Royal decree, organizing a naval squadron of instruction., September 30, 1876

Royal decree, organizing a naval squadron of instruction.

[From the Gaceta de Madrid, October 3, 1876.]

ministry of marine.—preamble.

Sire: It is already widely known how much your majesty, as supreme chief of the nation, is identified with the establishment of practical measures recognized as beneficial to the different branches of the service. On various occasions the minister who subscribes has had the honor to lend due attention to the opportune suggestions which your majesty, as the august general in chief of the sea and land forces, has been pleased to make to him with respect to the navy, with the lively interest which has ever been inspired in him by the luster of the national arms. Your majesty recognizes the principle that squadrons or collections of vessels, apart from other objects, are indispensable in order to attain the more solid instruction of the various classes of the crew and officers of ships of war. And, in effect, sire, however brilliant may be the degree of instruction to which the complete organization of the single ship may attain, it does not reach the consummate practice in so far as relates to signals, tactical movements, order, discipline uniformity, and especially, conjunction of details, which is supplied by the before-mentioned squadrons. It is not to-day permitted to Spain to display her flag in any squadron of great importance. The number of vessels being reduced to the merest and most pressing needs of the normal service, in subjection to the credits voted to that end by the Cortes, there are but few ships available in the peninsula to form a modest squadron, to the end of filling the want felt in that direction by the system of instruction in our navy. But a few may at least be assembled, now detached at different points, and thus be obtained the advantages of necessary organization required, if the service is indeed to correspond in all respects to the expenses it occasions. As a general rule, the squadron will visit all the coasts of Spain under sail, and, besides accomplishing its special object, it will constantly and directly watch, on those coasts, over the shore-service, whether that commended to the coast-guard or that performed by single vessels or small detachments, in order to exercise vigilance likewise over the exact observance of the rules of discipline, order, instruction, and police. The direct inspection of all these services being thus centered in one general officer, their discipline and whatever conditions make up the most perfect organic state of a naval force will doubtless reach the degree of perfection which it is allowable to hope for. Great satisfaction will be felt by all the corps of the armada, and especially by the minister of marine, if, when your majesty in due time shall deign to review the squadron, it shall present, before your royal inspection, so important a result. In order to efficiently second the purposes of your majesty, and founding on the reasons set forth in accord with the council of ministers, he of marine has the honor to propose to your majesty the adjoined project of a decree.

royal decree.

Giving heed to the reasons set forth by the minister of marine, and in accord with the council of ministers, I hereby decree the following:

Sole Article. The minister of marine is authorized to the end that, under the command of a rear admiral, he give the necessary orders for the formation of a squadron, which shall be denominated the squadron of instruction.