794-795
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Mr. Jewell. Oh, yes; a fleet could be protected in the harbor.
The Chairman. There is no land barrier between the city of Honolulu and the sea, the ocean?
Mr. Jewell. No, nothing except this coral reef, which is uncovered at low water.
The Chairman. Barely covered?
Mr. Jewell. Yes. You could walk over it some distance at low water.
The Chairman. Water batteries could be established on those coral reefs for the protection of the harbor?
Mr. Jewell. Well, I do not know about that. I should mistrust those coral reefs as a foundation, but they might be sufficiently strong.
The Chairman. If sufficiently good as a foundation, they are sufficiently high out of the water to form good water batteries ?
Mr. Jewell. Yes.
The Chairman. There is nothing to impede the fighting ship inside the harbor or those steamships outside the harbor that you would maneuver with?
Mr. Jewell. Nothing, except the contracted space within the harbor. There would be no space within the harbor for maneuvering vessels. But vessels could lie in the harbor, and by means of lines could be fought in almost any direction.
The Chairman. So that a vessel lying in Honolulu harbor would not be absolutely without power against ships outside?
Mr. Jewell. No; it is entirely open.
The Chairman. It is entirely open?
Mr. Jewell. Oh, yes.
Senator Frye. Mr. Chairman, for the convenience of the committee, I desire to put in the record certain naval regulations, and certain orders which I find scattered through these Executive documents in a very hopeless confusion; so much so, that it is almost impossible to find anything in there. I give in first an extract from every naval officer's commission which has been signed by the President. It is in these words:
- "And he is to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as he shall receive from me, or the future President of the United States of America, or his superior officer set over him, according to the rules and discipline of the Navy."
I have a copy of the rules, and it is very difficult to get hold of the book. These are the rules and regulations of 1893. I read from the title page:
- "The orders, regulations, and instructions issued by the Secretary of the Navy, prior to July 14, 1862, as he may since have adopted, with the approval of the President, shall be recognized as the regulations of the Navy, subject to alterations adopted in the same manner. Section 1547, Revised Statutes."
On the opposite page is the following:
- "Navy Department,
- "Washington, D. C., February 25, 1893.
- "In accordance with the provisions of section 1547 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, the following regulations are established, with the approval of the President, for the government of all persons attached to the naval service. All regulations, orders, and circulars inconsistent therewith are hereby revoked.
- "B. F. Tracy,
- "Secretary of the Navy."
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On page 9 is the following:
"ARTICLE 18.
- "1 . Officers of the line only can exercise military command,
- "2. Only officers on duty pay can exercise, or are subject to command, except as provided for in article 211.
- "3 . On all occasions where two or more ships' expeditions or detachments of officers or men meet, the command of the whole devolves upon the senior line officer.
- "4. At all times and places not specifically provided for in these Regulations, where the exercise of military authority for the purpose of cooperation or otherwise is necessary, of which the responsible officer must be the judge, the senior line officer on the spot shall assume command and direct the movements and efforts of all persons in the Navy present.
- "5. The senior line officer shall be held accountable for the exercise of his authority, and must not divert any officer from a duty confided to him by a common superior, or deprive him of his command or duty without good and sufficient reason."
On page 13 I read article 31:
- "Officers of the Navy shall perform such duty as may be assigned to them by the Navy Department."
On page 15, article 48:
- "Officers can not assume command of Army forces on shore, nor can any officer of the Army assume command of any ship of the Navy or of its officers or men unless by special authority for a particular service; but when officers are on duty with the Army they shall be entitled to the precedence of the rank in the Army to which their own corresponds, except command as aforesaid, and this precedence will regulate their right to quarters."
On page 20, section 5 of Article 54 is as follows:
- "The officer in command of a ship of war is not authorized to delegate his power, except for the carrying out of the details of the general duties to be performed by his authority. The command is his, and he can neither delegate the duties of it to another, nor avoid its burdens, nor escape its responsibilities; and his 'aid or executive,' in the exercise of the power given to him for 'executing the orders of the commanding officer,' must keep himself constantly informed of the commander's opinions and wishes thereon; and whenever and as soon as he may be informed or is in doubt as to such opinion or wishes, he must remedy such defect by prompt and personal application, to the end that the authority of the captain may be used only to carry out his own views; and that he may not be, by its unwarranted exercise, in any measure relieved from his official responsibilities, which can neither be assumed by nor fall upon any other officer."
Page 66, Article 280, is in these words:
- "1. He shall preserve, so far as possible, the most cordial relations with the diplomatic and consular representatives of the United States in foreign countries and extend to them the honors, salutes, and other official courtesies to which they are entitled by these regulations.
- "2. He shall carefully and duly consider any request for service or other communication from any such representative.
- "3. Although due weight should be given to the opinions and advice of such representatives, a commanding officer is solely and entirely
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