20. A Teacher shall be appointed to each Vessel of the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th rate, whose duty it shall be to give instructions, under the direction of the Commander of the Vessel, to Midshipmen and others.

21. The President of The United States to cause to be prepared, Regulations for the duties, powers, and conduct of the several Officers of the Navy, which, when approved by him, shall be laid before Congress at their next Session.

(B.)-Plan of Law for Pay of the Navy.

1. The following to be the pay of the several Officers attached to

the Navy:

Vice-Admiral....

Rear Admiral

Commodore

...200 dollars per month, and 20 rations per day.

...

..

....

170 ...140

...

Ditto of 10 years

Ditto 15

Sail Makers.... 3 grade 20 dollars per month, and 2 rations per day.

Provided that no Officer who is required to pass an examination before he is promoted, shall, in any case, receive the increased pay, unless he shall, at the proper time, present himself for examination, and be declared fit for promotion.

2. Admirals, Commodores, Captains, Master-Commandants, Lieutenants-commanding, First Lieutenants, Surgeons, Sailing Masters, Boatswains, Gunners, Carpenters, and Sail Makers, engaged in active service at sea, to receive double rations. Other Officers on sea-service, an addition of one half to the amount of rations to which they are respectively entitled.

3. Captains and Officers of higher grade, travelling under orders on publick duty, to receive 20 cents per mile; other Commissioned Officers 15 cents per mile; Warrant Officers 12 cents per mile.

4. Officers attached to the Navy Yards to receive in lieu of all compensation, except for pay, rations, and quarters, as follows:

5. Commanding Officers of Stations, the same pay and emolument as those of similar rank attached to Navy Yards.

6. Pay of Officers on furlough, who shall fail to report at the expiration of the furlough, shall cease.

7. Officers performing the duties of any grade higher than their own, to receive the pay and emoluments of the rank next above them.

8. Furlough pay to be one half the amount of full pay, including rations.

9. The Secretary of the Navy authorized to place Officers on furlough pay, when their services are not required.

10. Whenever Petty Officers, Seamen, or Ordinary Seamen, are sent from a Ship in Commission, on the requisition of a commanding Officer of a Yard or Station, to do duty in such Yard or Station, other than the Vessel to which they belong, each Petty Officer shall be entitled to, and shall receive 18 cents, and each Seaman and Ordinary Seaman 12 cents, for each and every day in which he may be so employed.

11. The pay of Deserters to be forfeited and carried to the Naval Hospital Fund; also fines imposed on all Persons in the Service.

12. The pay of Officers at Recruiting Stations, and of Receiving Ships, to be the same as Officers of their grade at Navy Yards, but no premiums for enlistment to be allowed.

13. Officers on special duty, to have pay fixed by the Secretary of the Navy, not to exceed the highest rate of pay and emoluments of Officers of the same grade when at sea.

14. The pay of Store-keepers to be fixed by the President, having regard to their responsibilities and labours.

Acts at variance with this Act, to be repealed.

REPORT from the Secretary of the Navy to the Congress of The United States, in relation to the difficulties in obtaining Seamen for the Navy, the cause of such difficulties, and the Measures necessary to remove them.

SIR,

23d May, 1828.

Navy Department, 23d May, 1828. THE Secretary of the Navy, in answer to the Resolution of the Senate, directing him to report "whether any, and what difficulties have occurred in obtaining Seamen for the Navy, the cause of such difficulties, and what measures may be necessary to remove them," has the honour respectfully to present the following Report:

Previous to the time when the Resolution passed, great delay had occurred in enlisting Seamen for our publick Vessels. Some of them had been detained in Port several months by this cause, and others were permitted to go to Sea, with a smaller number of Men than was desirable, or than would, perhaps, have been entirely safe in a state of War. An allusion to this inconvenience, in a Report from the Department, probably induced the inquiries made by the Senate.

When the Resolution was received, some changes had already taken place, and, at the time mentioned for making the Report, it was not possible to designate with accuracy, or in such way as would communicate useful information, the difficulties to which it referred. Since that time, changes, both favourable and adverse, have been constantly occurring; and, even at this moment, it is not practicable to do more than to notice the circumstances which, at different periods, have created greater or less delay and trouble in manning our Vessels, and to suggest the remedies which seem best fitted to relieve from future embarrassment. These circumstances will be found to differ materially, both as to permanence and influence; but the remedies which will be suggested, are believed to be such as will grow in importance as the Navy advances in strength.

First. Inquiry, "What difficulties have occurred in obtaining Seamen for the Navy?"

Regular Recruiting Rendezvous are established at 5 Naval Stations: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Norfolk. These are opened by Officers assigned by the Department to that duty, whenever Seamen are wanted, and closed as soon as a supply for the immediate calls of the Service is obtained. In a state of War, it has been found expedient and necessary sometimes to open them at other places. In Peace, none but these are used.

The Officers who superintend the Rendezvous, are provided with appropriate Instructions, and also with Forms for the Contract which the Seamen are to sign, and for the Returns which they have to make each week, and sometimes each day, to the Department. The periods for which enlistments are made cannot exceed 3 Years. (Law of 15th May, 1820, vol. vi. page 540;) and very few are now made for a shorter time.

The Pay was fixed by the President of The United States, by authority of the Law of 18th April, 1814, (vol. iv. page 704), and since its passage, has been invariably at 12 dollars per month for able Seamen, and less in proportion for ordinary Seamen, Landsmen and Boys. It has not been raised even when they were scarce and difficult to be procured, because it would not be easy to reduce it when the necessity had passed by, without creating dissatisfaction.

The President is also authorized to order a bounty to be given on enlistment, and it has sometimes been proposed to give it, in order to fill the Vessels more rapidly; but was declined, from a reluctance to commence a system of the kind in time of Peace, which could not well be discontinued, and which ought to be reserved for the pressure of War.

The Pay before-mentioned has generally been inferior to that given in the Merchants' service, which has varied from 12 to 18 dollars per month, within the last 3 or 4 Years.

There are no materials in the Department, from which an accurate estimate can be formed of the average numbers enlisted in each month previous to the Year 1824. Since that time, Returns and Records have been made, which furnish this information. In 1824, the average per month was about 200-in the following Years, about 100. In these latter Years, it required 6 months to obtain the Crew for a Ship of the Line, 4 months for a Frigate, and 1 for a Sloop of War. The difficulty related principally to good Seamen. Ordinary Seamen and Boys were almost always abundant. It became necessary, therefore, when Vessels were to be put in commission, that the Rendezvous should be open long before they were to sail, and a considerable portion of the term of enlistment had passed with many of the Men, before

the Cruise commenced.

Thence it was impracticable to keep our Vessels out for 3 Years, without creating the necessity of re-entering the Men, or discharging them in Foreign Countries, which has sometimes been done.

These facts will explain the extent and operation of "the difficulties which have occurred in procuring Seamen for the Navy," and which will probably augment, if some provision be not made, and some system adopted, which will secure to the Nation a full and constant supply of Native American Seamen, sufficient both for the Mercantile and Military Marine.

The following may be enumerated among the causes from which the difficulties have arisen:

1. The higher Wages in the Merchant Service, with the allowance of small stores, have created a temptation not easily to be resisted by Sailors, nor overcome by the recruiting Officers. The average difference in the Wages, is believed to have been about one-fourth. The allowance referred to, relieves them from some of the inconveniences to which their situation and labours expose them, especially for a short period after their enlistment and entrance on board the Vessels.

2. The failure to recall the Vessels so as to effect their discharge in our own Ports, at the expiration of their enlistment. It is exceedingly unpleasant for them to be detained longer than their Contract stipulates, and their discharge in Foreign Countries exposes them to hardships and losses, which sometimes render them unwilling again to enter into a service which they would otherwise prefer.

3. It is the practice to enlist, not for particular Ships, but for the general service, and it is not to be doubted, that this has caused delay, at times when sickness or other evils existed, or were supposed to exist, upon some of the Stations, and the Sailors were unwilling to go to them. They always prefer to enter for particular Ships, whose destinations they know; and especially for such Ships as are esteemed fortunate. Their partialities and superstitious feelings are very strong. But this objection could not well be obviated by the Department. The number of our Vessels in commission is small; it is necessary very often to change them from one station or cruizing ground to another. Our period of enlistment is definite, and often terminates before the Vessel can be brought home. These, and other causes, sometimes occasion a transfer of the Crew from one Vessel to another. If they were enlisted for particular Vessels, we should be compelled to sustain serious inconvenience, or create dissatisfaction, by not adhering rigidly to the terms of the Contract. It is believed to be much better to enlist more slowly, and to have entire controul as to the place and time of service, and not hazard a violation of the faith of the Government.