NAVY PAY AND EXPENSES: PROPOSED REDUCTION: SPEECH OF MR.
MERIWETHER, OF GEORGIA: EXTRACTS.
Mr. Meriwether said "that it was from no hostility to the service
that he desired to reduce the pay of the navy. It had been increased
in 1835 to meet the increase of labor elsewhere, &c.; and a decline
having taken place there, he thought a corresponding decline should
take place in the price of labor in the navy. At the last session
of Congress, this House called on the Secretary of the Navy for a
statement of the pay allowed each officer previous to the act of
1835. From the answer to that resolution, Mr. M. derived the facts
which he should state to the House. He was desirous of getting
the exact amount received by each grade of officers, to show the
precise increase by the act of 1835. Aided by that report, the
Biennial Register of 1822, and the Report of the Secretary of the
Navy for 1822, furnishing the estimates for the 'full pay and full
rations' of each grade of officers, he was enabled to present the
entire facts accurately. Previous to that time, the classification
of officers was different from what it has been since; but, as far
as like services have been rendered under each classification, the
comparative pay is presented under each. Previous to 1835, the pay
of the 'commanding officer of the navy' was $100 per month, and
sixteen rations per day, valued at 25 cents each ration; which
amounted, 'full pay and full rations,' to $2,660 per annum. The same
officer as senior captain in service receives now $4,500; while
'on leave,' he receives $3,500 per annum. Before 1835, a 'captain
commanding a squadron' received the same pay as the commanding
officer of the navy, and the same rations; amounting, in all, to
$2,660; that same officer, exercising the same command, receives now
$4,000. Before 1835, a captain commanding a vessel of 32 guns and
upwards, received $100 per month and eight rations per day--being
a total of $1,930 per annum; a captain commanding a vessel of 20
and under 32 guns, received $75 per month and six rations per
day--amounting to $1,447 50 per annum. Since 1835, these same
captains, when performing these same duties, receive $3,500; and
when at home, by their firesides, 'waiting orders,' receive $2,500
per annum. Before 1835, a 'master commanding' received $60 per month
and five rations per day--amounting to $1,176 per annum. Since that
time, the same officer, in sea service, receives $2,500 per annum;
at other duty, $2,100 per annum; and 'waiting orders,' $1,800 per
annum. Before 1835, a 'lieutenant commanding' received $50 per
month and four rations per day; which amounted to $965 per annum.
Since that time, the same officer receives, for similar services,
$1,800 per annum. Before 1835, a lieutenant on other duty received
$40 per month, and three rations per day--amounting to $761 per
annum. Since that time, for the same services, that same officer
has received $1,500 per annum; and when 'waiting orders,' $1,200
per annum. Before 1835, a midshipman received $19 per month and one
ration per day--making $319 25 per annum. Since that time, a passed
midshipman on duty received $750 per annum; if 'waiting orders,'
$600; a midshipman received, in sea service, $400; on other duty,
$350; and 'waiting orders,' $300 per annum. Surgeons, before 1835,
received $50 per month and two rations per day--amounting to $787
50; they now receive from $1,000 to $2,700 per annum. Before 1835, a
'schoolmaster' received $25 per month and two rations per day; now,
under the name of a professor, he receives $1,200 per annum.
"Before 1835, a carpenter, boatswain, and gunner received $20 per
month and two rations per day--making $427 50 each per annum; they
now receive, if employed on a ship-of-the-line, $750, on a frigate
$600, on other duty $500, and 'waiting orders' $360 per annum. A
similar increase has been made in the pay of all other officers. The
pay of seamen has not been enlarged, and it is proposed to leave it
as it is. In several instances, an officer idle, 'waiting orders,'
receives more pay now than one of similar grade received during
the late war, when he exposed his life in battle in defence of his
country. At the navy-yards the pay of officers was greater than at
sea. Before 1835, a captain commandant received for pay, rations,
candles, and servants' hire, $3,013 per annum, besides fuel; the
same officer, for the same services, receives now $3,500 per annum.
A master commandant received $1,408 per annum, with fuel; the same
officer now receives $2,100 per annum. A lieutenant received $877,
with fuel; the same officer receives now $1,500. At naval stations,
before the act of 1835, a captain received $2,660 per annum; he now
receives $3,500 per annum. A lieutenant received $761 per annum, and
he now receives $1,500 per annum. Before and since the act of 1835,
quarters were furnished the officers at navy yards and stations.
Before that time, the pay and emoluments were estimated for in
dollars and cents, and appropriated for as pay; and the foregoing
statements are taken from the actual 'estimates' of the navy
department, and, as such, show the whole pay and emoluments received
by each officer.
"The effect of this increase of pay has been realized prejudicially
in more ways than one. In the year 1824, there were afloat in the
navy, 404 guns; in 1843, 946 guns. The cost of the item of pay alone
for each gun, then, was $2,360; now the cost is $3,500.
"The naval service has become, to a great extent, one of ease and
of idleness. The high pay has rendered its offices mostly sinecures;
hence the great effort to increase the number of officers. Every
argument has been used, every entreaty resorted to, to augment that
corps. We have seen the effect of this, that in one year (1841)
there were added 13 captains, 41 commanders, 42 lieutenants, and 163
midshipmen, without any possibly conceivable cause for the increase;
and when, at the same time, these appointments were made, there
were 20 captains 'waiting orders,' and 6 'on leave;' 26 commanders
'waiting orders,' and 3 'on leave;' 103 lieutenants 'on leave and
waiting orders,' and 16 midshipmen 'on leave and waiting orders.'
The pay of officers 'waiting orders' amounted, during the year 1841,
to $261,000; and now the amount required for the pay of that same
idle corps, increased by a useless and unnecessary increase of the
navy, is $395,000! It is a fact worthy of notice that, under the
old pay in 1824, there were 28 captains, 4 of whom were 'waiting
orders,' of 30 commanders, only 7 were 'waiting orders.' Under the
new pay, in 1843, there are 68 captains, of whom 38 are 'waiting
orders;' 97 commanders, of whom 57 are 'waiting orders and on
leave.' The item of pay, in 1841, amounted to $2,335,000, and we
are asked to appropriate for the next twelve months $3,333,139. To
give employment to as many officers as possible, it is proposed to
extend greatly our naval force; increasing the number of our vessels
in commission largely, and upon every station, notwithstanding our
commerce is reduced, and we are at peace with all the world, and
have actually purchased our peace from the only nation from which we
apprehended difficulty.
"It was stated somewhere, in some of the reports, that the
appropriation necessary to defray the expenses of courts-martial
in the navy would be, this year $50,000. This was a very large
amount, when contrasted with the service. The disorderly conduct
of the navy was notorious--no one could defend it. The country
was losing confidence in it daily, and becoming more unwilling to
bear the burdens of taxation to foster or sustain it. A few years
since, its expenditures did not exceed four millions and a half:
they are now up to near eight millions of dollars. Its expense is
greater now than during the late war with England. Notwithstanding
the unequivocal declarations of Congress, at the last session,
against the increase of the navy, and in favor of its reduction,
the Secretary passes all unheeded, and moves on in his bold career
of folly and extravagance, without abiding for a moment any will
but his own. Nothing more can be hoped for, so long as the navy has
such a host of backers, urging its increase and extravagance--from
motives of personal interest too often. The axe should be laid at
once to the root of the evil: cut down the pay, and it will not then
be sought after so much as a convenient resort for idlers, who seek
the offices for pay, expecting and intending that but little service
shall be rendered in return, because but very little is needed. The
salaries are far beyond any compensation paid to any other officer
of government, either State or Federal, for corresponding services.
A lieutenant receives higher pay than a very large majority of the
judges of the highest judicatories known to the States; a commander
far surpasses them, and equals the salaries of a majority of the
Governors of the States. Remove the temptation which high pay and
no labor present, and you will obviate the evil. Put down the
salaries to where they were before the year 1835, and you will have
no greater effort after its offices than you had before. So long as
the salaries are higher than similar talents can command in civil
life, so long will applicants flock to the navy for admission, and
the constant tendency will be to increase its expenses. The policy
of our government is to keep a very small army and navy during time
of peace, and to insure light taxes, and to induce the preponderance
of the civil over the military authorities. In time of peace we
shall meet with no difficulty in sustaining an efficient navy, as
we always have done. In time of war, patriotism will call forth our
people to the service. Those who would not heed this call are not
wanted; for those who fight for pay will, under all circumstances,
fight for those who will pay the best. The navy cannot complain of
this proposed reduction; for its pay was increased in view of the
increasing value of labor and property throughout the whole country.
No other pay was increased; and why should not this be reduced?--not
the whole amount actually increased, but only a small portion of the
increase? It is due to the country; and no one should object. We are
now supporting the government on borrowed money. The revenues will
not be sufficient to support it hereafter; and reduction has to take
place sooner or later, and upon some one or all of the departments.
Upon which ought it to fall more properly than on that which has
been defended against the prejudices resulting from the high prices
which have recently fallen upon every department of labor and
property?
"By the adoption of the amendment proposed, there will be a
permanent and annual saving of about $400,000 in the single item of
pay. And from the embarrassed condition of the treasury, so large
a sum of money might, with the greatest propriety, be saved; more
especially since by the late British treaty concluded at this place,
an annual increase is to be made to the navy expenditures of some
$600,000, as it is stated, to keep a useless squadron on the coast
of Africa. The estimates for pay for the present year greatly exceed
those of the last year. We appropriated for the last year's service
for pay, &c., $2,335,000. The sum asked for the same service this
year is $2,953,139. Besides, there is the sum of $380,000 asked for
clothing--a new appropriation, never asked for before. The clothing
for seamen being paid for by themselves, so much of the item of pay
as was necessary had hitherto been expended in clothing for them,
which was received by them in lieu of money. Now a separate fund
is asked, which is to be used as pay, and will increase that item
so much, making a sum-total of $3,333,139; which is an excess of
$998,139 over and above that appropriated for the like purpose last
session.
"The Secretary of the Navy says that his plan of keeping the ships
sailing over the ocean (where possibly no vessel can or will see
them, and where the people with whom we trade can never learn any
thing of our greatness, on account of the absence of our ships from
their ports, being kept constantly sailing from station to station)
will 'require larger squadrons than we have heretofore employed.'
He then states that his estimates are prepared for squadrons upon
this large and expensive scale. 'This,' he says, 'it is my duty
to do, submitting to Congress to determine whether, under the
circumstances, so large a force can properly be put in commission or
not. If the condition of the treasury will warrant it (of which they
are the judges), I have no hesitation in recommending the largest
force estimated for.' It is well known that the condition of the
treasury will not warrant this force. We must fall back upon the
force of last year, as the _ultimatum_ that can be sustained. Our
appropriations for pay last year were $1,000,000 less than those now
asked for. This can be cut off without prejudice to the service; and
with the reduction proposed in the salaries, $1,400,000 can be saved
from waste, and applied to sustain a depleted treasury. Increase is
now unreasonable and impracticable.
"A portion of the home squadron, authorized in September, 1841, has
not yet gone to sea for the want of seamen. While our commerce is
failing, and our sailors are idle, they will not enter the service.
The flag-ship of that squadron is yet in port without her complement
of men. Why then only increase officers and build ships, when you
cannot get men to man them?
"From 1829 to 1841, the sums paid to officers 'waiting orders,'
were, 1829, $197,684; in 1830, $156,025; in 1831, $231,378; in 1832,
$204,290; in 1833, $205,233; in 1834, $202,914; in 1835, $219,036;
in 1836, $212,362; in 1837, $250,930; in 1838, $297,000; in 1839,
$265,043; in 1840, $265,000; in 1841, $252,856.
"The honorable member also showed from the report of the chief of
the medical department, that, out of the appropriation for medicine
there had been purchased in one year 31 blue cloth frock coats with
navy buttons and a silver star on them, 31 pairs of blue cassimere
pantaloons, and 31 blue cassimere vests with navy buttons--all for
pensioners. He also shows that under the head of medicine there
had been purchased out of the same fund, whiskey, coal, clothing,
spirits, harness, stationery, hay, corn, oats, stoves, beef, mutton,
fish, bread, charcoal, &c., to the amount of some $4,000; and, in
general, that purchases of all articles were generally made from
particular persons, and double prices paid. Many examples of this
were given, among them the purchase of certain surgical instruments
in Philadelphia from the favored sellers for the sum of $1,224 and
54 cents, which it was proved had been purchased by them from the
maker, in the same city, for $669 and 81 cents: and in the same
proportion in the purchases generally."