Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-01-07
HThe Secretary 81 the Navy visited
Ia = NV 81 I'D 81 the 81 ST enquir-

lthe Nayy I ia 81 the "a Il enquirE'.
Sd tlse means vf transportation and
Ellie assistancc left In The YARD lie g
ne hasi the yard ll.ssl been with az
lstIls ARMY iroHl The first alarm: four
c!Iicers and Z few ofthe ordinary,
tchicfiy blacks. remaincd two 81 g tl' g
ola Gun bcats, The only craft fos
frsns,,orfat The Wagons ot
Ibis district bad been pressed Tor TIE
army |; and ti,e blacks usually ~ the,
market Tor hire, were employed AZ
I,he works ats Bladensburgh. Or,
Iders were given for every means OF
transportation to be- nscd. The pub !: !.
lslie vesseIsaliost were, tie new siosp
lsof war Argus. tise new schooner
| Lynx, S harges aud 2gun.lpats. Un
Tie hin, tho trigate Co!nmbia Of the
largest class,nsA'ly ready ior launch
! Ing her5cGnipmenty generally made
And ready, or ia great forwarsln l
Besides The buildings, engines, Tx
lures, shop furniture, Of the several
| mechanical branches IN the Navy
| Yard, there were abpat 100 tons OF
Icortia.e, some cansass, considerable
quantity Of saIi-srtre, copper, rom
lead, block Tin. naval and military
stores, implements. and Fixed att
munition, witt, a variety OF manu-
featured articles in all the branches !;
474s bb!s. OF beef pork. 279 bbls. OF
whiskry some plank anil timber.
Tile Secretary states, that he had
no means left to transport the sloop
Argus, toa place Of safety, in his
opiaion. IL the enemy took possession
OF tho city. lie ordered the barges
to the Little Falls. On the morning
Of the stihthe Secretary visited the
head quarters Of General findor
near the Eastern Branch Bridge.
The President aad somc of the heads
ofdepartments were present. The
Secretary Of the Navy presented TO
tile President the considerations ofths
Navy Yard. in presence cfthe Seere--5
taries Of War and Treasury The
public vessels and public property
were described; the. Importance OF
the supplies and Shipping 10 the en-
emy /; and no doaht seemed 10 be
entertained ofiAe upisG oithcsaa;id.
ran anddhe land forces should tae
enemy succeed in the capture cf the
city Of Washington, Gen. Wihdrr
hayiaglisiinciiy stated that morniag
that Fort Washington could not be
defended. in ia;s cyentna'hing could
he more eiaar than the pIubader and
destruction oft:,s public buildings s
property Of the navy yard ed "he-
tier s junction Was iormed.. or the
land saYses sioae tasS file ei's. the
loss oi..he Navy Yard and ra.,iic pro.
pcrty WAS certain. uynn this re-
presentation the Secretary OF the
Navy, in his report, says, it was
distinctly understood. as The result of
Inc conversation. that The public
J shipping naval and military stores
ana proyisioas at the Navy Yard,
should be tcstrnyed in the events
Of the enemy's obtaining possession
Of the city. 1t appears that the ar
ticles To- be deslrGycd were in store
0could nc. be separated from these
establishments which might have
been left one Of the barges was sent
to Alexandria ADD remained there
until taken by the enemy some gun
boat, With salt provisions. has been
recovered, tie other was laden With
provisions and gnn-pewder, but run
aground & was pInndered by the IL
hal,iialfssabout the Navy Yard. Ihe
powder and part Of the provisions |
have been recovered. The NV
Schooner Lynx escaped the flames q
remains without much Injury. The
metallic articles are chiefly all saved
and the timber in deck and that
which is partially consumed will be
useful. THE machinery Of the steam
engine is not much injured the
boiler is perfect. The buildings.
with TIC exception of,Ile house eff
the cen,mandant, the lieutenant OF
the guards, the guard houses, the