The Secretary appoints all the numerous clerks employed in the various bureaus and assigns their duties.
He must annually report to Congress the condition of his department, the manner and amount of all expenditures, furnish estimates for the expenses of the following year, and give such advice in regard to the naval interests of the country as his intimate knowledge of that branch of the service may suggest. He requires an intimate knowledge of maritime affairs, and of International law, and a high and enlightened appreciation of the policy to be pursued in our official and commercial intercourse with all foreign nations.
The following list embraces the names of all the Secretaries of the Navy, from George Cabot, the first, to George M. Robeson, the present incumbent:
- George Cabot, Mass., May 3, 1798.
- Benjamin Stoddert, Mass., May 21, 1798.
- Robert Smith, Md., July 15, 1801.
- J. Crowninshield, Mass., May 3, 1805.
- Paul Hamilton, S. C., March 7, 1809.
- William Jones, Pa., Jan. 12, 1813.
- B. W. Crowninshield, Mass., Dec. 17, 1814.
- Smith Thompson, N. Y., Nov. 9, 1818.
- John Rogers, Mass., Sept. 1, 1823.
- S. L. Southard, N. J., Sept. 16, 1823.
- John Branch, N. C., March 9, 1829.
- Levi Woodbury, N. H., May 23, 1831.
- Mahlon Dickerson, N. J., June 30, 1834.
- J. K. Paulding, N. Y., June 20, 1830.
- G. E. Badger, N. C., March 5, 1841.
- Abel P. Upshur, Va., Sept. 13, 1841.
- David Henshaw, Mass., July 24, 1843.
- T. W. Gilmer, Va., Feb. 12, 1844.
- John Y. Mason, Va., March 14, 1844.
- George Bancroft, Mass., March 10, 1845.
- John Y. Mason, Va., Sept. 9, 1846.
- William B. Preston, Va., March 7, 1849.
- William A. Graham, N. C., July 20, 1850.
- J. P. Kennedy, Md., July 22, 1850.
- J. C. Dobbin, N. C., March 5, 1853.
- Isaac Toucey, Ct., March 6, 1857.
- Gideon Welles, Ct., March 5, 1861.
- Adolph E. Borie, Pa., March 5, 1869.
- George M. Robeson, N. J., June 25, 1869.
- ” ” reappointed March 17, 1873.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
1. The original thirteen States were all on the Atlantic coast, and had each one or more sea ports. They were naturally given to commerce, and the second Continental Congress, in December, 1775, resolved to form a navy of thirteen vessels of war. Eight were soon fitted out; but the superiority of England on the sea, and the great financial difficulties with which Congress had to struggle during, and for some years after, the Revolutionary War, made it impossible to give any great degree of development to naval affairs. The sea swarmed with American privateers during the war, and many hundreds of English merchant vessels were captured; but Congress never was able to collect a formidable fleet. The daring exploits of Paul Jones, in European waters, and the bold and successful raids of Privateersmen under Letters of Marque and Reprisal gave indication of what might be looked for in the future, but they could not cope with British fleets.
2. The Navy Department was for some time under the control of the Secretary of War; but, as the finances began to improve, care was taken to develop this important branch of national power, and a special Secretary appointed. In the war of 1812 with England 25 years of peace had unfitted the people for great immediate success in the army; but the navy was the pride and glory of the nation. The disasters attending military operations for the first year or two were more than compensated by the brilliant and solid advantages gained by our men of war.