The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-16

ton for examination, previous to. being sent on
foreign service.
The brig Dolphin, Lieutenant Bell, and the
schooner Grampus, Lieutenant Paine, have
been employed on the coast of Africa, IN the sup
preston OF the slave trade. They returned at
the commencement of the slekly season, and
have sailed in pursuit Of the Same object The
presence of these vessels on the slave coast, dur
ing the season in which this disgraceiul traffic
is carried on, will in all probability in great
degree arrest its progress, so far as it has been
prosecuted by the assumption of the American
flag, and do much to relieve the nation from the
unmerited stigma of participating IN trade
equally in violation of the laws OF the United
States and the policy of their government
From the report Of Lieutenants Bell and Paine
it aupears that the traffic in slaves IS now ear
ried on principally under Portuguese colors,
through the medium of slave stations, as they
are denominated, established at different points
of the coast, under the protection OF the neigh
boring native chiefs, who furnish the slaves and
receive in return goods manufactured in Eng
land expressly for this purpose. Here the slaves
are collected until an opportunity offers for the
SLAYER to approach the land under cover of night,
and receive them on beard. Both officers are of
opinion that so long as these stations are permit
ted to exist, ard this barter carried on, all at
tempts elfectualy to arrest the traffic in slaves
will end in administering only partial remedies,
which will but aggravate the disease. There
can be little doHbt that the number OF slaves
Transported from Africa is now greater than it
was previous to TIE adoption of measures for its
prevention and punishment, which it would
seem have served no other purpose than to ex-
cite the cupidity Of unprincpled adventures,
by increasing the value of slaves, and thus pre-
senting temptations which overpswer all appre-
hensiOn of consequences.
During the past year three small schoOners,
the Flirt, the Wave, and the Otsego, which had
been previously procured and employed by the
War Department, under the act making appro'
priations for suppressing Indian hostillties, ap-
proved Sd March, 1893, having been placed I'M
der the direction Of this Department, were en-
ploved on the coast of Florida, under Lieutenant
Mclaughlin. That officer lately returned to
the North in the Flirt, bringing with him the
men whose terms of service had expired, toge-
Their with the sick and disabled attached to the
expedition He has since sailed with men suffi-
cient to complete the complement OF all his yes
sells, as well as for boat service. An additional
number of marines has also been attached to his
command, with view to operations on and
against the Indians, as well as the protection of
the lives and property Of the citizens, and the
prevention of the introduction of supplies for the
use Of the enemy.
The two steam frigates commenced under he
second section of the act approved Sd March,
1889, one in New York, the other in Philadel-
phia, have been so far completed that the for
mer will be ready for launcing in few days,
and the latter in the ensuing spring, as soon as
the Delaware is free from ice. The engines
and boilers are also in course Ct speedy com
pletion, and when finished, will be placed on
board, and the vessel prepared for service with
out delay.
The apprentice system continues in operation;
and thus far, its results are highly satisfactory.
The conduct of the young lads is generally eT'
emplary, and such is their rapid progress in the
art of seamanship, thatby the time they are of
age for sea ssrvice, our commanders generally
prefer them to older seamen. | take this orca-
sion TO recommend that this system be tostered
to the utmost extent of which it is susceptible,
being fully of the opinion that it presents one
great means ofpartially, at least remedying that
increasing scarcity of competent petty officers
and able seamen, which greatly embarrasses the
operations of the navy, delays the sailing OF our
public vessels, and places the defence OF the hon
ors and interests of the United States under the
protection of crews, great portion OF winch
are foreigners.
This scarcity of seamen for the uses ofthe ma
w is, apprehend, owing to the high wages
they receive in the merchant service, and the
short periods of their engagements
in commercial voyages; to the absence Of an
apprentice system in the mercantile marine; and
the discharge of seamen when their terms have
expired on foreign stations, where the seductlons
of climate and the allurements of pleasure at
tach them to the soil, and whence many of the m
never return, or return so eneryatod as to be
unfit for active service. The inqui-
ries have instituted result in'the fact that many
of our seamen are now scattered among the IS
lands of the Pacific, and on the coast Of South
America; and though directions have been given
to reclaim them wheneverit may be found prac-
ticaSle, there can be little doubt that large
number are thus irretrevably lost to their coun-
try. have also sufficient reason to believe that
the modification of the navy ration, which was
to Congress, butwhich has not been def
nitely acted on, would, if adopted, contribute ma
terially to attach our seamsn mere permanently
to the services and take tins occasion earnest
ly to request tkat the early atteztlon of Congress
may be invited to this sub t.generally, as one
oil vital Importance to the well being of the Ra-
Wy.
The accompanying report and letter from the
Commissioner of Pensions, exhibit the number
of pensioners, the amount Of their pensions, and
the means now remaining at my disposal to meet
those which may become due the LIST of January,
anu ISL Oh july 1911. thcSO
it will appear that under the operation of the ma
Wy pension laws, and most especially that of
the navy pension fund, which at the period Of
its passage amounted to upwards of million of
dollars, the annual interest of which was suffi
cient to meet all demands, now consists Of one
hundred thousand dollars in Cincinnati five per
cent. stock, greatly depreciated, fourteen thou
sand dollars of stock of the bank OF Washington,
in the same situation, thirtythree thousand three
hundred and thirty-nine dollars five per cent
stock Of tho city of Washington, and eleven
four hundred dollars of stock Of the
Union Bank of Georgetown, the latter totally
unsaeable at this time.
BY the same statement it appears that the snm
of enc hundred and filty-sne thousand three hun
dred and fifty-tws dollars and thirty-nine cents,
will he required in the course of the year lS4l,
to meet demands arising out of the present list,
and that consequently, either an appropriation
Of that sum, during the present session, must be
made, or the pensioners will remain unpaid, and
the faith of the nation, which was pledged to
make good any deficiency in this fund, remain
The estimates which accompany this report
have heen Drena red with a due REGARD to ecOnQ-