Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1841-06-17
FROM THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
N,vr DErAKrsESr. MAJ 81. 1871.

NAVY DEPARTMENT. MAY 81, l5Il II
Sta The appropriations made at tho last session.
4 Congre-. Will be iouni amply sufficient 10 cover
he expenditures Tor the current year. under the
e'era heads OF appropriation. unless IL should he.
'une necessary be deemed proper to assume
,nnth-r and larger 5lsis OF operation than that on
,,hich the estimates from the Department. were
Sounded
The state of the Nav, Pension Fund " IN rcunir. |
the immediate aciiin Of Congress Under the opera
ton 81 thc entitled An tor the more elri,a
HE administration Of the Navy Pension Fund that
iur.l has bccn exhausted. Il will he seen fron the
accompanying report Of the Commissioner OF Pen. /
that there will be required for the payment OF
navy pensioners. the It Of July next. the SUN of
SIS SO6 O6, and on the 1t OF January, SI2 the /
the further of SOD 600. Ia addition To these
sums. about $4,000 will hc required o. pay arrears
Of pensions whi,h will prIbahly he allowed bet
ween July neIt and tho lsi of January milking in
the whole Sl63.706 90. To meet these payments
;herc Is within the control Of the Department the
sum Of S2sOt0; leaving degciency of Sl35 .666
90. which the public flliq requires should DO
promptly supplied.
The sudden return Of the BrandywInc seems %
require some explanation. From the dispatches
sent TO the Department by Captain Bolton. of that
ship II appear, that the great excitement prevailing
IA England IN the early part of March last. induced
our Minister at that um to address a communicI.
ton Ia Commodore Hull. the officer commanding
the United States naval iurccs the Mederrl.
mean, the result OF which was that the squadron
then lying n, Mahon LEFT the station with view to
get out of that sea- ascertain the true STATE Of things
between the United States and Great Brita n anu
eiiher resume their station return home accord
ing To the result The Brandywine outs ltlnc the
Commodore. and Captain Bolton having received
no information "n ms voyage deemed satisfactory by
him, he returned Ia the United States.
Though Il il presumed Congress will scarcely be
willing 10 give attention 10 general matters upcon
necied with the objects for which the extraordinary
session al that body cOnvoked yet recent events
induce the to bring 10 your notice. with a view To-
the action of Congress. two subjects as worthy of
present consideration. The first is the establish
ment OF a home squadron. While squadrons are
maintained IN various paris OF the world Tor the pre-.
seIvalinn OF our commerce our own Shores have
been LETT without any adequate protection. Had a
war with Great Britain been the result as was AT
one time generally feared. of the subjects of diul-
~ now ia course ola jusimehl between that Pow.
er aud the U..ied Safes, only would our trade
nave been liable 10 great interruption, and our
merchants 10 great l"sscs abroad, but nav al force
comparatively small, might on our very shores.
have seizei our merchant ships and Insute our llg
without suitable means OF resistance immediate
retaliation being the command Of the GOvcrnm nj
! To guard against such a rcsult-to be ever ready
u rcpel or promptly To chassc sress ons upon our
shores. u Is necessary that a powerful squadron
should he kept adolt nj hons. This measure j. re.
commended by Other considerations. The c is no
situation IA which greater skill or s.amlnship can
he exercised and acquired than on the coast of the
United STATES; and IA service would our officer.
and seaman become thogOu yhIy ~ tIted an d, n
that Is necessary for the national defence and glory
In That service, aided by the coast survey now M
1 progress. a thorough acquaintance would he gained
MN our own seacOaSi, extensive and hitherto but
InpeHeriiy known-ihe various ports would he
visited; The bays nlets and harbOrs Carefully OK.
/ anihed- The uses To which each could be made
a'aiiinie during war; either for escape, defer &C.
or annoyance, be asceraincd. and tho conitIeuc.
resulting from perfect knowledge would give To u.s.
what we ought surely 20 possess n decided adyan.
age over an enemy on shores. Should a.
De thought desirable that such a squadron he nut n
commission Immediately and kept constantly ON
du'y an additional appropriation may be necessary;
ior the amount Ofwhich, well The force deem.
ed proper To he employed beg To refer 10 the nc.
companying report ON the subject. prepared under
my direction. by the Board of Navy Commission.
ers.
The attention ofCongress has been herelore earn.
v'"y lhVheu 10 The state Of our ordnance and or.
dnnnce stores, ond deem IL worthy of imned,,,s
consideration sufficient supply ofsuiiable arms
and munitions Of war IL Indispensable IN the snc
cessini operation Of The bravest officers and men;
ard u cennOi. from the nature Of the case he n,;
ued upon a sudden emsrgeucy Sailors may n.
hastily collected from our commercial marine ships
may be purchased, but ordnance cannot DO supplied
"A snch an emergency, nor can some Of the mater.
MS Tor the preparation Of ammunition be procurcJ
eiIher by purchase or manufacture Hence The ar.
dnance should, by timely foresight he provided i'm
ADVANCE and The materials be secured, from which
supply OF ammunition can be speedily prepared -
me accompanying report from the Board OF Navy
commissioners shows the amount OF expenditure
winch VIII he required under this head Should
The Object be deemed ofsuch importance and urgen.
cy as TO require the immediate attention Of Congress
respectfully recommend that an appropriation of
one-ihird The o$imated amount be nov, made
The opinion seems 10 have become general. as
wen ~ The service IN ilo nation al large that n
thorough reorganization OF the Navy is demanded
| ny considerations connected with the defence and
hohor OF the country, and in this opinion heartily
concur Yet am fully aware that any plan for
ms purpose should be the result Of the most careful
dehberaiIOn, and that IL would be nj onc, un,,ise
mi injurious to submit 10 Congress and the country
any proposed arrangements which should bo liable
10 The charge Of hasie'and Reconsideration Dozen.
" sensible therefore at Of the importance and
| uHmcuiIy OF the measure. ! have taken proper
Steps 10 collect and avail myself Of all the results
" experience and observation from those whose %.
Ponuniies have afforded the means Of kno,,l.dge
400 'her intelligence the ability 10 them profta
biy' and entertain The hope Of being nble beG,,.
The first regular meeting II Congress. =, sul,,;, a.,
your consideration n comprehensive and well d,yc.t
ea system OF reform 10 the branch Of the public .s,
vice committed 20 my charge
nave The hObOr 10 be. with the bipbest res,ec,
most obedieni servant. GEORGE T. BADGER
me PTssideHt Of he United States.