the position of the united states naturally gives it great prominence as a naval power. situated between the two great[303] oceans, with thousands of miles of coast on each, and a profusion of good harbors, bays, and great rivers, accessible to large ocean vessels for long distances into the interior; with a soil of great fertility, and numerous and inexhaustible sources of mineral wealth, besides all the conditions favorable to the establishment and success of manufactures—it requires large foreign markets for its various products, and an extensive commerce is essential to its development. it should be, and perhaps it is, the strongest naval power in the world.

the war of independence was much increased in length and difficulty by the want of a navy, the maritime resources of england giving her a great superiority in striking suddenly, and in force, at distant points.

it was natural, then, that so important an arm, for both attack and defense, should be prepared to act with energy, and this was one of the first cares of the new government; and so efficient did this branch of national strength become in the thirty years of peace, to the war of 1812 with england, that the easiest and some of the most important successes of the americans, in that conflict, were on the sea.

the care of naval affairs was, at first, committed to the secretary of war. in 1798 it was erected into a separate department, and a secretary placed at its head. he was entitled to a seat in the cabinet, as one of the advisers of the president, and received his appointment by nomination of the president and concurrence of the senate, in the same manner as the heads of other departments.

as the president is the highest officer, in command, in the navy, he ranks as second, and acts under his direction. it is his duty to procure naval stores and materials, and to oversee the places where they are deposited; to attend to the construction, equipment, armament, and employment of vessels of war, to make out the commissions of naval officers; to see that efficiency and discipline are maintained in the service; and to assume the control of the movements of the vessels of war that are kept cruising in every sea for the protection of our[304] commerce and citizens in foreign parts, and the preservation of the international rights and dignity of the united states.

3. a chief clerk was formerly the second officer in rank in the department, but, in 1861, provision was made, by congress, for an assistant secretary, who should act as secretary in the absence of that officer.

formerly there were five bureaus in this department, but in 1862, three more were added, making eight, as follows:

1. a bureau of yards and docks.

2. a bureau of equipment and recruiting.

3. a bureau of navigation.

4. a bureau of ordnance.

5. a bureau of construction and repairs.

6. a bureau of steam engineering.

7. a bureau of provisions and clothing.

8. a bureau of medicine and surgery.

the president and senate appoint all the heads of these bureaus, and select them principally from officers of high rank in the navy. they are all appointed for four years.

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.

[305]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.