{"id":"01KG8AMFZ3AX34W4GF6W27NJRB","cid":"bafkreidr5nu7szga7lweop5ugavendtxsclof5ya32u6ag25trh54nkvqi","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":8914,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.274Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":8880,"text":"military men. True, in a country like ours, nothing is at present to be\r\napprehended of their gaining political rule; but not a little is to be\r\napprehended concerning their perpetuating or creating abuses among\r\ntheir subordinates, unless civilians have full cognisance of their\r\nadministrative affairs, and account themselves competent to the\r\ncomplete overlooking and ordering them.\r\n\r\nWe do wrong when we in any way contribute to the prevailing\r\nmystification that has been thrown about the internal affairs of the\r\nnational sea-service. Hitherto those affairs have been regarded even by\r\nsome high state functionaries as things beyond their insight—altogether\r\ntoo technical and mysterious to be fully comprehended by landsmen. And\r\nthis it is that has perpetuated in the Navy many evils that otherwise\r\nwould have been abolished in the general amelioration of other things.\r\nThe army is sometimes remodelled, but the Navy goes down from\r\ngeneration to generation almost untouched and unquestioned, as if its\r\ncode were infallible, and itself a piece of perfection that no\r\nstatesman could improve. When a Secretary of the Navy ventures to\r\ninnovate upon its established customs, you hear some of the Navy\r\nofficers say, “What does this landsman know about our affairs? Did he\r\never head a watch? He does not know starboard from larboard, girt-line\r\nfrom back-stay.”\r\n\r\nWhile we deferentially and cheerfully leave to Navy officers the sole\r\nconduct of making and shortening sail, tacking ship, and performing\r\nother nautical manoeuvres, as may seem to them best; let us beware of\r\nabandoning to their discretion those general municipal regulations\r\ntouching the well-being of the great body of men before the mast; let\r\nus beware of being too much influenced by their opinions in matters\r\nwhere it is but natural to suppose that their long-established\r\nprejudices are enlisted.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJSTQWPBBBGPYGXWSXKAQ","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMFZ315RYTWVBP9X9CXWT","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:38.883Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:50.306Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}