Chapter VIII: The Secretary of Marine and the Agent of Marine

The two factions during the Revolution 210

Supremacy of the “dispersive school” 211

The “concentrative school” in 1780 212

Agitation for administrative reform 213

The success of the “concentrative school” 214

Establishment of the office of Secretary of Marine,
February, 1781 216

Duties of the Secretary of Marine 216

Appointment of McDougall as Secretary of Marine 217

Failure to obtain a Secretary of Marine 218

Robert Morris and the naval business 218

Reorganization of the Naval Department 220

The Agent of Marine 223

Robert Morris as Agent of Marine 226

The organization of the Naval Department under Morris 227

Reports of the Agent of Marine 228

Naval legislation under the Agent of Marine 228

The court-martialing of three seamen 230

Morris and the control of the fleet 234

The strength of the navy 235

Success and failure of the fleet 235

The cruise of the “Alliance,” 1782-1783 236

The capture of the “Trumbull” by the “Iris” 238

Attempts of Morris to increase the navy 239

Morris’s views after the treaty of peace 244

Congress goes out of the naval business 245

Settling of the naval accounts 245

Disposing of the naval vessels 247

Retirement of the Agent of Marine 250

The end of the naval business 250