The nucleus of a school was formed when the midshipmen were first ordered to the Naval Asylums at Philadelphia and other places, to prepare for their examination, and several of the professors of Mathematics repaired there to give instruction.
In 1845 the Secretary of the Navy (George Bancroft), inaugurated and completed in four months an arrangement by which a Naval School, with its corps of professors, was instituted in a suitable location, without any special appropriation, and with only the existing authority of acts of Congress. The original plan is best set forth in Mr. Bancroft’s letter to Commodore Franklin Buchanan, whom he appointed superintendent of the institution.
Navy Department, August 7th, 1845.
Sir:
The Secretary of War, with the assent of the President, is prepared to transfer Fort Severn to the Navy Department, for the purpose of establishing there a school for midshipmen.
In carrying this design into effect, it is my desire to avoid all unnecessary expense—to create no places of easy service—no commands that are not strictly necessary—to incur no charge that may demand new annual appropriations; but, by a more wise application of moneys already appropriated, and officers already authorized, to provide for the better education of the young officers of the navy. It is my design not to create new officers, but, by economy of administration, to give vigor of action to those which at present are available; not to invoke new legislation, but to execute more effectually existing laws. Placed by their profession in connection with the world, visiting in their career of service every climate and every leading people, the officers of the American navy, if they gain but opportunity for scientific instruction, may make themselves as distinguished for culture as they have been for gallant conduct.
To this end it is proposed to collect the midshipmen who from time to time are on shore, and give them occupation during their stay on land in the study of mathematics, nautical astronomy, theory of morals, international law, gunnery, use of steam, the Spanish and the French languages, and other branches essential, in the present day, to the accomplishment of a naval officer.
The effect of such an employment of the midshipmen, can not but be favorable to them and to the service. At present they are left, when waiting orders on shore, masters of their own motions, without steady occupation, young, and exulting in the relief from the restraint of discipline on shipboard.
In collecting them at Annapolis for purposes of instruction, you will begin with the principle that a warrant in the navy, far from being an excuse for licentious freedom, is to be held a pledge for subordination, industry and regularity,—for sobriety, and assiduous attention to duty. Far from consenting that the tone of the discipline and morality, should be less than at the universities or colleges of our country, the President expects such supervision and management as shall make of them an exemplary body, of which the country may be proud.