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- 8914
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:36.274Z
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- 8880
- text
- military men. True, in a country like ours, nothing is at present to be
apprehended of their gaining political rule; but not a little is to be
apprehended concerning their perpetuating or creating abuses among
their subordinates, unless civilians have full cognisance of their
administrative affairs, and account themselves competent to the
complete overlooking and ordering them.
We do wrong when we in any way contribute to the prevailing
mystification that has been thrown about the internal affairs of the
national sea-service. Hitherto those affairs have been regarded even by
some high state functionaries as things beyond their insight—altogether
too technical and mysterious to be fully comprehended by landsmen. And
this it is that has perpetuated in the Navy many evils that otherwise
would have been abolished in the general amelioration of other things.
The army is sometimes remodelled, but the Navy goes down from
generation to generation almost untouched and unquestioned, as if its
code were infallible, and itself a piece of perfection that no
statesman could improve. When a Secretary of the Navy ventures to
innovate upon its established customs, you hear some of the Navy
officers say, “What does this landsman know about our affairs? Did he
ever head a watch? He does not know starboard from larboard, girt-line
from back-stay.”
While we deferentially and cheerfully leave to Navy officers the sole
conduct of making and shortening sail, tacking ship, and performing
other nautical manoeuvres, as may seem to them best; let us beware of
abandoning to their discretion those general municipal regulations
touching the well-being of the great body of men before the mast; let
us beware of being too much influenced by their opinions in matters
where it is but natural to suppose that their long-established
prejudices are enlisted.
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