The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-10

Legislature; and combined with corresponding
eIertions for the gradual increase and improve
ment of the Navy, prepares for our extensive
country a condition of defence adapted to any
critical emergency which the varying course
of events may bring forth. Our advances in
these concerted systems have, for the last ten
years, been steady and progressive; and, in a
few years more, will be completed as to
leave no cause for apprehension that our sea
coast will ever again offer theatre of hostile
invasion.
The next of these cardinal measures of poll
cy is the preliminary to great and lasting works
of public improvement, in the surveys OF roads,
examination for the course of canals. and la
bors for the removal of the distractions of Tiv-
ers and harbors, first commenced by the Act OF
Congress of 30th April, 1924.
The report exhibits in one table the funds APP
propriated at the last and preceding sessions OF
Congress- for all these Notifications, surveys,
and works of public improvement; the manner
in which these funds have been applied, the
amount expended upon the several works under
construction, and the further sums which may
be necessary to complete them. In a second,
the works projected by the Board of Engineers,
which have not been commenced, and the esti-
mate of their cost.
In a third, the report of the annual Board of
Visitors at the Military Academy at West
Point. For thirteen Notifications erecting on
various points of our Atlantic coast from Rhode
Island to Louisiana, the aggregate expenditure
of the year has fallen little short of one mil
lion of dollars
For the preparation of five additional reports
of reconnoisances and surveys since the last
session of Congress, for the civil constructions
upon thirty-seven different public works COM
menced, eight others for which specific a2pro-
priations have been made by Acts of Congress,
md 9th undpr
authority given by the Act Of 3Oth April, 1924,
about one million more of dollars have been
drawn from the Treasury.
To these two millions of dollars are to be
added the appropriation of 100000 dollars, to
commence the erection of a Breakwater near
the mouth of the Delaware River; the sub
scriptions to the Delaware and Chesapeake,
the Louisville and Portland, the Dismal Swamp,
and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canals the
large donations of lands to the States of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Alabama, for objects of
improvements within those States, and the
sums appropriated for Light Houses, Buoys,
and Piers on the coast, and full view will be
taken of the munificence of the nation in the
application of its resources to the improvement
of its own condition.
OF these great national undertakings, the
Academy at West Point is among the most inn
portant in itself, and the most comprehensive
in its consequences. In that institution, part
of the revenue of the nation is applied to defray
the expense of educating a competent portion
of her youth, chiefly to the knowledge and the
duties Of military life. 1t is the living armory
of the nation. While the other works of i'm
provement, enumerated in the reports now pre-
scented to the attention of Congress, are destin-
ed to amelorate the face of nature to multiply
the facilities of communication between the
different parts of the Union to assist the Ia
bors, increase the comforts, and enhance the
enjoyments of individuals,-the instruction ac-
quired at West Point enarges the dominion
and expands the capacities of the mind. Its
beneficial results are already experienced in the
composition of the army, and their influence is
felt in the intellectual progress of society. The
institution is susceptible still of great improve
ment from benefactions proposed by several
successive Boards of Visiters, to whose earnest
and repeated recommendations cheerfully add
my own.
With the usual annual reports from the Sec.
rotary of the Navy and the Board of Commits
sioners, will be exhibited to the view of Con-
gress the execution of the laws relating to that
department of the public service. The repres-
sion of piracy in the West Indian and in the
Grecian Seas, has been effectualy maintained
with scarcely any exception. During the wal
between the Governments of Buenos Ayres and
of Brazil, frequent collisions between belger.
ent acts of power, and the rights of neutral
commerce, occurred. Licentious blockades ir.
regularly enlisted or impressed seamen, and the
property Of honest commerce seized with vio-
lence, and even plundered under legal pretenc-
es, are disorders never separable from the con-
t1icts of war upon the ocean. With a portion
of them, the correspondence of our command
ers on the eastern aspect of the South Ameri-
can coast, and amsng the Islands of Greece
discover how far hat haan ipyolyoJ T.
these, the honor of our country and the rights
of our citizens have been asserted and vndicat.
ed. The appearance of new squadrons in the
Mediterranean, and the blockade of the Darda.
nelles, indicate the danger of other obstacles to
the freedom of commerce, and the necessity OF
keeping our naval force in those seas To the
suggestions repeated in the report of the Secre.
tary of the Navy, and tending to the permanent
improvement of this institution, invite the ia.
vorable consideration of Congress.
A resolution of the House of Representatives
requesting that one of our small public vessels
should be sent to the Pacific Ocean and South
Sea, to examine the Coasts, Islands, Harbors.
Shoals, and Reefs in those Seas and to ascer.
tain their true situation and description, has
been put in train OF execution. The vessel is
nearly ready to depart the successful accom-
pllshrnent of the expedition may be greatly ia
cilitated by suitable Legislative provisions, and
particularly by an appropriation to defray its
necessary expense. The addition of second
and perhaps third vessel, with a slight aggra.
walton of the cost, would contribute much to
the safety of the citizens embarked on this un-
dertaking, the results Of which may be of the
deepest Interest to our country
With the report of the Secretary of the Ma
Wy, will be submitted, in conformity to the Act
of Congress of Sd March, 1927, for the gradual
Improvement of the Navy of the United States,
statements of the expenditures under that act,
and of the measures taken for carrying the same
into effect. Every section of that statute con.
tains distinct provision, looking to the great
object of the whole, the gradual improvement
of the Navy. Under its salutary sanctions.
stores of ship timber have been procured, and
are in process of seasoning and preservation for