In the establishment of our young navy, the most skilful and experienced among us must acknowledge, that recourse for precedents and examples, to some maritime European nation, in very many points, will be found highly necessary, to secure a good organization of it and as our customs and manners in the sea service are very familiar to those of the English, under whom many of us received our nautical education, I have selected from their system the general outlines of duty for all descriptions of officers, in a ship of war, with such additions and alterations as I found necessary to make: And notwithstanding the prejudice that exists in our nation against the British government, for their spoilations and many unprovoked cruelties exhibited on our citizens, yet I think none can be so much so, as not to acknowledge them, at this time, the first maritime power on the globe, with respect to naval tactics, discipline, and the general management of ships of war they are therefore a proper example for us to imitate in our infancy, in all those points of duty and regulation, in which precedents are wanting: and by a steady attention to their general naval system, we shall very early have our ships of war and marine affairs in good order, and our internal government on board the different ships, in the navy (of the United States of America) similar to each other, which must be very desirable to every officer but what from the distance we are from each other in conferring, building, and equipping, cannot without some pains be reasonably expected.ĪDMIRAL, ( amiral, Fr.) an officer of the first rank and command in the fleet, and who is distinguished by a flag displayed at his main-top-mast-head. ![]() By the act of Congress for providing a Naval Armament, there are neither quarter-masters, a boatswain's yeoman, nor several other petty officers (absolutely necessary) mentioned which, if not provided by an amendment of the said act, should be made out of the different ships' crews, to act nominally.
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