Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-03-14
OF THE NAVY

w wv 'tintN w 'Ht lNdNV III TCniv
10 an inquiry ut The Chairman OF the
Committee OF Ways and Means, makes in
part, The following Observations
IPAiL. Gas.
10 the suggestion in your letter re-
speeding the policy of reducing the force
'n the Mediterranean observe, that The
squadron ia that sea has consisted of one
IT gun sAIp, one irigaie OF A guns, and
one sloor OF war, with the hrig Spark,
which .vcsse, is necessarily and useiuly
employed as a small dispatch vessel. and
sails al 80 great expense she has been
constantly empI 'yed in tina, serve since
Tie summer Ot 1915. | Is intended that
The sio0p OF war upon thai station shall
occasionally cruise alOHg The coast OF AZ
r!ca. passing as lar north as the Azores,
IN execution OF HE acts Of Congress for
supprr ssIng the slave lTade and cap,urr-
my Oi pirates, returning Al stated periods
10 lac Mediterranean 10 ascertain II her
services are necessary 10 AID the opera
lions oil The squadron. IL is therefore
thought that the continuance Of the sau,e
force in he Mediterranean is expedienI.
uniil satisfactory information from thence
shall induce a reduction.
Il IS intended 10 pul the two remain
ing s!oops of war. Ontario aud Erie. n,
commission, VIXEN repaired, :or thr pur
pose OF cruising under The laNs 10 sun
press piracy and he slave trade: ineir
repairs will br extensive, and they will
not lie ready for service in less than six
meDtbs. There are no small vcss, Is of
any description in the navy 20 be euuip.
ped Tor this service, the old brig Enter
prize excepted. aud which is rcquii ed for
the Gm'f at Mexico. -Four or five hrig
might be nsefully employ I'd in The above
mentioned service, and would sail AT litjie
more expense than one lrigate: these
vessels would be better calculated 10
cruise OH the coast % Africa, and 10 rn
ter ihe rivers 10 suppress the slave trade,
and also for cruising against pirates, but
they will require 10 be either purchased
or built
The sloop HON, il attended CIR spe-
clal service, and Is III a state Of rcadi-
~ IS 10 proceed. II is thought that owe
vessel ought 10 he kept ready for any
SPECIAL or extraordinary service that may
arise out OF our foreign relations, aud
as a despatch vessel 10 Our squadron in
the Mediterranean, the Gull 1T Mexico.
and elsewhere. MIR Pinkney, late minister
10 Naples and Russia, WAS sent oai in The
Washington Mr. Rush, 10 England, in
The Franklin MIR. Campbell, to Russia,
IN The Guerrero MIR. Graham, 10 Rio
Janeiro, III tue Congress, and Mr. For
-ytb, IN tie Hornet, 10 Spain. Although
our foreign ministers have laiierly gone
out IN public vessels, vet, III no instance IS
u reeoIlecied Tor many years past, where
public ship has been Equipped tor the
sole purpose of conveying any Of Gus mi.
nlsters 10 his destination advantage has
been taken Of ships already equipped and
going on oiherscrvice. To the ministers.
IN il pecuniary light, il is of little conse
queoco the measure has been adopted
from respect 10 our National character.
well knowing that such attention 10 orr
pmbIic ministers, would produce a good
effect with the governments TO which thew
were sent.
" Jhe ships in ordinary baveno more
men employed than are Indispensable
necessary Tor their preservation the es
ilmaies show the mum Der Of men so en-
ployed. IL Is iamaleral TO officers, who
must receive their pay, IN what part OF
the service they are employed unless all
who are not absolutely required be Dla
ced upon hall pat, which not being ade-
quate To decent maintenance, would
drive many OF the most valuable and
ambitious Oui Of the service, the policy
| and Justice OF " hlch measure musl resi-
with Congress.
" II has always been The general rule o.
! tie Department, ~ relieve The Medilcr
| ranraD squadron before the expiration O
! the term OF service for which the mei
we're enlisted. In some instances, owing
TO the unexpected difficulties, this cOult
not he effected. The delay of equipmcn
OF the ship Columbus has retarded he
sailing in time TO relieve the ship Frank
I'm, now IN The Mediterranean.
As respects the discharge Of seamet
~ foreign country, Commodore Stewart
! during the summer past was compelled :,
| The alternative OF re- entering lis men 70
niHe months beyond their former periot
OF enlistment (; but such as insisted OF
iher discharge we're paid OF. at ihei
own request, aud IN their discharge !
was positively inserted thar they wer
discharged al tieir own desire, an