Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-07
REPORT FROM
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

November 80, 1889.
SIR: In the performance of duty annually dcvolv-
ing on this Department have the honor submit the
following report:
comprises the Ohio ship of the ne the rigate Brandy
wine, and the sloop of Cyane-the whole COIN
manded by Commodore Islac Hull. No interruption
10 has occurred IN that since last
report, and by the o. the respective c6nsuls Of
the L. s, resident the principal ports, the queries
Of our commanders copies Of winch have been received
the Department, appears that obstacle IS thrown
in its way by the authorities Of any nation its bor
ders.
At the date Of my las, annual report the force in
Pacific, under Commodore Ballard, consisted of ship
OF the line, slnops of var and two schooners The
ship Of the line and of the scooners have returned
to tine Y. s; the other schooner - now on her way
the sloops of have been ordered home, the Pc
Rod Of their cruise having expired and may be expect
ed early in the spring
To supply the place Of The forces thus withdrawn a
frirae Of the first class under Commodore CLAYTON,
who succeeds Commodore Ballard, sailed from New
York in Nav last, with instructions 70 land Minis.
ter, SIR Ellis, al Vera Cruz, ana thence proceed will;
all diligence her ts nation She has been followed
by 4 sloop Of and schooner, and the squadron
now consists Of rigd;c, s"op q! war, and schoo.
ner, all of which, IT presumed, are now on the station
By the latest accounts affairs IN that quarter continued
in state Of great confusion and uncertainty. Revou
tons Of rulers rather than principles still agitae these
regions, so favored by Nature md the commerce OF
petent naval force.
Commodore Claxton has been directed to employ one
Of his vessels in cruising within the gulf Of California
and along the Northwest of America; and, if cir
cumstances will permit to despatch another to visit the
Sandwich and Friendly Islands, with view TO afford
countenance and protection 20 vessels of tho United
States employed in the whale fisheries
The squadron on the Brazilian station, under Com
modore Nicolson, comprises and sloop of war
the brig Dolphin having been ordered home for repairs
and to convey TO the United States the whose
term Of service had expired, about to expire
The frgatc United States, under Commodore Ridge.y
appointed to succeed Commodore Nicolson is fitting
out for The purpose, Of relieving that officer and is
on the eve Of sailing
The soop Marion has preceded the United States
and the brig Enterprise is also destined for that station
The squadron will consist Of frigate soop Of
ond brig, and Will be increased as occasion requires
Internal dissens;ons st agate the states bordering
the river La Plata, apparently with increasing VIC.
lence; the novel system ola war Of blockade, so vexa
tous to neutral commerce, continues to be prosecuted
by France and the necessity Tor naval force IN that
quarter is increased rather than diminished
The squadron operating in the gulf of Mexico md
the West Indies, reinforced BY Two sloops Of
and the whole placed under Commodore WIN. 3
Shubrick, appointed to succeed Commodore Dallas,
who retired from the command. The nisunderstand-
ing at that time existing between Mexico and France
having since been adused, and the latter having ren-
pushed the blockade Of the ports of the former two
soops of war and schooner which ordered the
North for repairs, have not been replaced BY others.
The schooner, after under going the necessary
pairs, employed special service. She has
returned, and is destined for cruise the coast
of Africa.
the West India station, third sloop of war recurring
extensive repairs, ordered 10 the North and has
arrived at Norfolk. The squadron comprises u
frgate and four s!oops o! war, which may be increased
should Giro umsanccs indicate the proprety of such
measure.
The force employed in the Indian end China seas
consists of the irgate Columbia, and corvette John
Adams, under Commodore Read, who arrived al Macao
the 25h April last and continued there by the last
counts the earnest solicitations Of the American
sui and citizens resident at Canton, who considered
themselves III a somewhat critical position, in conse-
0uence of the decisive taken b. the Chinese
Government for the suppression of the Illicit trade in
opium carried 10y English residents AT that place
These apprchensons were, however, subs'dn@, and il
presumed that Commodore Read has long since pro-
ceeded in fulfilling his general instructions
While at Columbo, having received information that
daring act Of piracy, accompanied b. the murder of
American citizens had been recently committed by
the inhabitants of Muckc, in the island of Sumata,
Commodore Read acting under his general instructions,
promptly proceeded to the scene of outrage Here hav
ing vanly sought redress by the restoration of the plum
dered property and the surrender of the Inurderers
he inflicted and merited chastisement on the
barbarians
The South Sea Exploring Expedition left the island
Of madeira the 2Sh of September, 1885, and arrived
After repenishing his stores and refreshing his crews
Lieutenant Wilkes then proceeded in the execution of
his instructions, survey the mouth of Rio Negro and
It's neighboring coasts Thence he proceeded to Terra
del Fnego, where, leaving portion Of the squadron
and scientific corps to prosecute their researches he
stretched into the Southern ocean, between the l05 de-
gree of west longitude on the western coas. of Palmer
land returning, he joined the vessels left at Terra del
Fuego, and arrived at Valparaiso the 18th of May,
1895 During the passage, the squadron separated in
gale, and did not join company till the 18th of
March
portion of the squadron penetrated to the 10th de-
gree of South latitude, where it encountered vast
of ice, and narrowly escaped being frozen up
Lieutenant Wilkes became satisfied that owing to the
lateness of the season, it impossible to make any
further progress and the undertaking relnqushed
was the intention Of resumng it more favorable
time of the year.
The expedition, with the exception of the Sea Gull,
which separated in gale, arrived at Valparaiso on the
18th of May last; left that port for Caao the 9th of
June, and sailed thsaSs for the Sandwich Islands, since