revised his
logic on this point.) in the harbor of New York, the sailing of thettetrtyL^^fo-y {J)k^
South Sea Exploring Expedition under Lieutenant Wilkes, and the or
ganization of the Naval Apprentice System by the Navy Department
in 1837; the publication of Cooper's Naval History and the estab
lishment of the Naval School at Philadelphia in 1839. All these
movements, together with the active operations of the Coast Survey
carried on by naval officers, affording striking evidences of the
progressive spirit of that period.
TEe' establishment of the Naval Lyceum in 1836 is worthy of
more than a passing notice. Its objects as stated in the ,A(aval
Jlkagazirie v/ere "to elevate and adorn the character of our Navy, by
placing within the grasp of its officers the means of acquiring
professional and general information, with greater facility than
had previously been possessed; to stimulate the members of the pro
fession, by creating a common interest in the result, to ne~. ener-
Chap.6. - ?A - ' (p. r/,8 of ms. )
-gy in the study and zealous pursuit or knowledge, as the grand
source of moral power; and to bind yet more closely the ties which
unite them, by erecting a National Society, in promoting the pros-
-psrity of which, all might find employment for their faculties of
thought and action, and from which, as a common centre of effort,
might racli ate in broad and distinct lines, the issues of their
various tastes, pursuits and discoveries; and thus, by a general
and pervading., sympathy, to augment the harmony and excite the
esprit de corps of the service.
In order to secure unity of action in the accomplishment of
these high purposes, the Society solicited and obtained, in 1835,
a charter of incorporation from the legislature of the State of
New York, and, in the following year, established the "United
States Naval Magazine" as its organ, ̂ (f.n. •*• The "Naval Magazine"
v/as conducted by Chaplain C.S,Stevrart under a supervision of a Com-
-rnittee of the Society.) Thus fortified, the "Lyceum" commenced
its career of usefulness. It soon attracted public attention at
home and abroad, receiving from scientific associations and indi-
-viduals collection of nautical and other publications, of shells
and minerals, models of ships, weapons of war, valuable paintings,
and curiosities from every clirne. Its constitution and by-laws
v;ere. framed with the view of making it the depository of all infor-
-mation relating to naval science and literature, and thus it be-
-came both an agreeable and improving resort for naval officers.
As an evidence of its popularity, we may state that the list of
members for 1855, contains the names of one Commodore, eight Cap-
-tains, eleven Masters Commandant, seventy-three Lieutenants, ten
Chap. 6. - 25 - (p.8 of ms.)
Marine officers, nineteen surgeons, fifteen Pursers, two Chaplains,
eighteen Passed Midship; sen, one sailing Master, one Professor of
Mathematics, and one Naval Store Keeper.
But the "Lyceum" suffered a great loss, when, in November
1837, the publication of the "Naval Magazine" was discontinued.
It was believed that a journal devoted exclusively to the inter-
-ests of the Navy would receive an ample pecuniary support from
its personnel, and enlist man, professional pens in its service;
but these expectations were not realized. The enthusiasm that
welcomed its first appearance expired in the second year of its
existence-'- (f.n. * The Naval Lyceum survived its organ but lost itsftt&u.^** i-f fee* ;«x
original character as an educational medium. It £ «- as*-merely a
museum of nautical curiosities,), and the few ambitious officers
v;ho contributed >,o its columns received no encouragement from their
brethren. The conviction of the old school that authorship was
not a. fitting occupation for sea officers still prevailed in every
grade of the service. It was perfectly proper for the newspaper
critic, the magazine editor, the journalist of high or low degree
to write about naval affairs but the men who "go down to sea in
ships" must not soil their fingers with the ink of authorship.
This sentiment prevails to some extent to this day, although a long
list of authors^ (f.n.^ S e e Appendix for list of American naval
authors.) belonging to the Line of our Navy attests the co-exist-
-ence of a healthier opinion. And here we may be permitted to
express the regret of many that some vigorous means are not taken
to resuscitate the Naval Lyceum on its original basis and in its
original location. Some such institution is needed in or near the
Chap. 6. - 26 - (p. 9 of ms. )
great commercial metropolis of the nation, where naval officers of
all grades arid classes, and intelligent civilians with naval pre-
-dilections may me^t to discuss the nav'al affairs of the world, to
examine the evidence of progress in naval science and art, and to
promote tho welfare and efficiency of our own navy in peace and in
war. The man who will bring about this grand result, will bo en-
-titled to the gratitude of the Navy and of the Country.
It now remains to sketch briefly the various plans brought
forward during this period of reform by the advocates of a naval
school. The majority of these writers contented themselves with a
general advocacy of its necessity, but some possessed a knowledge
of the subject which enabled them to present it in a more satisfac
tory form, an;! it will be seen that their plans embraced many fea
tures of the present system. We allude to Lieutenants Mackenzie,
Powell and Maury, and Chaplain George Jones.
Mackenzie's plan-*- (f.n, ̂ Referring to this period an observant
magazine writer says - "In literature and art of all kinds the na-
-tion was still only a. pupil. None of the great histories that
/ adorned our literaturefat a later period were then written. There
v;as but little inspiration for any man, much less for a naval offi-
-cer to write. Our school books were faulty and imitative - it
was the day of small literateurs who were castigated by the compi
lers of ephemeral Annuals and magazines. The "Naval Monument"
and the "Naval Temple " were the chief historical records of our
Navy before Cooper wrote",) (1830) was based upon the only admissa-
-ble idea of an efficient navy - that "it should not merely be
brave, but skilled in all the arts and resources that decide the
*~r ••
I ^
Chap. 6. - 27 - (p. 9, 10 of ms. )
fate of battles; versed not only in what theory may suggest, but
acquainted with all the expedients that have ever been resorted to
t in extremety of peril by the naval heroes of ancient and modern
times". To accomplish this result, he advocated tho establishment
of a school in some healthy isolated situation, with the .;ea in
sight, and with constant opportunities of witnessing t"ie manoeuvres
of arriving and departing ships. "Making the age of admission
twelve years, and the term of service in the school four years, tho
Midshipmen would be sixteen at the period of graduation, and would
serve some better purpose on ship-board than that of Jbl ay things for
the Qlcley officers. Mathematics would, of course, form the ground
v;ork of their education; but we would not urge its pursuit beyond
the point necessary to render intelligible the various problems of
nautical astronomy. Upon this would afterwards be raised the su
perstructure of physical astronomy, navigation, surveying, naval
architecture, and the theory of working ships. In connection with
these more solid studies, a knowledge of history, of the laws of
nations, of drawing, and of the rules o p composition should be
acquired. The French and Spanish languages should be thoroughly
taught by natives, and, the more advanced classes should be able
to understand lectxires in both languages. The chief of our exer-
-cises, however, would be found in the manoeuvres of a small ship,
not moored in the mountains, as at Angouleme, nor planted upon dry
land, or rather on the tops of treos, as at Amsterdam, but a real,
moving, live, little ship that could lift her anchor and sail away
at will". Tie deemed it important that an observatory, and a hy-
-drographical depot should be established as adjuncts to the Acad-
Chap.6. - 28 - ' (p.10,11 of rns. )
-erny. r^"ie Professors were to constitute a ^oard of Longitude; the
students were to be clothed and rationed at the public expense, and
to be made Lacedemonians in spirit and bodily endurance, and the
school was to be the centre of nautical science in this hemisphere.
In contradiction of the opinion of Commodore Stewart quoted
in the beginning of this chapter, and expressing the sentiments of
a majority of the older officers of his day, that a sea goirjg ship
is the best school for Midshipmen, we have the opinion of the Lisu-
-tenants of 1830, expressed by Lieutonant Mackenzie, as followsl-
"According to the existing system, the only education of Midshipmen
beyond the mere rea.ling and writing they have learned of the schooi
madam, is picked up on board, so that if they acquire anything in
addition to the mere practice of the profession, it is owing in the
first place, to their own zeal and desire of improvement, and, as
they grow older, and draw nigh the term of their probation, to tho
terrors of an approaching examination. Some may say that the
practice of the profession is enough, and instance sundry fighters,
who have known no more, to prove it. But our most meritorious of-
-ficers, of every rank, are not of this opinion; and accordingly
we find them acquainting themselves with the laws of nations, rnas-
-tering the language of those countries which they most frequently
visit, and cultivating a taste for the sciences, and the study of
that nation which presents herself to them in so many various and
imposing forms. But all these acquisitions are made in the face
of every disadvantage. Study is prosecuted without system; the
best works are either unknown or are procured with difficulty, and
the habit of fixed attention, the nost valuable o p all habits, can-
Chap. 6. - 29 - (p. 11 of rns. )
-not well be formed except in youth, when mind and character are
alike flexible. This youth is now spent on ship-board, and its
best days, usually consecrated to education, are idly wasted, or at
best employed in acquiring that practical knowledge, which would be
of infinitely easier attainment were a foundation laid, and the
mind matured by years and study. Often those generoiis impulses,
which, if directed aright, might lead to i,he most brilliant results
left to themselves, run riot until mind and character are perverted
and the hopes of affection and patriotism drowned in debauchery.
We see but one meurmre adapted to remove the evil and attain the
good - a preparatory school - a measure, which, though longed for
by the navy, desired by the nation to which it is so justly dear,
and again and again urged upon Congress by executive recommendation
yet from the intricacies of parliamentary proceedings, the clash-
-ings of party interests, or some other sufficient cause, is still
unhappily a desideratum".
( Jiote on page 11 of ms. In commenting upon various naval reforms,
Lieutenant Mackenzie makes allusion to the new bomb-cannon, then
introduced in Prance by Paixhan, and to a grave discussion in a
French periodical of that day of the pardticability of defending
ships from shells and shot of every kind "by means of bands of iron
nailed upon the whole exterior surface" which would virtually make
them "so many cuirassiers". The iron-clad system of' our day is
thus foreshadowed, but n-val officers had little faith in the pro
posal. Mackenzie also defended tho use of shell guns against the-
charge of inhumanity, by showing that naval war has become less
fatal to life as the means of destruction have become more effec-
Chap.6. - 30 - (p. 11 of ms.)
-tive, "The slain at Salamis were more than those of Lepanto, and
this last battle counted alone many tines the added victims of the
Nile, of Trafalgar and Navarnio". He also suggested that ships
of war might be made to tumble out above the water line, so as to
~ive their sides the angle that would deflect a cannon ball.)
Of coiirse the absurd naval uniforn of his day could not escapes
the condemnation of such a keen observer as Lieutenant Mackenzie.
Regarding uniform as an efficacious means of promoting discipline
in all military bodies, he thus held up to ridicule the naval uni-
-form of the United States Navy of 1850. "Our officers have now
a dress so expensive and gaudy, and in. such bad taste, t'-'at they
are ashamed to wear it; and an undress that is no dross at all.
Both being lawful to be worn, some chose the one, arid some the
other, according to individual fancy; whilst others compromise mat-
-ters by adopting a mean between both. Thus, a laced hat may somo
times be seen in connection with a rooling-collared coat, no^wise
different from those worn by our citizens, except in a profusion
of buttons. In fact, the undress naval uniform is one exclusively
of buttons; and nothing is more common than to see a coat, which
has already done its owner good service in his peaceful character
of citizen, during the intervals of his cruises, by tho aid of a
few pounds of brass, transformed suddenly, upon the arrival of an
order from Washington, into as pugnacious a Campaigner as ever pa-
-raded a quarter-deck. The fashion of such an old servant, its
velvet collar, or f^n-tailed, shirt, can no more than its faithful
service save it from conscription," At the heels of these vari-
-ously bedizened gentlemen, dangled paltry swords of every possi-
Chap.6. - 31 - (p.11,12 of ms,)
-ble pattern, which, owing to ignorance of the! r use, were rather
a danger than a protection, and. in bad weather, at sea and on shnro
wore worn di i.'ferent styles of plaid cloaks, upper benjamins 1 (f,n.
I A benjamin corresponded to our modern cape.), pea-jackets and
Monkeys.
Lieutenant Mackenzie was not, wo think, so happy in proposing
as a substitute for all this, one distinctive uniform of green
cloth - the coat to be lined with bxiff or scarlet, and to be froo
from cuffs, pocket flaps and other excrescences, and a 'rib of buff
or scarlet to be carried down the outside seam of the pantaloon.
To these he added half boots, a plain cocked hat, and a stout sword
fit for use, and of uniform pattern, "The green color preferred by
Mackenzie might seem to indicate Hibernian proclivities, but he . as
Scotch "on twa sides" and was disinterested enough to recommend
this color simply because it was not worn by the navy of any other
nation. Although embodying the important requisites of simplicity
and uniformity, the surest ion o.r a green color did not find favor
It did violence to the traditions and predilections o ? the Navy,
which like the Army, had held sacred the blue color adopted in the
flag and in the uniform of the revolutionary era. Moreover, this
color, although of royal origin and worn at that time by the Koyal
Guards of France, Austria and Spain, yet it was understood to sym-
-bolize to the American the qualities of "vigilance, perseverance
and justice" for which the heroes of the Revolution were clistin-
-guished. Later,blue became more especially the color of our
navy, and lias ever since been regarded as its most appropriate
symbol, never to be changed.
Chap. 6. - 32 - (p. 12 of ms. )
The plan advocated by Lieutenant Levin M.Powell, grew out of a
meeting of officers of the favorite frigate "Constitution", the
particulars of which are as follows :-
AT A MEETING of the Co;nmi ssioned. and Warrant Officers of tho
U.S. Ship Constitution, held on board, for the purpose of concerting
measures to effect the establishment of a Naval Academy; at which
,/ Lieutenant JOHN B. MONTGOMERY was called to the Chair, and HENRY
ETTING, Esq. , appoint ed Secretary; the following preamble and reso
lutions were unanimously agreed to.
v ttl WHEREAS: Having ever felt the most ardent desire to prosecute
successfully the profession to which vre are devoted, to advance the
interests of the Navy, and to perpetuate the commercial prosperity
of our common country, consigned in part to our safe keeping; and
taught by the experience of the past, that neither industry not
talent can spare the advantages offered by early education; ear
nestly desirous of the means of securing it, and deploring the
inadequacy of the exist in;'; system, to accomplish either the object
of the government, or to meet our heartfelt wishes for professional
instruction; and believing as we do, that a respectful representa
tion of the anxious hopes, which the entire Navy have ventured to
indulge for so many years, and to the comsumation of which they
look with trie deepest interest, will receive the consideration to
which so excellent an object is entitled, and find from liberal
authorities, that indulgence wh'ich is ever acceded to generous as-
-pi rat ions and laudable exertions: We have therefore resolved -
1, That we deem education to be of peculiar importance td
the Sea Officer: and that amid the progressive improvements in the
Chap. 6. - 33 - (p. 13 of ms. )
arts and sciences, which distinguish the present age, the Military
Marine would, bo most conspicuous, if guided in its advance by the
lights of education.
II. RESOLVED, That we look to the establishment of a Naval
School, as the only means of imparting to the Officers of the Navy,
that elementary instruction and scientific knowledge, which at the
present day has become almost indispensable to t':e Military Seaman.
III. RESOLVED, That, from circurnstances arising in part from
professional causes, the Ships' Schoolmasters can rarely, if ever,
impart such elementary or scientific knowledge, or advance the edu-
-cation of the Navy Officer; and that were the officer absolutely
abolished, (of so lii.tle utility is it) that no evil would arise
therefDom,
IV. RESOLVED, That, believing t.he expense incurred by the
government, in providing ships' Schoolmasters, and Professors of
, Mathematics, for the benefit of t !i e Junior Officers of the Navy,
(and from which little or no advantage is derived,) would, liberally
sustain a Scientific Institxition, we should see with pleasure said
funds directed to the establishment and support of a Naval School.
V. RESOLVED, That copies of these proceedings be furnished
to the Secretary of the Navy, with a request, that he will lend his
countenance and support to our undertaking,
VI. RESOLVED, That we will, severally and collectively, use
our most strenuous exertions to effect an object, so dear to us;
and which promises to confer so much dignity upon the Navy; so much
honor on our beloved country,
VII. RESOLVED, That a committee of ten be appointed, to take
Chap.6. - 34 - (p.13 of ns.)
charge of the subject, and conduct it to its final disposition.
VIII. RESOLVED, Tliat the Secretary of the Navy be requested to
lay a copy of the foregoing resolutions before the President of tho
United States; and that a copy of them be sent r,o the chairman of
the Committee on Naval Affairs in the Senate and in the House of
Representatives.
IX, RESOLVED, That copies of these proceedings be sent to
each Naval Station, Squadron, and U.S.Ship in commission, with the
view to invoke the co-operation of the Officers belonging thereto.
X. RESOLVED, That a copy of these proceedings be furnished
to the Honorable Edward Livingston, now on board the Constitution.
XI. RESOLVED, That a copy be also sent to the 6omrnander of
this Ship, inviting his aid in furtherance of the object of this
meeting.
XII. RESOLVED, That the committee of ten shall consist of tho
following gentlemen! x
Lieutenant LEVIN M.POWELL,
Surgeon THOMAS I.BOYD,
Passed Midshipmen WILLIAM RADFORD,
» » CHARLKS STF/WMAN
11 » WILLIAM T. MUSE,
Midshipmen R. L.- TILGHMAN,
" GEORGE W. RANDOLPH,
» FRANCIS S. HAGGERTY,
" FRANCIS ?. HOBAN,
» JAMES B. LEWIS.
XIII. RESOLVED, That the foregoing committee be directed to as-
Ch ap, 6, (p. 15 of rns. )
-certain the probable animal expense of the Naval School, after its
establishment, and communicate the same to the Honorable the Sec-
-retary of the Navy.
XIV. RESOLVED, That the committee be directed to furnish each
member with a printed copy of this day's proceedings, and report to
them severally their final proceedings on the subject.
XV. RESOLVED, That- five hundred copies of the foregoing pre-
-amble and resolutions be printed,
XVI. RESOLVED, That the Purser of this Ship be requested to
defray the expenses incurred by the committee in the foregoing ob
ject, the s'=une to be divided, pro rat a, among the Officers of the
Ship.
XVII. RESOLVED, That these proceedings be signed by the chair-
-man and secretary of the meeting, and by the members thereof re
spectively.
On board U.S.Frigate Constitution, at Sea, June 20th. 1835,
(signed,)
(Li eut.) JOHN B. MONTGOMERY, Chai man.
HENRY ETTING, Secretary.
P. ELLERY, Lieutenant.
ISAAC BRINCKERHOFF, Assistant Surgeon.
EDWARD G. RUTLEDGE, Lieutenant.
G. P. PEARSON, Lieutenant.
JAMES FERGUSON, Master.
THOS. THEO, SLOAN, Lieutenant Marines.
LEVIN MYNN POWKLL, Lieutenant.
.THOMAS I. BOYD, Surgeon
Chap. 8. - 30 - (p. 13 of ins.)
JAMES EVERETT, Chaplain.
HENRY ETTING, Purser.
JOS. L. G. HAIIDY, Lieutenant II. S.Marine Corps,
MONTGOMERY LEY/IS, Passed Midshipman.
J. W. REVERE, " "
CHARLIES CRILLON BARTON, Passed Midshipman.
JAMES B. LEWIS, Midshipman.
R. LLOYD TILGHMAN "
JOHN W. MAFFITT, w
GEO'. T. SINCLAIR, "
GEO. W. RANDOLPH, »
JOHN F. MERCER, Passed Midshipman.
>'RANCIS S. IIAGGERTY, Midshipman.
B. F. SHATTIJCK, "
E.E. ROGERS, "
STEPHEN D. TRENCIIARD, «
A. HURLEY JEMKINS, «
W. T. MUSE, Passed Midshipman.
JAMES P. DIWCAN, Passed Midshipman.
FREDERICK OAKES, Jr. "
W. C. NKJIIOLSON, Lieutenant.
F. A. NEVILLE, '
JNO. M. BERRIEN, Passed Midshipman.
CHARLES STEEDMAN, » "
JAS. L. HENDERSON, " »
FRANCIS P. IIOBAN, Midshipman.
JAIvlES \V. COOKE, Passed Midshipman.
WILLIAf/i RADFORD M •
Chap,6. - 37 - (p.13 of ms.)
WM. RONCKENDORFF, Midshipman.
ROBERT WOODWORTH, Assistant Surgeon.
The above preamble and resolutions were concurred in by the
following officers of the sloop-of-war "Vandalia":-
T, T. WEBR, Mast er Commandant, FRANCIS ALEXANDER, Mi dshipman.
E.T.DOUGHTY, Lieutenant. S.C.ROWEN, Acting Master.
T.N.BROWN, Midshipman. M.C.WATKINS, Midshipman.
THOS. W. GUMMING, Midshipman. W.M.WALKER, Passed Midshipman.
E.A.DRAKE, Midshipman. WILLIAM SMITH, Lieutenant.
V/ILLIAM PLUMSTEAD, Surgeon. C.A.HAS3LER, Assistant Surgeon.
R.N.STEMBEL, Midshipman. JAMES BROOKS, PUrser, 1
FAYETTE MEYNARD, Midshipman. E. MUSSON, Midshipman. -. -s
(f.n.-\0f the fifty-five officers above mentioned, nine are still
in the service^ in the" ftrJ.des of V-ijje-Admiral, Rear-Admiral, Ccimmo—\ I ?JWuL,-$r>* 47t^^(m^f/i^^'^'^^- r''( '/
-dore and Captain.) ^^ \ " '
The Committee of Ten, after some consultation, deputed Lieu-
- tenant Pov/ell to make an estimate of the probable cost of erecting
and supporting a naval school on shore, and to embody their views
as well as his own upon the whole subject in a report to be laid'
before theSecretary of the Navy and Congress. By the courtesy of
the author of this report, now a Rear-Admiral in the Navy, we are
enabled to reproduce it here from the original manuscript, accora-
-panied by a letter to John Y. Mason, of Virginia, then serving his
State in the lower house of Congress, and known to be friendly to^N
the measure, (Print this report in small type.
Chap. 6. -'63 - (p.13,14 of ms. )
Estimates of cost for the establishment and maintenance of a
Naval Academy,
Should the naval school be located on the waters of the
Chesapeake which on many accounts would be a very judicious selec-
-tion of position, the expense would not vary greatly from the fol-
-1 owing estimate - if the plan sketched, were in any aclgreo adherod
to.
2. Suitable buildings for tho reception and accommodation of
two hunflred midshipmen, for dwellings, - for Superindendent - in-
-structor in naval Tactics - and the professors - together with
Lecture and mess-rooms - .should be erected.
3. The Academic Staff to consist of a Superintendent, Insturc-
-tor in Naval Tactics, Professor of Mathematics, Professor of Na-
-tural Philosophy, Professor of Modern languages - and teacher in
Drawing and perspective,
4. Estimate of the cost of the necessary buildings to wit:-
Quarters for the Corps of Midshipmen. .............. .$35. 000
Houses for Super' at, &c.,six at $6000 each. ......... 36.000
For building to contain mess- & Lectxire rooms,
apartments for Library, apparatus &c, ............... 18,000
Out buildings, grounds contingencies £c. ............ 12.000
Total $101.000
5. Annual expense of school £ pay of officers of the iiisti-
- tut ion,
Superintendent (naval officer) pay proper, ................
Instructor in Naval Tactics - do, ..............
Professor of Mathematics. ............ 2. 000
Chap.G. - 39 - (p. 14 of rns, )
Professor of Natural Philosophy............ 2.000
" " Modern Languages.............. 2.000t
Teacher in Drawing & perspective........... 1.800
Professor of Hydrographical Engineering...,. 2,000
$9.800
Assistant Teachers - viz, mathematics two - natural
Philosophy two - Modern Languages one, Engineering
one; in all six - each - $1200 ......... $7.200
Expense per An: of Naval School....... $17.000
In addition thereto say $10.000 -for schoolship,,, 10.000
and wo have for entire an, cost of institution...., 27.000
6. We have now twenty or rnoro ships at sea all of which have
or soon will have, under the late law relating thereto, a profes-
-sor of Mathematics - several are permanently fixed on shore - and
we either actually support or soon shall, upwards of five and
twenty at some $1300 each (they are paid $1.200 per ann: and a ra-
-tion equal to $100 more) say annual expense of twenty-five Pro-
-fessors of Mathematics ......... $32.500
We now pay thirty-two thousand dollars for a little mathema-
-tical instruction. It is proposed to educate the youth of the
Navy - in the mathematics - natural Philosophy (touching their pro
fession) modern languages - engineering (embracing naval construe-
-tions) Drawing - Naval Tactics - the management of Sea artillery,
and discipline, at a less cost than the existing outlay.
7. The annual expense of the naval School might even exceed
the estimate, but the object at least would be accomplished which
it is not at present at great inconvenience to the Navy, and con-
Chap.6. ' - 40 - (p.14,15 of rns.)
-siderable expense to the country.
8, A School ship, say one of our first built sloops of war -
the Erie or Ontario for example, should be fitted for the purpose
and turned over to the School for the instruction of the Corps:
lightly rigged and sparred and mounted with guns of various calibre
and kinds. The midshipmen would be her crew - would fit and dis-
-mantle her watched quartered and stationed as is customary at sea-
be taught to hand - to reef, to steer, to work a ship in a seamanlike
manner, and the difficult and important service of the great guns -
eight or ten months of the year - say from the month of October to
July they would be engaged in their school duties - from July to
October instead of encamping as at West Point, they would be on
board their school ship under their instructors in Nautical affairs
at sea - that is - in the waters of the Chesapeake or other bays.
The instructors in Naval Tactics during this period will
teach them the performance of the several duties of the seaman -
the Artillerist and the officer. They will be taught the practice
of nautical Astronomy, how to take accurate observations of the
heavenly bodies on the unsteady sea - and to work the reckoning of
the ship: to take soundings - practical surveying, and to project
their surveys on charts or maps. They will learn to row and sail
a boat in security; and by means of the barges attached to the
school ship for the purpose - the orders and manoeuvres of fleet
sail ing.
At the expiration of the term of practice, say in October, the
ship would return to the school, where a section in turn would be
employed daily in handling the spars and sails and great guns, un-
Chap.6. - 41 - (p. 15,16 of ms.)
-der the inspection and instruction of their teachers in Tactics,
9. The Corps of Midshipmen would also form a battalion and be
drilled in the use of small arms and taught the elements of infan-
-try Tactics. They will thus be the police and military guard of
the Ship and School,
10. The 3d. and 4th, resolution of the accompanying paper in-
-terid to convey information which none but those actually conoernod
could possess. All the Midshipmen and most of the Lieutenants in
the Navy can speak experimentally to this point, and I have yet to
hear of a difference of opinion on the subject. The Government
with parental solicitude and at considerable expense, provide for
the education of the midshipmen, and parents willingly give up
their children in their earliest youth, under the belief that their
minds are not neglected. We have hastened in the paper here prc-
-sented, to tell the facts and unfold the cause. In the language
of the 3d. resolution we express a belief common to us all "that
from circumstances arising in part from professional causes the
ship's schoolmasters can rarely if ever impart such elementary or
scientific knowledge or advance the education o P the navy Officer -
and that were the office absolutely abolished no evil could result
therefrom,"
We have not thoughtlessly said this - we have known it per
sonally, have ever lamented it, and now confess it with regret.
The professional causes here referred to, I will briefly ex-
-plain - A ship cannot be made a school room: every inch of her is
occupied for military and nautical purposes, and no place on board
can be appropriated to this, and without encroaching upon others
Chap. 6. - 42 - (p. 16,17 of ms. )
or other things which must not be dispensed with in a man of war t
Their apartment is dark and contracted, and barely large enough to
contain their persons and equipments when one third of them are on
deck. Their sea watches, of which they keep in all weathers
eight hours in the twenty-four; the police regulations and boat
duty, which subjects them to frequent interruptions; Divisional
duties at the great guns when not on watch, exposure and fatigue -
the motion of the ship, the wet and deluged decks, almost entirely
forbid studious attention to books, and utterly preclude a system-
-atic pursuit of science - no system can be followed: hourly intor-
-ruption makes it labour lost to the Student and his teacher^ The
last indeed soon disheartened, abandons, the effort in dispair -QJf**~Mth~'
the resolutions of youth are not proof-%» the difficulties which
obstruct his path to knowledge: in vain the Commander strive;-,, ho
too, soon yields quietly to the necessity of the case. The habits
too of literary men are not well adapted to the sea - they sicken
and much time is passed unfitted for their occupation. Most of
them have to learn much of thoir business after they get on board -
and some have been entirely disqualified. Under the most favora-
-ble circumstances a very little mathematics is learned by the Mid-
-shipmen whilst they are on board - they t_e_ach none.
These are some of the circumstances referred, to - .which has
over Made impracticable, the education of midshipmen on board ship,
independently of the fact that we employ a numerous body of men
whose number must be increased, to teach a single subject, when a
fifth of their member would teach as many different sciences to the
whole Corps of midshipmen.
Chap. 6. - 43 - (p.17,18 of rns.)
10. The 4th, resolution points to the mode by which the public
money now expended on education in the Navy - may be made available
to the thorough instruction of the youth of our future navy, nor,
will they be deemed irreverent to their Seniors in so doing - prornpt-
-ed by the sole motive to become abler defenders of their country's
honor.
Of all people in the world the sea officer most reqiiires the
lights of knowledge to guide him in his wanderings. He is taken
v/hilst a child from his home and school and enters on his profes-
-sion without even the rudiments of education to enable him to
educate himself. Without a principle permanently fixed upon his
mind to control his words or his conduct, he is exposed to a suc
cession of temptations which older men may not encounter with im-
-punity; and, if he is not the early victim, a shattered frame and
premature decay are the fruit of his ignorance and errors t Should
he arrive at the responsible station of command, thousands of miles
removed beyond the counsel and control of his government, thrown
upon his own resources, in daily official intercourse with a strange
people, the peace arid honor of his country at times committed to
his care - he only feels his power, to tremble at its exercise.
He is the standard in foreign lands of the value of his countrymen;
the representative of his country - the guardian of his interests,
and he should not be at fault. If perchance, he is equal to tho
duties of his high statiort he is indebted to those rare qualities
which make way to eminence in defiance of obstructions, and which,
under more favorable auspices would have shown with fourfold lus-
-tre. It is now almost indispensable that the rising youth of the
Chap. 6. - 44 - (p. 18,19 of ms. )
navy should be educated, liberally: it is no longer a problem
whether knowledge will strengthen a navy and through it the coun-
-try which confers it. All other nations are invoking its aid to
acquire and confirm their power on the ocean. We can no longer
wonder that French soldiers are nearly equal to British seamen on
their own element - it is because of instruction, knowledge,
science. The French are now adding practical nautical instruction
to the science which they cultivate, and the English now teach tho
sciences to their young seamen. It behooves-us then to be upon
the alert,, for knowledge is por:er even on the ocean.
11. It imiist not be supposed that a theoretical education to
the exclusion of practical instruction, is the object here in vir.v,
not so; a few words in explanation may not be amiss. The mathe-
-matics which would be taught thoroughly, will be the key GO give
the Student access to the sciences. Engineering will make naval
constructions a science instead of a mere mechanic art as it now
is -: the carpenter now builds ships as the mason used to erect
fortifications, and with about the same success. A knowledge of
the French Spanish or German, opens the bonks of modern science and
literature. The various departments of natural Philosophy, teach
the uses and proper combination of the forces on which and by which
he moves - the pencil will demonstrate his Tacts - or enable him to
do so, and for the I'irst time since we have had a Navy Seamanship
and Naval Tactics will be Taught.
12. It is evident that time will be required to enable the
student to pass successfully through this course of study - though
of narrow bounds in comparison with the course in vogue at all the
Chap. 6. - 45 - (p. 20,21 of
literary institutions of the country: but not more than a midship-
-man can spare, and not a day nore than he now squanders in his
pleasures or in idleness. It will not withdraw him a day from the
usual amount of sea service. The division of his probationary
service which is now between eight and ten years could be so man-
-aged as to employ the midshipmen actively both at sea and on
shore. Thus the day of his appointment he should be sent to the
Naval School there to continue for the first year - at the expira
tion of which he would be sent to sea. At the school he would
be placed immediately under a salutary trio 1 paternal restraint,
the latter of which may not well be practiced on board ship, pre-
-paratory to the stern discipline which could then prevail in the
Navy: he would imperceptibly be drilled and instructed in his fu-
-ture duties - and whilst young and flexible, taught the discipline
and siibordination so necessary in the sea service - brought into
the habits of prompt and cheerfxil obedience so difficult to be irn-
-pressed or acquired in more advanced life. The Midshipmen
would. get in this their first year the elementary mathematics
adapted to their years, and applicable to navigation. The redi-
-ments of the French and Spanish or French and German and instruc
tion in their own - the first lessons in drawing - and .learn the
care of themselves aloft and the operation of a man of ?;ar - on
board the School Ship and her Boats,
13, The labours of the school ship and her boats will be the
gymnasium for the healthful development of their persons - at the
same time they are taught the practical performance of their future
duties.
Chap. 6. - 46 - (p. 21,?,?, of ms. )
14. On trie return of a ship from a cruise the midshipmen w
be ordered to the school - and after examination classed according
to their proficiency in the second or third year classes. For tho
period of one year after this, they will not be sent to sea - and
during this their second year of tuition - the instruction shall
be the mathematics principally - and such other studies as may be
selected by the faculty. Should not the midshipmen who complete
the second year all be required for sea service - such of them as
remain will prosecute the studies of the third year; the higher
branches of the mathematics Engineering - natural Philosophy and
Naval Tactics &c.
An examination after the third year at the school provided a
cruise at sea of three years have been faithfully performed, will
give the pass for promotion - and the completion of the Fourth
year shall indicate a higher grade of merit and give precedence
when commi ssi oned,
15. The studies of the Fourth year will be the completion of
the mathematics, Engineering - Natural Philosophy, Languages and
Drawing; Naval Tactics and the art of Naval Warfare.
Thus a Midshipman educated as above will go into the world as
a means of advancing it to the extent of his abilities, and must
be an active bold and efficient officer. ne will have been train
-ed to habits of obedience and subordination, and in one uniformed
mode of discipline which only, can make a military establishment
eminently efficient. This too by the judicious employment of time
now spent on shore in comparative idleness!
16. The steam engine will soon become a potent agent in naval
Chap. 6. - 47 - (p. 22, 23 of ms.)
warfare. The officers in the navy are ignorant of mechanics and
mechanical constructions. They would be ignorant no longer when
the first Midshipman passes through the studies of the naval school
Steam, and the engines driven by it, will no longer be a mystery
to than,
17. After the first years instruction at the naval school, a
midshipman will join his ship for sea a better seaman and far bet-
-ter officer than he now returns from his first three years cruise!
(Signed)
L, M. Powell,
Lieutenant, U. S, N.
U.S.Ship Vandalia,
Tampa p,ay. March 10th. 1836.
Hon. John Y. Mason,
Secretary of the Navy,
My dear Sir:-
I address myself to you upon a subject which the accom-
-panying papers will sufficiently explain - under the hope that
upon consideration you will not decline to espouse a cause which
excellent in itself will redound greatly to the '-.onor of any pub-
-lic man who shall be instrumental to the accomplishment of its
object.
Up to this day with a single exception the administration of
the navy has been intrusted to men better able to manage elections
than maritime affairs - so that great confusion uncertainty and
feebleness have characterized its operations.
We have a small navy and it therefore shoxild be free from the
Chap. 6 - 48 - (p. 25,24 of rns. )
manifold abuses and the weakness -'/hich unavoidably croups into a
grea-r, and unwieldly military establisliment - but from want of pro-
-per system - is more unmanageable and less available than the
great navies of France and Great Britain, Its civil administra-
-tion is so loose that j am satisfied the annual outlay would dou-
-ble the effective force under proper supervision and distribution
of authority. We have the greatest abundance of the finest mate-
-riel and yet our ships are clumsy and rude hulks in comparison
with our mercantile marine. We have the finest seamen in the
v,rorld and yet our guns are manned by strangers - we have been thir-
-ty years in completing some six or eight dock yards with a prodi-
-gal expenditure of money and they have recently ceased to be bare
enclosures. There is something wrong i'n all this and the wrong
wants righting - but there is also wanting the man willing and able
to effect it.
The first step to this - will be to nake t?ie navy itself the
instrument of its own reform - and this step can only be taken with
the rising generation. We cannot bend the gnarled oak. Let us
teach the youth of the Navy then - instruct them in the power of
Discipline of unanimity, subordination - teach them the just rela
tions of things by means- of science - the mathematics and Physical
Philosophy - teach them Seamanship and the -^onders of strategy and
Tactics - for as yet we know little of these accurately - there is
no instruction. This is the first step, and when once taken, the
rest must follow. The officers of the Navy cannot do this of
themselves - they can only express their earnest, anxious wishes -
others must act for them, and I have thus endeavored to engage you
Chap.6. - 49 - (p.24,25 of ms.)
in the cause, zeal intelligence and perseverance in a case like
this would most surely win success.
The Navy is a virgin field for the patriotic politician to
walk over - everything is chaos in it - and that man who shall
call it into order would not be unknown to fame.
The subject now in hand the rnnro particularly recommends it-
-self to you - as our own State would undoubtedly be selected as
the location of the institution - the waters of the Chesapeake must
be the place. You will perceive in the outline of the plan sketch
-ed out that the only serious objection ever ur;-ed against the lo-
-cation of the Naval School in the Chesapeake viz. the autumnal
-fevers - has been entirely obviated by the School Ship to which the
Corps would repair for sea practice, at the expiration of the
school term for the year, they would cruise abroad in the great
bay and benefit by the change.
In reference to the selection of a place in the waters of tho
bay, I believe that T shall be able to reply satisfactorily to any
inquiries you may be pleased to make,-^ (f, n, ̂ A situation on the
Virginia shore of Chesapeake nay was preferred by Lieutenant Pow-
-ell.)
The preamble and resolutions accompanying this are signed by
many officers, mostly junior and most directly interested - and in
the entire Navy there is no difference of opinion upon the subject
as there expressed. Should there be f it will be confined to the
aged officers, men of influence and merit, but from the force of
habit incapable of changing even evil ways for good, and who look
upon all changes with impatience*
Chap.6. - 50 - (p.25,26 of ma.)
Though not one of the Naval Committee, tlie subject would fall
under your control and patronage, should you consent to undertake
its management.
The accompanying paper contains a sketch of the plan and es-
-timates of the expense which I am sure would cover all the ex-
-penses of the institution.
- One word in conclusion - as to the scheme of Secretary of the
Navy (Dickerson) - which proposes to educate midshipmen at West
Point. It has been received with great distaste by the junior
officers of the Navy - the Army profits now greatly by the popular-
-ity of the Navy - and such is the skill with which the first man-
-age their financial affairs that in a short time the expense of
the institution would fall mainly upon the Navy appropriations -
whilst they would enjoy the benefit and the Navy bear all the
odium. It is only another plan for bolstering up the Military
i Academy.
I am Sir with the highest consideration
Your obedt. Servt,
(Signed) L. M. Powell.
These documents show plainly the deep interest felt by the
young officers in the subject of Naval education, and the ability
of Lieutenant Powell to present it in a forcible light. The re-
-port is also remarkable for its anticipation of many features of
the plan adopted at Annapolis in 1845. An appeal so urgent pro
ceeding from "Old Ironsides"- the pride of the Navy - and support-
-ed by so large a body of intelligent officers could not fail to
be well received by the Naval Committee of the Senate, of which
Chap. 6. - 51 - (p. 26, 27 of rns. )
ex-Secretary Southard was a member, but it has been stated, else-
- where that the existing prejudice against government schools, and
a dread of accumulating expense prevented any action upon the Com-
-mittee's report.
This defeat, however, of their first organized effort did not
silence the professional advocates of naval education. In a SG-
-ries of papers published in the "Sputhern Literary magazine"
(1840-42) under the title of "Scraps from the Lucky Bag", Lieuten-
-ant M.?.Maury discussed the whole subject of naval organization ,
and dwelt with special emphasis upon the favorite topic of a naval
school. He preferred for economical reasons,^(f.n.2 It was esti-
-rnated by Lieutenant Maury that it cost the government not less
than :|18,000 to of jjain one Lieutenant for its naval service under
the old system. For many years, about one half of those examined
v,rere promoted, and in 1840 the proportion was smaller.) and be-
-cause he knew it was xiseless to ask for a proper establishment on
shore, a floating school, and suggested that one of the 74's then
lying idle in ordinary should he used for the purpose. "On board
of that ship", says Lieutenant Maury, "the duties of the school
should be paramount to all others; that is, she should be, first,
a school ship, and then the man-of-war. Every officer on board -
purser, chaplain, master, surgeon, lieutenant and commander -
every one should have a chair assigned him, and take part in the
duties and management of the school. The Captain should be tac-
-tician, and, ex officio, the president. Him I would hold re
sponsible for the condition of the school-ship, and the proper
management of the school, as he is now, for the discipline and ef-
Ghap.G. - 52 - (p. 27, 38 of mo. )
-ficiency of a man-of-war. The chaplain should instruct in lan
guages; the purser, in gymnastics (small sword and single stick
exercises); the Master, in drawing and naval architecture; the
surgeon in chemistry and natural history, and the lieutenants, in
mathematics, astronomy, navigation, natural philosophy, gunnery,
pyrotechny &c."
(Note on page 27 of ns. It is an interesting fact that several
petitions upon the same subject were addressed to Congress at dif
ferent periods from this historic frigate.)
One of the advantages claimed by Lieutenant vtaury for the
floating system of naval education was, that the pupils would havo
continually before them a practical illustration of the efficiency
and strength, which a well regulated system of discipline imparts
to a man-of-war. "A four years' apprenticeship in such a vessel,
combined with an annual summer cruise, would not only qualify them
for the ordinary roxvtine of naval duties, but also sufficiently
indoctrinate them in mathematics and in the principles of the
other leading branches of science, to enable them to pursue in
after life, their favorite departments of science,...... The sport
of the winds, and the plaything of the ocean, there is no science,
nor learning, nor wisdom, that is profitless to the naval officer".
In another of his "Scraps from the Lucky Bag", Lieutenant
Maury, alluding to a bill then before Congress for the establish-
-ment of a naval school on shore, says, "Like most others, we have
a preference as to the location of the institution, but individual
preferences and sectional prejudices should no longer be suffered
to stand in its way, as they have done. In the East or in the
Chap.6. - 53 - (p.28,29 of ms.)
West, ashore or afloat, on an island in th^ sea or on a peake of
the Rocky Mountains - be its location •-•'here it may - we advocate
its immediate establishment.,,,,., Should it, however, be placed
on the sea.board, we would surest that the "Depot of Nautical In-
-strurnents and Charts" be connected with it, and that the appropri-
-ation of $50,000 now asked, for by the Secretary for building a
depot, should he made with this view. The expense of two sepa-
-rate establishments would be thus avoided, and the midshipmen*
v:ould have all the facilities of making astronomical observations,
and of rating chronometers for the practical purposes of naviga
tion". 1 (f.n. 1 In the "Memphis Appeal" between 1842 and 1850,
Lieutenant Maury frequently gave to the public his views upon the
subject of education not only for Midshipmen but also for naval
engineers. fie also wrote upon our Coast defenses, Navy Yards and
other matters of professional interest.)
It now remains to place on record the efforts made in this
connection by Chaplain George Jones, of our Navy, who was unques
tionably the ablest and most earnest laborer in this field. As
early as 1826, while usefully employed as a schoolmaster on board
t/ie frigate "Constitution.", in the Mediterranean, we find him just-
-ly ridiculing the practice of making Bowditch's Navigator the sole
object of an officer's study, and lamenting the blindness of Con-
-gress in not establishing a Naval school. "Among the young of-
-ficers" says he, "t'ie cry for a naval school is universal, and
they feel keenly the preference shown our Army in the favorite i:i-
-stitiition at West Point, I have seen them, during three succos^
-sive winters, turn eagerly/to the subject in the Secretary's re-
Chap. 6. - 54 - (p. 29, 30 of rns. )
-ports, and in the debates in Congress, and I have watched their
merited bursts of indignation at the petty schemes agitated in that
body." 1 (f.n. 1 Sketches of Naval Life, vol.JJd.)
Finding, on his return from a second cruise in the Mediterra
nean, in 1836, the "Naval Lyceum" in the -full tide of success,
with an official organ inviting contributions from all sources, he
seized the occasion to make an appeal in behalf of a naval school.2
(f.n.'J Naval Magazine, vol.2d.) His experience as a teacher on
board the "Brandywine", "Constitution", "United States" and "Dels-
-ware" qualified him for the task and enabled him to speak aiithori-
-tatively as to the value of the very defective system of education
then in operation in our Navy, This he pronounced an utter fail-
-ure, adding that "the naval apprentices on board the receiving
ships studied higher branches of mathematics than the Midshipmen.
He then sketched an outline of such an institution as he thought
desirable, 3 (f.n.^ On this occasion, Chaplain Jones suggested Gov-
-ernor 1 s Island, in the harbor of New York, as a suitable location
for the school, but subsequently expressed a preference for the
Naval Asylum at Philadelphia.) showing, by estimates, that it
would result in a yearly saving of §10.000 to the government.
In 1839, at the request of Secretary Paulding, he drew up a report
on the subject, which was highly commended. He then opened a cor-
-reapondence with Captains Smith, Parker and Gregory, Lieutenants
Harwood, Davis and other prominebt officers, whi-eh put him in pos
session of the views of ths Navy upon the subject^ (f.n.1 Commo-
-dore' s Kiddle and Stewart approver! of this plan, the former fully,
the latter with, some qualifications.) , and enabled him to present
Chap.6. - 55 - (p.30,31 of ms.)
his original plan in a more comprehensive and satisfactory form.
The leading features of this revised plan are as follows:-
r \ 1, An expansion of the school at the NavalAsylura, so as to
comprise professorships of Mathematics, Gunnery, Seamanship, Natu-
-ral Philosophy, Belles Lettres, Languages and Drawing - to be .
filled by line officers, Professors of Mathematics, arid a few civi-
-lians, if necessary - Belles Lettros r.o be taught by a Chaplain
in the Navy.
2. A practice-ship, to be permanently attached to the school
for exercise in Gunnery and Seamanship, The ship to be officered
and manned , on these occasions, by the personal of the school.
3. The course of instruction to be divided into two periods
of one year before, and two years after, a three years' cruise at
sea - thus making the period of apprenticeship about six years,
4. A Lyceum for the exhibition of models of the various class-
-es of ships in our service, of guns ; md gun-carriages, and of
marine engines, to be furnished by Naval Constructors and builders
of machinery,
5. A Library, chiefly of a scientific character, to be fur-
-nished by subscription in .the Navy, and increased by donations
from all sources, ,
6. Nautical and astronomical instruments, to be furnished by
the Navy Department from the National observatory at Washington.
The chief value of this plan was its endorsement by many naval
officers. It also recommended itself on the score of economy.
It was not proposed to bring the subject before Congress in any
manner, as the Secretary admittedly had the power to concentrate
Chap.6. - 56 - (p.31,32 of ms.)
both Professors and Midshipmen at the Asylum, and thus quietly sot
the machinery of a school in motion, with the aid of the annual
appropriation granted by Congress for educational purposes. Wh-en^
the school had been in successful operation for a few years, it
was intended to submit it to Congress as an accomplished fact, and
to ask for an appropriation in order to place it upon a permanent
and more substantial basis. If Congress refused, the school
would still exist, although with limited means of accomplishing the
design of its founder. 1 (f.n, 1 It will be seen later that this is
what Secretary Bancroft accomplished in 1845 at Annapolis.)
Just as this programma of action was determined upon, Chaplain
Jones was ordered to sea service, but he had a friend in the Navy
Department in the person of Commodore Lewis War ring ton, then prosi-
-dent of the Board of Navy Commissioners, who volunteered to lay
the plan before the Secretary and urge its adoption. On the re-
-turn of the Chaplain in 1842, he hastened to Washington, visiting
on his way the school at the Naval Asylum, where he consulted Pro-
-fessor Chauvenet, and made known his project to the midshipmen
assembled there for instruction, all of whom expressed the most
ardent wishes for its success. Upon his arrival in Washington,
he-had frequent interviews with Secretary Upshur, and sought to
persuade him that the plan could be carried out without any refer-
-ence to Congress. This course was also recommended by the Hon.
H. A. Wise, Chairman of the jjaval Committee of the House, and other
members of that body; but on this point the Secretary was irnrttova-
-ble. His long service on th? bench had made him so cautious,
that he could not be induced to move a step \vithout the direct
Chap. 6. - 57 - (p32,33 of ms.)
sanction of law.
Thus was lost an opportunity of giving to the Navy a school
adequate to its wants. The Department was unwilling to take the
responsibility, and now it only remained to cast the project once
more into the arena of Congress. Secretary Upshur's bill for fivo
schools, at different points along the seaboard, alluded to else-
-where, was already before this body; but he was willing that
Chaplain Jones 1 plan for one school should be submitted to Con-
-gress. There was no antagonism between those gentlemen, as both
were aiming at the same object. Chaplain. Jones, at the request of
the Secretary, visited Fort Norfolk, in the harbor of the same
name, to investigate its fitness as a site for one of the five
schools, and Secretary Upshur introduced the Chaplain to Senator
Bayard, Chairman of the Naval Committee of the Senate, to whom both
projects were submitted. Senator Bayard then introduced Mr. Jones
to such members of both Houses as were known to be hostile to tho
measure in any form, hoping that his earnest language and thorough
knowledge of the subject would make some converts. Here Chaplain
Jones had a decided advantage over the Secretary, who complained
that lie had not one friend in Congress. He could not even obtain
from the Senate the confirmation of a Chaplain 1 s appointment which
he had given to the rector of his own parish, -Mf.n. ̂ Chaplain Jones
by his own personal efforts at Washington secured the confirmation
of this'appointment by.the Senate.) This hostility was not di-
-rected against the man, who in his private capacity was highly
esteemed, but against his extravagant plans of reform. He asked
for five schools, and Congress feared to establish even one, lest
Chap. 6. - 58 - (p. 33,34 of ms. )
it should be subsequently extended into a continuous and costly
chain of such institutions along our seaboard.
This fact rendered Chaplain Jones's task both, delicate and
difficult; but it was worth a trial. With his carefully prepared
plan and estimates in hand, he sought in person, the opponents of
the measure, and enc'Aintenecl no very decided ro si stance until he
. met Senator Benton of Missouri. This veteran legislator flew to
arms at once, denouncing in his enerrgetic way the humble school
at the Naval Asylum, and branding all such institutions as hot-beds
of aristocracy. This was the rallying cry of the large and in-
-er^asing minority of the House of Representatives who voted annu
ally against the appropriations for the support of the Military
Academy, and it was evident ta Chaplain Jones that even the friends
of his project in Congress were loth to found another school, to
v/hich a similar objection would he made, and which, despite of
economical estimates, would, in a.few years, require a large outlay
for its maintenance,
Desparing, therefore, of any favorable change in the sentiment
of Congress, he deppsite-.l his plan in the tomb of the Senate Naval
Committee, and went to sea in the frigate "Brandywine", On his
return to the United States, in 1845, he found the long wished for
Naval School in .Pull operation at Annapolis, arid ho received a
graceful recognition of his own services, in the shape of an offi-
-cial document ordering him to report for duty to its Superinten-
-dent.
Another advocate of the good cause, then becoming popular evon
outside the Naval service, was J. Roach, a retired officer of the
Chap,6. - 59 - (p. 34,35 of ins.)
Army, who passed into civil life after the war with England,
Having served on the Canadian frontier with naval officers between
whom and their brethren of tiie Army many close friendships had
been cemented, he conceived that it would be of great benefit to
both services to establish one great national school for the educa-
-tylon of both Military and Naval Cadets or in admit the latter to//the West Point school giving them all alike three years' instruc
tion as national cadets, after which they would select the arm
of the service they preferred. He urged the expediency of a na
tional Academy for the education of Cadets of both services in the
following interesting letter:-
Philadelphia, June 8,1841.
"Hon.Geo.E,Badger
Secretary of the Navy-
Sir -
. From the opinion expressed in the
report of the Secretary of the Navy to Congress "that some change
was required in the organization of the Navy", I venture to suggest
an impression made on my mind when an officer in the Army, and
trust I may not be censured for intruding unsolicited advice on
your valuable time and superior judgment, but that you will chari-
-tably pass it to the credit of patriotism, and the desire at all
times to contribute every talent to the general good of our common.
Country.
Our extensive lake and sea coast show at once that a war with
any maritime nation must be carried on by a by a junction of the
Army and Navy, and hi story informs us that most combined expedi-
Chap.6. - 60 - • (p. 35,3 6 of MS.)
-tions have failed from the jealousies which have existed between
the sailor and the soldier and their several commanders.»-* This feeling may have been produced and encouraged in those
countries where despotism or anarchy may be sustained only be keep-
~ing one arm of service to watch or counterbalance the other.
But not so, I trust, in this happy region where every blessing is
conferred on iis, and where every soldier and sailor has a direct
interest and influence in all our institutions.
*My mind was drawn to this subject from experience in the war
with Great Britian in 1812 when, of necessity the Army and Navy
Officers on the Canadian frontier served daily together. Their
jealousy, however, soon subsided, and strong friendships were form-
-ed. NOT; if this good reeling could so soon be produced, I think
that much greater personal and national benefits could be produced
by the establishment of a national seminary which I would respect-
-fully suggest for the education of cadets for the Army and Navy,
to be established at some central naval depot, or even an extension
of the College at West Point, with little or no expense.
Be pleased, Sir, to look at the course of instruction at V/est
oint, and I think you will agree with me that nearly all the three
irst years of instruction would apply equally to Army and Naval
Cadets, and then how frequently do parents mistake the genius or
capacity of their sons by placing them in the service so young that
they are unfit to make choice of the profession most suited toIV
them.ri
Now, Sir, I would propose to give them all three years in-
- struct ion as national Cadets. Then let them select the arm of
Chap. 6. - 61 - (p. 36,' of ms. )
service they prefer and place then under instruction for the higher
branches suited to each. Thus would you, Sir, insure to all our
of fi ears a scientific edxication, and all bei:\g acquainted with the
duties of both arms of the service they would be better able to act
in concert. And, further, what may lie denned of no less impor-
-tance, the attachments thus formed in youth under the sane roof
would tend to the greater efficiency of combined operations, and
considering our- very extended territoty, I can readily conceive
that this mode of instruction must also tend to strengthen our
Union.
If it be objected, as has been said of West Point Academy,
that some would leave the service, never could money be better ex-
-pcnded than by sending such educated Oadets into civil life in
every part of the Country, They would soon become militia offi-
-cers, judges, senators, and with strong national feelings would
aid much in allaying our sectional jealousies, and become efficient
aids to our defense in war.*vV
It may be objected, too, that four years expended in education
would delay too long the experience in seamanship required to make
a good naval officer, I reply that I have known many officers
both in the Naval and Merchant service, who had spent some years
in a counting house in their youth, and I am certain they would bo
lees liable to the contaminating influence of the forecastle if
they were not sent to sea so young. Again, at the Academy, a
school of practice could readily be provided, and a laboratory
where the cadets could be instructed in the preparation of animuni-
-tion and all the Gunner's and Boatswain's stores - a knowledge
Chap.6. - 02 - (p.36,37 of ms.)
which could be acquired as a recreation from more severe studies.
These suggestions may appear crude arid unprofitable, but if
any of them should tend in the smallest decree to benefit the ser-
-vice, I shall be much gratified, as I experienced much inconve-
-nience when in the Array, from the want of early education.
Further, Sir, when the most exalted station in our government is
constitutionally within the reach of every citizen, is it not in-
-perative on all to aid in preparing our youth for the high duties
to which they may be called.
Very respectfully &c.
J. Roach.
In 1842, Commodore Charles Stewart, while expressing his views
on the subject of naval organization, took occasion to state em-
-phatically that "the government owes it to its own interests, hon-
-or and the cause of justice no longer to withold from Midshipmen
the means of acquiring a suitable knowledge of mathematics, a tho-
-rou«;h acquaintance with the laws of nations and the languages of
different countries; and in view of the introduction of steam, as a
mode of propelling vessels, it will be also highly important that
they should be made fully conversant with the principles of that
power'and the machinery through which it acts". * (f. n. 1 In May 1845
Lieutenant Charles Crillon Barton of the Navy, wrote Secretary Ban-
-croft recommending in the way of a midshipman's preparation for
promotion a course of instruction in the graphic part of an offi-
-cer's professionr viz. the representation of headlands, estuaries,
promontories, mountains, harbors &c. - which is well known to be
valuable even to the practical seaman and pilot. Barton was kill-
Chap, 6. - 63 - (p.37,38 of ms.)
-ed in a duel with Lieutenant Wood at Smyrna.) The gallant Com-
-modore also reiterated the opinion expressed by him in 1814, that
a cruising ship, provided with proper instructors, was the best
school for Midshipmen; but we have reason to believe that he out-
-lived his prejudices on this point, and that he regarded with
great favoi' the institution of which his pet frigate, the "Consti-
\/l 4, A J^ \l / A JV-tution", for several years formed an essential ^.a.Y^^J\Y^^b*T^"\Mw&ri-''-'
Last, but not least among the professional advocates of this
great cause, was Lieutenant J. II. Ward, who while discharging the
duties of Gunnery Instructor at the Naval School near Philadelphia,
v/as also giving to the rising generation of his brother of fitters
an example of what could be accomplished by one's own exertions
even in t?ie thorny field of naval science. jii his opening' lecture
he sketched forcibly the varied and growing demands of the service
pointing out the means whereby young officers could be fitly prc-
-pared to meet these demands. He also exhorted his hearers to
devote themselves early to the principles of science, and showed
conclusively that "the unaided judgment is not to be relied upon
either for administrative, duties on shore or in untried emergencies
afloat," His lectures on Gunnery were, in fact intended not only
to interest the junior officers in the scientific treatment of the
subject, but also to induce the Havy Department to give them the
means of studying that and other branches of naval science.
The light thus thrown upon the subject of naval education by a
few officers of acknowledged ability had more influence upon its
final settlement than all the debates in Congress. They made it a
rit$ topic of dicussion in the wardrooms and steerages of our
Chap.6. - 64 - (p.38,59 of ns.)
men-of-war; and won some converts to the cause even among the vo-
-teran Captains , who slowly, but surely, were yielding their pre-
-juclices to the arguments of their juniors as_ wjell^ §sto the logic
< ^"——"^ rr- "~- Vrv*A*-r\. \tr\^A**3, The progress in Naval affairs .between 1830 and 1840,
r already described, was eclipsed by that of the succeeding decade,n-
^ which witnessed the ptiblication of Totterfs Naval Text Book, Brady's> *% • •', Kedge Anchor, Ward's Ordnance l Gunnery, and Steam, Murphy and Jef-
2 y -fers's Nautical Routine and Dana's Seaman's Friend; the appearance4^v . of Perkins's Steam Gun, Ericsson's Archimedian Wheel, Hunter's sub-| <L
-merged propeller, Stockton's Engine and his gun, the "Peacemaker";
4 - ,,-; '^ the buildin^->; of iron vessels of war; the organizarion of the En-55? .-:' k -gineor Corps of the Navy; tlie sending of Lieutenants Jenkins and
-iv Bache to Europe to report upon its lighthouse syst.epis; the inaugur-<, >f. \^ ' .-ation of the Nautical Almanac; the founding of the National Insti-
-tute for the promotion of science; Mai^ry' s investigations of the
winds and currents of the ocean, and the dispatch of exploring and
> surveying expeditions to remote quarters of the world under the
command of Wilkes........... and other (get dates of other expedi-
» -tions bet\veen 1830 and 1840) young naval officers. All these
evidences of progress could not fail to operate favorably upon the
question of naval education. The potent voice of the press, too,
^ r was pleading in its behalf, and thus the Navy Department was assur-
-ed of hearty support, in and out of the profession, whenever it
should assume the responsibility of establishing a well organized
naval school on shore.
Hitherto only a passing allusion has been made to the" futrle
attempts at naval education made on board of crxiising ships, at the
Chap. 6. . - 65 - (p. 59 of ms. )
Navy Yards, and at the Naval Asylum. Although defective in plan
and almost barren of results, these so-called schools held a re
cognized position in our naval organization dovm to 1845, and are
entitled to special notice at this stage in our narative.
Notes page 39 of. ms. Expedition of the " Vincer.nes" to the
Antarctic Continent in 1840.
Between 1840-50 much was done for the promotion of science
/ in America The National Institiite for the promotion of science
v/as .founded in 1842 in Washington, under the auspices of tho gov
ernment .
Captain John Rodgers (1822) Marine railway for hauling up
shi p s.-V
\ Commodore Barron (1836) Steam Prow ship or Ram. \ i
Lieutenant V/. W. Hunter and Captain H. F. Stockton and Mr.tf 'Ericsson did much in naval architecture and steam navigation.
Hunter and his submerged horizontal propellers - Ericsson*s spiral
or Archimedian v;h«3l - Stockton 1 s efforts to develope the advanta
ges of steamships fitted up in conformity to Ericsson 1 s method of
propulsion. (Iron ships also between 1840-50) Stockton 1 s engine,
Ericsson's propellers and Hunter's were the great topics of the
day (1842)
Stockton's large gun (225 pounds) called the "peacemaker",
burst in 1844 on board the Princeton. Stockton got permission to
build the Princeton in 1842, she was completed in 1844, ami was
spoken of as a terrible monster, she was armed with two 225-pound
wrought iron guns, made under Captain Stockton's supervision, and
twelve 42-pound carronades. In speed, model and efficiency she
Chap.6. - 66 - (p.39 of ms.)
\
was superior to any vessel of war then afloat.
Steam frigate "Missouri" - the pride of the Navy - burned in
Gibraltar harbor in 1844.
Lieutenant J. N. Ward's Treatise on Ordnance, Gunnery and
Steam (1845-6) " " " Steam for the Million - popular trea
tise. " " " ivianuAl of Naval Tactics. Ward's Gun
Carriage.
Lieutenant B. J, Totten 1 s Naval Text Book, Naval Gun Exercise
and Marine Dictionary,(1841)
Sailing Master William Brady 1 s Kedge Anchor (1847)
Passed Midshipman McLeod Murphy and W. N. Jeffers "Nautical Rou-
/ -tine and Stowage, with short rules in Navigation" (1849)
Dana 1 s Seaman's Friend in 1841 - welcomed as a means of in-
-struction for the sailor.
Numerous expeditions were fitted out.
1842 - Organization of the Engineer Corps - Act of August
31, 1842.
" re-organization of NavV Department - into Bureaus.
" Colt's submarine battery,
" An iron steamer on Hunter's plan to be built.
" A powerful iron steam battery for harbor defense
(R. L, Stevens)
1847. Experiments with Brown's shot proof ship.
" Collins line of transatlantic steamers sxabsidized - to
have Passe-'i Midshipmen as watch officers - also line to
New Orleans and Havana,
1848 - Commissioning of Professors of Mathematics.
Chap. 6. - 67 - (p. 39 of ms.)
1848 - Astronomical Expedition to Ohili authorized.
1849 - Nautical Almanac to be prepared for publication by a
competent officer of the Navy.
" Secretary authorized, to detail 3 vessels of the Navy
in testing new routes and perfecting discoveries Made
by Lieutenant Maury - the course of his investigations
of winds and currents of ocean,
1853 - Kane's Arctic Expedition.
1856 - Hartstene's relief Kxpedition.
Japan Expedition - Darien Kxpedition - Paraguay Expedition
(1858-9)
Kane's Arctic Expedition 1853 - Hull's Arctic Expedition -
Rodgers' North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition (1857)
Herndoii and Gibbons' Explorations of the Amazon,
See manuscript sheet "Extracts from Lav,r s of Navy -
We learn from a pamphlet lately published, that Ericsson
built tho first successful propeller, having all its machinery bc-
-low the water line, (the Francis B, Ogden) which was rejected by
the Lords of the Admiralty on the grouna that "it n'Oiild be impossi-
-ble to steer a vessel where the propelling power was 30 naar the
rudder". Mr. Ericsson came to this country bringing the machinery
of the Robert F, Stockton, and shortly after, built for the gov-
-ernment the screw steamer Princeton. Ericsso$ conceived the idoa
of the Monitor class of vessels in 1854, when he submitted his plan
for such ships to Napoleon.
See printed clipping - "A Naval Reminiscence." Ex-Governor
Prices' experiences when he was Paymaster in the Navy, The burn-
-ing of the U.S.Steam Frigate Missouri in 1843.
Chap.6. - 68 - (Notes.)
These letters of Chaplain Jones to me are interesting.
Brooklyn No. 34 Clinton St.
Feb. 5th. 1864.if
To Professor T, -&* Ford, U.S.N.
Dear Sir:-
I am glad to find that you have not relinquished
your design of publishing a history of the Naval Academy; your long
and close connection with that Institution having fully .qualified
you to produce a work of that kind.
As respects myself, I will try to furnish you with materials
such as you request:- merely outlines however, for I suppose you
do not \vish for more.
My father owned a farm nearly adjoining the borough limits of
York, Pennsylvania: and on it, I was born, July 30th, 1800. Was
in a store in York from 1814-17: in 1819 entered the freshman class
in Yale College: took the highest honor in my class in each year,
including the valedictory at graduating in 1825. Intended to go
to Germany, to finish my education; but the brother, with whom my
funds were, could not furnish me with further means unless by dis
tressing himself, so I went to Washington, D. C., got up a school
there, arid taught for two years.
At the end of that time the Brandywine was fitting o\it in the
Potomac, with orders to carry Lafayette to Prance, and to proceed
thence to the Mediterranean.
One evening, a lady visiting at my boarding house, and with
whom I was in a quiet conversation at one side, told me of the in-
-teres ting accounts which her brother Lieutenant, now Captain Crabte
Chap. 6. - 69 - (Letters of Jones)
U. S. N., gave of his cruisings in various parts of the world.
Ey and by, I scarcely heard a word she said; for my thoughts were
all swallowed up by the Brandywine, and the opportunities she of-
-fered of seeing Greece &G.&C. The next morning, I was an appli-
-cant Cor an office on board.
Commodore Morris was to command the frigate as far as Prance,
In the Mediterranean she was to be under command of Captain D. T,
Patterson. My application was successful. The Commodore had no
secretary. I was to be teacher of Navigation to the Midshipmen
(school master was the title then) and also to do the duty, tempor
arily, of Captain's clerk. - Thus my life was suddenly and unex
pectedly turned into the Navy.
In the Mediterranean, as the Brandywine was needed at home,
Captain Patterson was transferred to the frigate Constitution - the
original old ship - and took me with him. Commodore John Rodgors
commanded the squadron. He sent me an invitation to his flag ship
the North Carolina, in the samo capacity to the Midshipmen: but I
preferred the Constitution and her Captain, and was allowed to ro-
-main with them.
Wo had a remarkably pleasant set of Midshipmen (28 in number)
in the vessel, and a Captain earnest for their improvement: he put
the school under excellent regulations, and the young men did bet-
-ter than I have ever seen Midshipmen do in any other ship. He
was eager to have his officers improve in every respect: visited
interesting ports, as much for their sakes as his own,' and was al-
-ways desirous of having them learn all they could, wherever we
went. They were all much attached to him. The cruise was one of
Chap. 6. - 70 - (Letters of .TOTIGG)
the pleasantest I have ever made. - I published an account of it -
(with the Captain's approbation previously obtained) after our re-
-turn "The Sketches of Naval Life".
Got home in 1828. I had received, while in the Brandywine,
in the Potomac, an offer of a tutorship in Yale College from the
authorities there: and now it was renewed, and accepted; and I was
a Tutor there for two years.
In 1830 was ordained Deacon in the ministry of the Episcopal
Church, and was invited to be Rector in the Church at Middle ton in
Connecticut. Went there: but ny health soon broke down, and I
left in the autumn of 1831.
Went to Indiana, and to open air work: and health was restoroi
While there, in the Spring of 1832, received a letter from Captain
Patters on, saying that he was to take command of the Mediterranean
squadron, and inviting me to go out with him in his flag-ship the
frigate "United States", He had previously, at rny request, ap-
-plied, at Washington, for a chaplaincy for me, and had the promise
of one as soon as there should be a vacancy. I came to New York,
and was attachea to the "United States", as acting Chaplain. Cap—
-tain John W. Nicholson was Captain of the ship. We sailed for
the Mediterranean via Lisbon, June 3rd, 1832,i
With my duties as Chaplain, I also taught the Midshipmen in
this ship, under regulations such as those in the Constitution in
the former cruise. In March 1834, the Delaware (74) having joined
the squadron, Commodore Patterson transferred his flag to her, and
I was also removed to that ship. Captain Nicholson was also
transferred to that vessel. Captain Nicholson requested me to
Chap. 6. - 71 - (Letters of Jones)
take charge here also of the Midshipmen in Mathematics; as this
would put it in his power to employ a teacher for them in French
and Spanish: and I did so, in connection with my duties as Chaplain
My commission as Chaplain, dated 20th. April of the previous year
(1833) reached me about this time.
The cruise of the Delaware terminated by our arrival at Nor-
-folk in February 7, 1856. During that summer I published a vol-
-ume containing so<'ie incidents in this cruise.<L
In September of that year, I was ordered to report for fyuty on
board the North Carolina, about to sail for the Pacific, Commodore
Ballard to have command of that station. I reported accordingly,
and then went to Washington, on the siibject. Commodore Patterson,
then commanding the Navy Yard there, went with me to the Department
and represented to them that I had lately come from a cnuise of
nearly 4- years' length, and that these orders to sea again appeared
to come quickly on the other cruise. They replied that Coi-imodore
Ballard had applied for me, and that they would not insist on my
going, if it was not agreeable. Commodore Patterson then requwst-
-ed orders for me to the Washington Yard; but a favorite of General
Jackson (one who had never performed sea duty and had the promise
of never being called upon for such duty) had been put there to
remain permanently, and the Department declined interfering, I
then applied for the Norfolk Navy Yard, and received orders to that
place, October 17, 1836,
Was on duty there till December 24th, 1840, when I was order-
-ecl to proceed in the sloop of war Levant to Penscola, and report
for duty in the Macedonian, Commodore Wilkinson,
Chap, 6, - 72 - (Letters of Jones)
On duty in the Macedonian till the summer of 1841, when I was
detached in consequence of ill health.
December 2nd. 1841, was ordered to report for duty in the fri-
-gate Columbia Captain Parker, fitting out at Boston for the home
squadron. We had a very pleasant time in this ship. In conse-
-quence of some temperance efforts made at the beginning of the
cruise, about two thirds of tho men, and nearly half of the offi-
-ce^s signed the temperance pledge: and there was a remarkable de-
-groe of harmony and kind feeling in the ship. We were going on a
very boisterous cruise off the coast; and I wrote to the Secretary
of the Navy, offering, to procure, at my own expense, coffee and
sugar, for night drink for the deck watches, if he vould furnish
conveniences for having it prepared. Had a kind letter in reply
and the means were furnished: and every night at twelve and four
o'cloek, hot coffee, as much as they could drink, was furnished to
our temperance men, - the others also being never refused a share.
We were 40 days on St. George's banks, rolling and pitching all the
while, in weather so cold and stormy that one night they wore two
hours furling one of the sails: but I have always heard both men
and officers say, in our subsequent meetings, that this was the
pleasantest cruise they had over known. We were grieved to find
on returning into port at New York, that we nust separate; for tho
Columbia was needed for service in the Brazil station. Captain
Parker was transferred to the frigate Constitution, and I was sent
with him to that ship. We had bxit a short time in this vessel, as
on our going to sea, she was found'to be so leaky in her decks,
that we soon had to return again. This short cnuise was also off
Chap.6. - 73 - (Letters of Jones)
our coast, the vessel being on the home squadron.
We went into Norfolk: and there Captain Parker was directed to
hoist a broad pennant in the frigate Brandywine, and proceed to the
East Indies as Commodore of that station. I had orders also to
join the Brandywine: and it was, while this ship was getting ready
for sea; that is, in the winter of 1842-43, th.'t I made my chief
efforts for getting up a Naval School. I had before Made exer-
-tions of this kind, having been satisfied, after long experience
and observation, that teaching on board ship seldom resulted in
much good. The grade of Professor of Mathematics had been estab
lished, some years previous to this, and many gentlemen of compo-
-tent ability had been employed; but the circumstances on board
were all adverse to study, and unless the Captain of a ship might
be such a person as Captain Patterson, winning the Midshipmen to
study by the interest he took in than, and using al so a persistent
authority on the subject, little could be expected in return for
the generous outlay by government, in providing the large number
of Professors, which it then had afloat.
I had previous to this winter, written to leading officers in
the service, interested in such matters, asking them for written,
opinions about the system then in use, and for plans for any better
one: and had their answers, some of them at considerable length.
I remember among these, one from Commodore, now rear-Admiral Smith,
of great value: but all showed the deep interest of officers in the
subject. With these I had made one or two visits to Washington;
and as Judge Upshur, then Secretary of the Navy, had now, in his
last report, reiterated an urgent appeal to Congress for such a
Chap. 6. - 74 - (Letters of Jonorj)
school or schools, I spent the winter at the Capital trying to
further the plans. The Secretary introduced me to Colonel Bayard,
Chairman of the Senate Naval Committee; and the Colonel asked me
to see those persons who would probably oppose such a bill, to k
whom he introduced me for this purpose, Colonel Bent on, Mr, Alien
of Ohio &c. &c. I had interviews with them, at their rooms; and
I remember especially that with Colonel Benton, who was opposed to
all such schools, especially to West Point, as aristocratic institu
tions &c. I had found it necessary to have a properly digested
plan to lay before these gentlemen, and had formed one combining
the leading features of those recommended by the various officers
with whom I had correspondence. There was also a paper accompany
ing it, in v/hich I showed that the expenses of a Naval School•»
carefully conducted, would be annually §28,200 less than the system
then in use requiring so many professors on ships in commission.
This paper seems to have been taken into account afterwards; inas
much as that was the sum voted annually for the Uaval School for
a couple of years after it was actually established. I haVe no
copies of these papers or of the letters of officers previously
received; I left all with the Senate Naval Committee, Judge Up-
-shur himself wished to have five schools, one at Sackett's Harbor,
as also at Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk; and directed
me to inquire about the health'fulness of Port Norfolk with refer-
-ence to this subject. Members of Congress distrusted his plans
in general, for the Navy, though they had great esteem for him as
an individual and a gentleman, A bill for a Naval School was pro-
-sented at this session, but was soon shoved aside by more pressing
things,
Chap.G. - 75 - (Letters of Jones)
The Brandywine left for China in July 1843. We had a Profes- dl
-sor^Mathematics on board; but he became sick when a few weeks out,
and I was requested to take his place. He did not recover, and
came home at the end of a year: and I. did the duty of that office
in addition to my own, through all the cruise, except the 2 or 3
weeks at the beginning.
We got back to the United States in September 1845, and I had
one month* s leave of absence forwarded to me, with orders to re-
-port, at the expiration of that time, for duty at the Naval Acad-j ' S ' wjt-) \.c/'
-emy, then about to be n*>L^ia-rl e*aA, j.jy, Bancroft had taken the
course some members of Congress had tried to get Judge Ilpshur to
take; had used the power already in his hand, without application
to Congress, and the Naval School was forthwith established.
I was there, as Professor in the Jinglish Department, sometimes
assisting in mathematics, till 1850, when, according to the usual
navy routine, I was detached. The Professors all united in a let-
-ter to Commodore Shubrick then at Washington, asking him to apply
at the Department, and have me kept at the school. They could not
write to the Department itself, as that would not be military, but
took this indirect method to effect their end. It was all done
without rny knowledge; arid without my having any suspicion of it,
but they afterward shewed me the letter which they had written.
I had formed my plans, however, differently; and had asked the De-
-partnent for furlough for a year, which was granted. This was
in June 1850, In October of that year, the school was remodeled
and a chaplaincy for it established, distinct from any professor-
-ship: and in February 1851 I asked for that situation, and was
ChaP' 6 ' - 76 - (Letters of Jones)
accordingly ordered as Chaplain to what was now t se Naval Academy.
I had previously, while Professor, got up the Lyceum a large
part of it being my o :vn contribution from collections made in va-
-rious cruises: and the Secretary of the Wavy, had authorized me
also to travel in one of the vacations, and make collections !"or it
especially in coals, the expense not to exceed one hundred dollars:
which I did, I was also acting Librarian for several years.
Commodore Perry in 1852 was fitting out the Japan Expedition,
and applied to the Department to attach me to his squadron on the
ground, as he wrote to me, that he thought I "could be useful to
him". The orders came accoj-dingly, and I left the Academy for the
Japan cruise. He put considerable extra duty on me, for which,
however, I was always willing, and sometimes offered myself. He
was fond of working men, and we got along together very well.
After the cnuise I was ordered to remain with him in New York
to assist in bringing out his Report of the Expedition. The pub-
-lic has the result.
I had got to be much interested in observations on the Zodi-
-acal Light; and wishing to have further ones in some spot, where,
in addition to its being equatorial, a clear atmosphere might be
found, I obtained leave of absence from the Department; for a year
after my part of the Japan Expedition report was finished: and
proceeded to Quito, in Ecuador, where, or in its neighborhood, I
spent 7 months, with most satisfactory results; the observations
fully confirming the idea that the Zodiacal Light is from a. nebu-
-lous ring round the earth; indeed making it, as far as I can seo,
a matter of demonstration.
Chap. 6, - 77 - (Letters of J^nen)
I reached home in the spring of 1857, and in October of that
year, through the influence of Commodore Perry, was returned to my
former place as Chaplain of the Naval Academy.
On 1st. of January, 1861, my term there, according to the
usual routine, having expired, I was detached.l'
In April of that year, Commodore, nonr rear-Admiral Stringham
having been ordered to command the Atlantic squadron, informed mo,
in Brooklyn, that he had just been conversing with the Department
about me; and that they had authorized him to say that I could have
either sea or shore duty, as I might prefer, I replied that I
wished to be where I would be most useful in the war; and as a ship
seemed the best place for that, I should prefer sea duty. He ap-
-plied for me accordingly and I was ordered to his ship the Minne-
-sota. In that vessel we captured, not Ion,"; after, at Hatteras,
Commodore Barren, who had been a Midshipman in the first ship (the
Brandywine) in which I had sailed.
The lav/ retiring from sea duty all officers 62 years of age
or who have been forty-five years on the register, took hold of meHi*
in July 1862 on board the Minnesota: and accordingly I had to be
detached from that ship,\s ou
Since that time I have been on .JJeave of ^Absence, but have done
voluntary duty, as Chaplain and nxirse, in the Army hospitals at
Washington and at Gettysburg, having previously, while in the Min-
-nesota, had large experience of that kind in the Army as well as
Navy hospitals at Fortress Monroe, and at Norfolk,
It is not often that I deal so much in egotisms, but this
Chap. 6. - 78 - (Letters of Jones)
could not be avoided in a paper of this kind. Of course you will
understand this as only furnishing materiels for yourself. My
life in the Navy has been an active one, and a life also of very
great variety. I have generally been a worker where I could be:
and have had my reward generally in kind treatment in return, both
from the Navy Department and from officers in general, and also
from sailors.
I am now old, and retire quietly, leaving to more active ones
the busy scenes; but I have many pleasant thoughts connected with
all parts of the "'orld, with which to solace myself through the
rest of ray days.
Still I think I should like to voyage a little more: only a
little: one or two places - indeed I am afraid I must say a good
many - that I should like to so^ again,
Such is a sailor 1 s retiring quietly and being contented for
the remainder of his days!
You have this my history down to the present time: and sup-
posing that you now have enough of me, I will only subscribe my-
s elf
Your fd. & Sert.
(Signed) Geo, Jones.
No. 34 Clinton St.
Brooklyn - Peb 19,'64.
My dear\Sir:-/^X -^-^ "**
Your letter, in consequence of being directed to New
Chap. 6. - 79 - (Letters of Jonoo)
York, clsid not reach me until to-day.
I wil.V reply strratim to your questions as far as I can.
1. I have no distinct recollection of the exact sura stated in
my plan, as thai, which could, he saved by a regular school; but ro-
-member that when the appropriations of $28,200 yearly (an odd sum)
were made, it struck me that, this was fixed upon, because in accor-
-dance with the amount given in that plan. I have not any Navy
Register of that date, and cannot tell now what number of Profes-
-sors Mathematics there were then in the Navy or their pay; but I
suppose there is one of that d-^te in the\ Naval Academy library.\
If you will multiply the number of Professors by their sea pay -f-\
a ration (allowing for say one quarter of them on shore with shore
pay): add to this at the rate of pay and ration of a servant to
each two professors, and you will have about the cost to government
of the system then in use. There were, I think, on my list of\ \ \
costs some other items, but no\ amounting to much. Then per con-
-tra, take the pay, say of 4 ! (f.n. 1 Perh$a.s I allowed only throe;
for our plans, in the first instance, were all on a moderate scale.
The Chaplain was to act also as Professor arid I think the Surgeon
also.) Professors and of a commander and surgeon and a chaplain,
and deduct this from the other, and you will have pretty nearly the
calculation which I made at the time. I have kept no record of\
these things and write only as my memory, fiired up variously since
with other things, will supply.
2. I di not act antogonistically to Secretary Upshur, although
our plans were different. He stated to me what his were, and di-\
-rectecl me, in one of my visits to Norfolk, to inquire about Port
Chap. 6. - 80 - (Letters of Jones)
Norfolk, in reference to them. This I did. In conversations/'()^ \f v vj/ with Colonel Bayard, and. when he asked me to see opponents and ar-
. y
\ H r' ~P^ e then out of their opposition, I saw the necessity of having a A'N/
plan all drawn out, with the necessary details, and with a statement
of expensaw &c. and, taking the ideas of various officers in their
correspondence with me, and combining them with the results of rny
own observations, I made out the plan of one school, with the of-
-ficers to be attac?ied to it, as noticed above. This plan I laid
before Colonel Benton and the others, using the saving of expense
to the Government as one of the arguments for a school, I suppose
I did not mention Secretary Upshur'n plan of 5 schools to them; for
they were all distrustful of him. His purposes for the navy were
on a generous scale; indeed so large, as shewn in his last report,
that members of Congress took alarm. When I argued for one school
that it would be on a very moderate scale they replied "Yes, but
it will be only the entering wedge by Judge Upshur for something on
an extravagant scale". I answered "You can easily check him, if
he attempts it in this matter": but they said "No, we can't: he
will lead us on and on, and we cannot tell where it will stop".
As to the Secretary and myself, we did not work antagonist!-
-cally, but both trying _t_o_ get soiiething started. The Judge com-
-plained to me one cl^y, that ho had not a friend in Congress, He
said that this was the second session in which he had been trying
to get a commission which he ?iad given to a Chaplain (his fomer
rector) confirmed; but in vain, I got his permission, went to the
Capitol, did a little lobbying and the confirmation was made.
Judge Upshur was very friendly to no, and we did not work in oppo-
Chap.6. - 81 - (Letters of Jones)
-sition, although in different ways,
I think Mr. Wise (Grov. W, of Virginia) was then Chairman of
the Naval Committee in the House. I remarked to him, one day,
that Judge Upshur had the power to start a school with the mate-
-rials already on hand, and did not need any action from Congress,
"That", he replied "is just what vie have been trying to get him to
do, all along: but he has been so man,-- years on the bench, that ho
won't move a step, unless he has lav; to shew for it".
3. I do not kriow anything more about my plan than that, after
using it as above I Iffft it, I believe, with the letters from Navy
Officers, in the hands ofVbhe Senate Naval Committee; and went off,
soon after, on my first East India cruise.
4. I have no recollection of Commodore Warrington with refer-
-ence to school plans. He hack for years, been a kind and warm
friend to me, and I was on terms \f intimacy with him and his farn-
-ily. Doubtless I consulted him on -these matters, and I am pretty
certain that my plan had his approval, , As to. the phrase "Our
plan", probably it was used, becaiise I considered it the plan of\
many navy officers, (himself included) arisingXfron correspondence
and conversations.
I am sorry that I cannot be more exact in my\replies to your
j,bi \
Letter of Chaplain George Jones to Commodore Warrin^ton,
Boston February 3rd. 1842.
Dear Sir:-
When I was about leaving Washington, at my last
Chap, 6. - 82 - (Letters of Jones)
visit in December, you were good enough to offer to take in hand
the furtherance of our project for a Naval College. You wished
me, when the Honorable the Secretary of the Navy could be more at
leisure, to give you, in detail the plan which we had drawn up and
which you offered to submit to him.
I enclose it herewith and also several letters which I have
received from officers of different grades in the service, on the
subject, which you can also lay before the Secretary if you think
it best. My own paper is brief as I know the Secretary has not
time for lengthy conversations; and minute details, if we can get
the College started, will then corne up and arrange themselves.
The great object now is to _gejt it started. The time seems to be
extremely favorable. Lyceums and lectures have spread the spirit
of knowledge all over our country: new principles in Naval tactics
are coming up requiring scientific acquirements which our officers
have, at present, no means of obtaining; the Secretary of the Wavy
is popular and intelligent and active; and such an institution
would put a noble climax to the efforts which he is making for the
good of the navy. No Secretary could wish a more splendid rnonu-
-ment to his memory than such an institution. The plan too, as
you will perceive is a money-saving one.
I give the subject into your hands, dear sir, confident that
you will treat it with the attention that it deserves. Of the
letters accompanying this, that of Captain James Smith is the full-
-est, and is well worthy of attention: that of Captain Parker is
strong; that of Captain Gregory is full on the inefficiency of the
present system: most of the letters are from Lieutenants who have
Chap.G. - 83 - (Letters of
been lately first Lieutenants of ships or have otherwise had par
ticular opportunities of observing education as it is now conduct-
-ed. I would particularly recommend those of Lieutenants Harwood
and Davis, both of whom you probably know are very intelligent men.
I ought to add that Commodores Biddle and Stewart have both given
me permission to say that we have had conversation on this subject
and that they approve the plan here offered, Commodore Biddle -fully
and Commodore Stewart with some qualifications. The Midshipmen
at Philadelphia received it, I am told, with acclamations; and it
is my firm belief that nothing in the whole range of things would
be hailed with such universal joy in the Navy as the institution of
a college even on an humble plan like this.
I have the honor to be
Very respectfully and truly
Your ob' . sert.
(Signed) Geo. .Tones. Chap. U.S.N.
To Commodore
L. Warring ton,
President of Navy Yard
Washington City. JL . / ?, • "*»»KJ y
ancT-thank ytrtt-forMt
{ 1842. Jones on Naval College.)
Reasons for a Nayaj^ College.
1. The almost entire inefficiency of the present system of
instruction, although accompanied with great expense. Nor is it
seen that this system can, by any possibility, be made effectual.
°hap. 6. - 84 - (Letters of Jones)
These midshipmen can seldom be in more than three watches and there
is a strong and well founded prejudice among officers against more
than three. Of these watches one must be on deck: the other two
can be in the school room; but of these, one has had the deck from
midnight to 4 o'clock and the other from 4 to 8: watchers are con-
-sequently dull and as badly prepared as possible for the close
attention required by mathematical studies. There are also con-
-stant interruptions from boat-duty, calls to attend the exercising
of guns, and a great many other miscellaneous duties perpetually
distracting the attention. To this must be added the confused,
noises of a ship and in sloops of v/ar the want of a school room,
the steerage being usually the only place allowable in vessels of
this class.
In the accompanying documents the testimony of officers of
high standing in the Navy and of different grades, on this subject
is very ample. I have had six years experience in teaching on
shipboard and a still longer time for observation, and do not hesi
tate to say, that in return for the vast expense which education
costs scarcely anything at all is done or can be done for effec-
-tual improvement,
2, The increasing need of instruction. Naval -aJIbates- are
overy year learning more of science, particularly gunnery and of
that portion connected with steam machinery, A naval war would
now be far different from any one that has ever yet, been witnessed
and would require intellectual acquirements of a higher grade than
heretofore. In case of war our steam-vessels would be almost on-
-tirely in the control of the corps of steam-engineers unless bet-
Chap. 6. - 85 - (Letters of Jones)
-ter means of education are afforded for higher officers. Educa
tion in the whole country is progressing: in the Navy it is at a
stand, or indeed scarcely exists at all, except in name. On board
one of our receiving ships which I visited lately, I found the
Naval Apprentices studying higher branches in mathematics than any
then studied in the Midshipmen's school in that ship,
Reasons for a. Naval College.
It is not proposed to apply to Congress for appropriations,
or to bring the subject at all before that body, where sectional
feeling would probably entirely defeat the object: but for the
Honorable the Secretary of the Navy to use the power which he now
possesses of appointing Professors and thus for the Navy quietly
to get a college for itself. As this would be a saving of expense
(as will presently be shewn) it is not thought that there can be
any objection by the nation to such a course.
Such a college would require
1. A building for recitations &c. - Such an one we have al-
-ready in the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia which is extremely well
adapted to the purpose and where there is ample room.
2. Models of all the ships in the Navy: also models to be
taken apart and put together; models of guns and gun carriages &c.
and particularly of steam machinery. Also a library of about
1000 vols. The models can be procured at our Navy Yards and
would cost nothing: the books can be procured by subscription
among the officers if funds cannot be otherwise procured.
3. Professors - say 1 Professor of mathematics (officer) 2 Do.
civilians. 2 do Languages (civilians): 1 do Natural Philosophy
Chap. 6, - 86 - (Letters of Jones)
particularly of suearn (civilian) 1 do Gunnery (Officer) 1 do Sea-
-manship (officer) 1 do Drawing (officer) 1 do Belles Lettres
(Chaplain). Of these ten Professors only five are civilians and
v/ould be an extra expense and for most of them officers may soon
be substituted. It is not proposed to start with all of these,
but to reach this point as soon as possible.
Course of Study.
It is proposed to have appointments given out at some stated
period yearly, and to have the lads so appointed, sent immediately
to the Naval College, to form a class by themselves. At the end
of a year they are to undergo a severe examination, and all who
cannot pass this ordeal, or who have shewn obliquities of temper
or physical weakness during the year, to be sent quietly home, -
their connection with the Navy having ceased. It is thought that
such a sifting system woxild be a very important and useful part of
the plan. Those who pass this examination successfully, are to
be sent to sea as soon as possible and at the end of two years are
to be returned to the College for two additional years of study,
blended for recreation with theoretical seamanship in a vessel kept
anchored near the College. At the end of this period, the final
examination for "Past j,»idshipmen" to take place.
Expenses of such _a College.
The present system of instruction on board ship costs, it in
believed about $25000 annually. It is proposed to abolish all
this system and siich a college as is here sketched would cost
about $10,000, this ".-oulfl be a saving of $lvLOOO yearly to the gov
ernment.
Chap. 6. - 87 - (Letters of Jones)
I
At the end of 3 or 4 years tho college, if it succeeded well,
may be brought before Congress and appropriations asked for, in
order to place it on a wider and more substantial basis. If Con-
-gress will grant them, well: if not, we shall still have a Naval
College.
Chap. 6. - 88 - (Letters of Jones)
A Servant of Humanity.afomago'was paid; at the Sorbonno last
night to Williom Fontaine Maury, the piof f «
ueer of meteorology. The occasion was !gathering in the Richelieu Amphitheatre of "Les Amis dc 1'Universite," a society presided over by M. Casimir-Pericr, for merly President of the f rench Republic
Before an audience of over fire hundred distinguished scholars and scientists, Dr A. Berget, in a lecture on "The Circula tion of tho Air," reviewed the labors of Lieutenant tilatiry and tho services ren-
1 dered to navigators by his pilot chares. Dr. Bergot said that the economy realized by the use of tlio Maury charts may be es timated at three hundred million francs annually, not to speak of the saving of human life. It might bo said, ho added, that Lieutenant Maury had ".shrunk tho ocean," for ho made it possible for sailing vessels to cross the Atlantic and the Pa cific in half the time required previous to the adoption of his ideas. Tho speaker concluded with the suggestion that a monument .should bo raised by inter national subscription to tho scientist ho had so warmly and justly eulogized.
^£/V^ ^————^
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