Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-10
DOCU EN rS
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FROM THE NAVY DEPARTMENT..
NAVY D,r.HrN,sr M,vu 10,

another and larger basis OF OPERATORS than that Al,
which the estimates from the Den,r,mcn, -.
founded wv
The state Of tho Navy Pension Fund will teou;,.
he immaculate action ot Congress. Under the one
ration OF the act entitled san for the more eaui
table administration al the Navy Pension FunJ ,
that fund has been exhausted, twill bo See, Tn
the accompanying report OF the Commissioner a
PENSIONS that there will be required for IN, nav
n,en' oil navy pensioners, an the Is, Of July next
inc sum at sss,IO6 O6, and on the ist OF January
is'2 the further sum of 500 900. In addition ~
these sums, about so 600 will I've required 10 n, .
arrears OF pensions which will probably be ALLOW 6,
oe'Seor July eext and the LIST of January, maxim
IN the whole S'63,7O6 O6. To meet these nav.
ments, there Is wi;hin the enntrsl of the Denni,
inen. the sum VI SlSOiO; leaving a deficiency nj
SiS'ooS o6, which TIE public faith requires should
be promptly supplied.
The sudden Ic,ur of the R,on,lvwino sco,,. D.,
require some explanation. From the despatches
sent TO the department ~ Captain Bolton of tb,,
SNIP u appears that the great excitement prevailing
III Eng land m the early part Of March lns, induced
our Minister at that Court To address n r,nmnn,,,
ton to Commodore Hull, the officer comman,,no The
United States Naval Forces IN the hleditc,rnns,r
w, 'u result OF when was, that the squadron then
yihs NJ Mahon, lett the station with view tn oct
out OF that sea, ascertain the true state of thnss
tween the United States and Great Britain and c
ther resume their station or return home occorl;n,
In The result The Brandywine ou,sallinr the Com
| ""uote, ana captain Bolton having received mo- in
formation on his voyage deemed satiSfactorv by
nm, he returned to the United States.
! though II Is presumed Congress W IN SCARCELY lao
wiling TO give attention to general matters uncon
WIN the objects Tor which the extraordinary
session OF that body convukcd vet recent yrns
Inuucc me To bring to your notice with n view IN
tue acuon oi Congress, two subjects as worthy or
present Consideration. The first Is the ,.t,I,i;.h
nent OF home squadron. Will. Snu,d,nns ~.
maintained IN various parts of the world for The
P'cser'atNh OF our commerce, own shores have
zee" IeIt without any adequate protection. Had n
war WIN Great Britain been the result ms WAS nj
one time generally feared, OF the subjects of diff
Tuty no" IN course at adjustment between that
ROVER and the United States, not only womb our
"un nave been liable Ia Stcit interruption and our
"eTchantS To great losses abroad, hut a naval fo,c,
comparatively small, might, ON our very sLo,cs
nave seized our merchant ships and inst,lt-d ON,
nag without suitable means Of resistance ar imn,c
u'"'o '''ni'toh peinS at the command OF the Go
N't"hen'. 10 guard against such u rcsut-to lie
Nertt'uy 10 Tcpcl or promptly TO chastisc AZORES
s'""s upon our own shores, 1t - necessary that n
Mn"c''H' squadron should hc kept phlat at home
"'S " .rS IS re commended lay other cunsdcra.
u""s' ihefc IS no situation IN which greater skill
ar Scim"nshp can he exercised and acquired ibnn
on Tue coast OF the United States; and IN mo- service
"oui oni officers and seamen become more thor
o"Shy initiated IN all that necessary for the ma
t.oha' defence aud glory. In that service aided bv
tue coast survey now IN progress, n ihornugb nc.
qua"lihce would be gained with our own seaco,st
extensive and hitherto but imperircily known-thr
various l'orts would he vlscd--the bays, nlcS and
haroots carefully eNnminCd-the uses To which each
could be made available during war either for 90.
cape ueiehce or annoyance, bc ascertained and the
coh"ueico resulting from perfect knowledge would
ESe =" - what We ought surely To possess, n de-
chicd at htase over an enemy on our own shores
should II he thought desirable thnt such SQUAD
ron he pat IN commission Immediately and kent
constantly on duty, additional apron iaton may
"e necessary; Tor the amount Of which, well ms
'"e force deemed proper to be employed, | beg to
'e'er " the accompanying report ON the subject
ptcpareu under my direction, 10y the Board OF NAVY
Commissioners. ivy
H.,
earnestly invited To the state of our ordnance and
ordnance stores and deem It worthy of immediate
CoSIucration' sufficient supply of suitable arms
ana munitions al war Is IndSpenSnb bic TO the sue
C'>s" operation oil the bravest officers aud men
ana cannot, from the nature of the case he pro
Nidod upon sudden emergency. Sailors NAV lac
""s',y coHected from our commercial marine ships
may be purchased but ordnance cannot be sunnlicd
" sue" an emergency, nor can some of the materials
Ior the preparation oi ammunition be procured
either by purchase or manufacture Hence The
ordnance should, Ivy timely foresight be proyi,Ied
III ADVANCE, and the materials lie secured from which
supply oi ammunition can be speedily prepared.
TIE accompanying report from the Board of NAVY
commissioners shows the amount of rxn,ndturs
whlch VIII Ie required under tins head. Should In.
o'yect he deemed Of such importance and uryen-
~ Us l" require the immediate attention of Congress
respectfully recommend that an approximation of
one ihird OF the estimated amount be now made
me opinion seems to have become general, MS
' III ,"c service as IN the nation at large, that
'"O'""Sh Te-orSah[ 'liOn OF the Navy is demanded
ny '"nSl ieTatOns connected with the defence and
honor OF the country; and IN this unnon heartily,
concur. Yet fully aware thatany plan for TINS
purpose should be the result of the most careful de.
ihcTauon, and that II would be nj once unwise and
injurious TO submit To Congress and the Country anv
P'"P"Scu arrangements which should he liable To
The charge OF haste aud nconsidcraton Dcenlv
sensible, theftiOrc, at once Of the importance and
ullcuty OF the measure, have taken proper stems
10 collect ana avail myself of all the results of cX
Perlcnce ana observation from those whose opportu-
n'tes have Afforded the means Of knowe and
lheir intelligence the ability TO them proftnbly;
ana entertain the hope at being able before the
next regular meeting of Congress. To submit for
your consideration comprehensive and well die, 81
Cd system OF reform IN the branch OF the pub bic SER
vice committed 10 my charge.
nave lhc honor To be, with the highest respect,
your most obcdlent servant
GEORGE L. BADGER.
The President Of the United States.
FROM THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
fosT OFFfcE DEPARTMENT., May %, 1911.
SIs: The arrangement of business nt and the
manner OF returns To the General Post Ohi.e, for
od adeined report OF its operations nj the npprouch
ing session OF Congress. | have, however felt II
my DUTY at this time, TO call public attention 10 the
present state OF It's nances so far as have yet been
able to learn their condition.
When first entering upon my official duties. nv |
attention was forced Ia the constant demands fnr
payment beyond the ability Of the DEPARTMENT To
uisehargei ana with aVew To ascertain, MS nearly
as might bc, its undsputcd liabilities A md p,obnbic
mems, on tie 27!h day Of March last a letter was
auureSsou TO The Auditor Of the Treasury for the
Post Office Department, requesting from him in.
formation on those subjects. a copy Of which ,t-
ter, marked A, Is herewith submitted. Such stnte-
mems have not been furnished Tor reasons clearly set
iorth IN letter from the Auditor, dated the 18th
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