Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-22

came object. The presence oil tDese .esS.i' =" ..
90 cnast during the in winch ihs ui>Srnceiai
trof6 i carried H. will, in all probability, IN great
decree arrest ITS prgrcss lar a. II has been prose
cn.d by tine assuIpt OF the American hdg, and DO
much 10 relieve the nahum from the unIhrflrd stigma
AZ n,rticpa,nr in 4 trade equally IN violation 81 me
,s &c III, Iinnrd Suites and The pulley of their Co.
varnmrnt From The tepurs OF l. euienanis Bell ana
pain. il appcars that The traffic IN slaves now carried
nm principay under Portuguese c"i"rs, through Tue
medium o slave stations, rs they aie he""ni'aua't To-
abl,sl, at different points of The c"asi, u"drr me pro-
lection nf the nrghbor,ng native chs,s' VINO '"hs'
the slaves and receive, return, goods hiahiac,uio
in Enpand expressly for this purpose Here the saves
are cullrc,cd until opportunity "iirrs Tor me shaver
to approach the land und'r cover At he"t' on" reeve
them on board tn officers are "f "Pn'on thit, 5"
l,o nc ,he.r stations IRE permitted u exist anu ths
borirr carried On all attempts rrcnaly TO arrest lht
traffic in slaves will end administering only paia'
remedies which will but sggfavat- The disease. lhfrr
c,n be- ur doub, that The number oil slaves Transported
fro,p africa s now greuer than II was previous 10 the
odo,on &c for its prevention ami punishment,
which. it would seem, have served no oihtr purpose
than 10 excite the cupIdy "i aoVehtnrtS,
by increasing the value of slaves, and thus presenting
formations winch oyerpower all apprehension OF con-
sequences. A., IT,
bnr;ng the pas year three small schonners, the Fllrt,
the Wave. and The Otsego, which had been previously
procured and employed by the War Department, under
the act making appropriations "r snppressnS lnoiah
approv Sd March, 1888, having been placed
uner Tie direction of this Department, were employed
ON the coast of Flnr,da, under Lieut.. hleLangl n
That officer lately returned To The Norm IN lir rr',
bringing with him the men whose terms oil service mao
expired together with The sick and d'sahrd at'acnea "
tho ,adiion He has since salrd with men sufficient
N comna,e the complement of all his vessels, as well
"a for boa, service. An additional number OF marines
hns also bern attached To hs command, win VIZ" !"
operations land against the lndiuns rs wei as the
protection Of the lives and property OF the c'zes ana
the prevention of The Introduction Oh suPp'ee io' "
use Of the enemy.
The two steam frigates commenced under the second
section of the oci approved Sd March, 1882 one al ~
York the other at Philadelphia, have been so Tar cnn-
pleed that the former will be ready for launching IN
few days and the latter in the ensuing spring, as soon
as the Delaware is fire from ice The engines and
boilers are also in a course ofspeedy completion, and
when finished will be placed on board, and the vessels
prepared for service without delay.
The apprentice system continues IN operat'on' Ino
thus far, its results are highly satisfactory The
conduct Of the lads is generally exemplary, and such
is their rapid progress the art of seamanship, That
by the time they Of age for sea service, our CON-
manders generally prefer them to older seamen.
take this occasion 10 recommend that ms system Of
o.,ered 10 the utmost extent Of which it is susceptible
being fully of opinion that presents one great means
Of partially at least remedying that increasing scarcity
Incompetent petty officers and able seanen when great
" embarrass-s the operations of the navy delays The
sailing of public vessels and places the oeirhct OF
the honor and interests of the United States under III
,ro,.c,ion of crews great portion Of which are TO-
rrinners.
Tins scarcity of scamen for the of the navy is,
apprrhrnd owing to the high wages they receive IN
The merchant SERVICE and the comparatively short Pc
RODS of their engagements in commercial voyages 10
the abse nee of apprentice system in the mercantile
narln- and thu discharge OF seamen when their terms
have expired foreign stations, where the seducil"hs
nf climate aud The allurements pleasure attach them
to the SOIL and whence many OF them never return, ~
return so enervaied 10 be comparatively unfit Tor
active service. The inquiries have Instituted result
in the fact that many Of our seanen are now scattered
among the islands nf TIN. Pacific and on the coast ut
South America; and though directions have been given
tn reclaim them whenever il may BE- found practicable,
there can BIZ little doubt that large number are thus
irrctrevahly lost to their country. have ais" suii-
Gent reason believe that the modification OF the
navy ration, which was proposed 10 Congress, bui
winch has not been definitely acted on, wond, adopt-
ed contribute materially Ia attach our srnInen more
permanently 10 the service; and take this OCCASION
earnestly to request that the early attention of Con-
gre>s may be invited to this subject generally, as one
Of vital inportance to the well being at the navy.
The accompanying report and letter from the Com
missioner of Pensions exhibit the number of Pension
ers the of their pensions, and the means now
remaining nv disposal Ia meet those winch may be-
come due the l>t of January, md LIST of July Ie4l-
From these documents it will appear that under The
OPERATION of the navy p"nson laws, and more especial
~ shat nf March, 1887, the navy pension fund, which
the period of its passage amounted to upwards ct
million of dollars the annual interest o which was suit
fcrnt meet all demands, now consists oil one hun
bred huusand dollars in Cincinnati FIVE per cent stock,
greatly Deprecated fourteen thousand dollars OF stock
1T the Bank of Washington, IN the sanie situation, hr
ty-three thousand three hundred and thirty DOLLARS
five per cent. stock of the City of Washington, and
ELEVEN thousand four hundred d"ars of stock at the
Union Bank of Georgetown the latter totally unsara-
br at this tune
By the siaieme nj IT appears that the SUN oil
hundred aud ff yone thousand three hundred and
fty-two dlars and thirty nine cents will he required
thu ofthe year lS4l to meet demands arising
of the present pr nson last, and that consequently,
either appropriation Of that sum, during the present
session must he made, the pensioners will remain
unpaid and the faith Of The nat"n, VIII oh was pledged
10 make good any deficiency in this fund, remain I'M
redeemed.
The estimates which accompany this report have
been prppar with due regard TO economy on one
hand and the protection of the honor and Interests Of
The Unned States the other. The number Of YES
sells commission is fully equal tn those employ.
ed in preceding years. and IT IN believed that during
the past year. neher the persons nor property OF our
citizens have any where ufrrrd outrage wrong for
want of due attention in aordng the means OF protec-
ton and redress.
II will he perceived that the Board Of Navy Commits
have again presented an est mate i"r additional
clerks, which an satisfied indispensable To the
prompt performances al, the duties of that office, which
are daily increasing and winch there ls no reason 10
believe will suffer any dninntion in future.
Respectfully submitted.
J. X PAULDlNG.
To the President oe tho United Sat
:. fAMILY JAR.
The debate in the Srn.tr upon The question Of Inter
nal Impru vpnpnt-, has excited no small comm t"n IN
our Legislative halls. Ii has led 10 disclosures which
ccra My reflect great credit on the Wing party,
and evincsd feeling which shows any thing but har