The striking of the enemy’s lines of communication 167 Commerce-destroying 169 The threatening and attacking of the enemy’s coasts 173 A naval plan of Robert Morris 174 The Marine Committee and its plans 176 Success and failure of the navy 177 The navy of the Revolution and of the Spanish-American war 179 CHAPTER VII.—The Board of Admiralty. Defects of the Marine Committee 181 Criticism of the administration of Congress 182 A new system of Executives 184 Criticism of the Naval Department by Washington and Jay 184 Establishment of a Board of Admiralty, October, 1779 187 Powers and duties of the Board of Admiralty 188 Salaries 189 Selection of commissioners of Admiralty 190 Francis Lewis and William Ellery 193 Congress and the Board of Admiralty 194 Work of the Board of Admiralty 195 Decrease in naval machinery 195 Reports of the Board of Admiralty 196 Naval legislation under the Board of Admiralty 197 The granting of naval commissions by the states 201 The American navy and British models 202 Court of appeals for prize cases 203 The fleet under the Board of Admiralty 203 Embarrassments of the Board of Admiralty 204 Success and failure of the fleet 205 Discontinuance of the Board of Admiralty 208 Defects of the Board of Admiralty 209 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