{"id":"01KG8AMH35E2TCNSWZGFT9XBMG","cid":"bafkreify3dukqvu5pwbteuz66idhy5zcpembwctoo7r4p3didb4g4jjoxq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":4467,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:36.270Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","start_line":4408,"text":"But are there incompetent officers in the gallant American navy? For an\r\nAmerican, the question is of no grateful cast. White Jacket must again\r\nevade it, by referring to an historical fact in the history of a\r\nkindred marine, which, from its long standing and magnitude, furnishes\r\nmany more examples of all kinds than our own. And this is the only\r\nreason why it is ever referred to in this narrative. I thank God I am\r\nfree from all national invidiousness.\r\n\r\nIt is indirectly on record in the books of the English Admiralty, that\r\nin the year 1808—after the death of Lord Nelson—when Lord Collingwood\r\ncommanded on the Mediterranean station, and his broken health induced\r\nhim to solicit a furlough, that out of a list of upward of one hundred\r\nadmirals, not a single officer was found who was deemed qualified to\r\nrelieve the applicant with credit to the country. This fact Collingwood\r\nsealed with his life; for, hopeless of being recalled, he shortly after\r\ndied, worn out, at his post. Now, if this was the case in so renowned a\r\nmarine as England’s, what must be inferred with respect to our own? But\r\nherein no special disgrace is involved. For the truth is, that to be an\r\naccomplished and skillful naval generalissimo needs natural\r\ncapabilities of an uncommon order. Still more, it may safely be\r\nasserted, that, worthily to command even a frigate, requires a degree\r\nof natural heroism, talent, judgment, and integrity, that is denied to\r\nmediocrity. Yet these qualifications are not only required, but\r\ndemanded; and no one has a right to be a naval captain unless he\r\npossesses them.\r\n\r\nRegarding Lieutenants, there are not a few Selvagees and Paper Jacks in\r\nthe American navy. Many Commodores know that they have seldom taken a\r\nline-of-battle ship to sea, without feeling more or less nervousness\r\nwhen some of the Lieutenants have the deck at night.\r\n\r\nAccording to the last Navy Register (1849), there are now 68 Captains\r\nin the American navy, collectively drawing about $300,000 annually from\r\nthe public treasury; also, 297 Commanders, drawing about $200,000; and\r\n377 Lieutenants, drawing about half a million; and 451 Midshipmen\r\n(including Passed-midshipmen), also drawing nearly half a million.\r\nConsidering the known facts, that some of these officers are seldom or\r\nnever sent to sea, owing to the Navy Department being well aware of\r\ntheir inefficiency; that others are detailed for pen-and-ink work at\r\nobservatories, and solvers of logarithms in the Coast Survey; while the\r\nreally meritorious officers, who are accomplished practical seamen, are\r\nknown to be sent from ship to ship, with but small interval of a\r\nfurlough; considering all this, it is not too much to say, that no\r\nsmall portion of the million and a half of money above mentioned is\r\nannually paid to national pensioners in disguise, who live on the navy\r\nwithout serving it.\r\n\r\nNothing like this can be even insinuated against the “_forward\r\nofficers_”—Boatswains, Gunners, etc.; nor against the _petty\r\nofficers_—Captains of the Tops, etc.; nor against the able seamen in\r\nthe navy. For if any of _these_ are found wanting, they are forthwith\r\ndisrated or discharged.\r\n\r\nTrue, all experience teaches that, whenever there is a great national\r\nestablishment, employing large numbers of officials, the public must be\r\nreconciled to support many incompetent men; for such is the favouritism\r\nand nepotism always prevailing in the purlieus of these establishments,\r\nthat some incompetent persons are always admitted, to the exclusion of\r\nmany of the worthy.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJQSQFERRZ4XYJRVBK8C4","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19NC56FFGBCM2SWEZZY","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AMH2QHGG1A0XYQR3X7SC5","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AMH35JZEZ8GXRHMB6EMS5","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:40.037Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:46.086Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}