The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-07-01
[ NUMBER 40.
Report OF the Navy Department,
Nary Department Nay 81, Is4l.

SIR: The appropriations made al the
last session Of Congress will be found amply
sufficient 10 cover the expenditures for the
current year, under the several heads Of ep.
preparation, unless it should become neces.
safy or be deemed proper 10 assume anoth.
er and larger basis Of operations than that
on which the estimates from the Depart.
nent were founded.
The state of the navy pension fund will
require the immediate action of Congress.
Under the operation of the act entitled
An act for the more equitable adminisra-
ton Of the navy pension fund" thai, fund
has been exhausted. 1t will be seen from
the accompanying report of the Commits.
Slouer al Pensions that there Wilf be re.
quired, for the pavmanl Of navy pensioners,
90 the LIST Of July next, the sum Of SOS.
zoo 60; and, On the lst Of January, ls42,
the further SUN of 500 600. In addition 20
these sums, about $4,000 will 10 required
TO pay arrears Of pensions, which viii pro.
baby be allowed between July next and the
! st Of January, making in the whole Sl63,.
706 %. To meet these payments, there 10
within the control of the Department the
sum OF S2S 040 leaving deficiency OF
SI@9 66G 06, which the public faith re.
qulfes should be promptly supplied.
The sudden return Of the Brandywine
seems TO require some explanation. From
the dispatches sent to the Department, by
Captain Bolton, Of that ship, il appears that
lie great excitement prevailing in England
IN ihr early part of March last, induced our
minister at that court to address a commu.
nlca,ion 10 Commodore Hull, the officer
commanding The United States naval forces
N the Mediterranean, the result OF which
wss that the squadron, then lying at Ma.
hon, lett the station with view to ge, out
Of that sea, ascertain the true state OF things
beiween the United States and Gres. Bri.
tain, aud either resume their station or re.
turn home according to the result. The
Brandywlne, out sailing the Commodore,
and Captain Bolton having received no in
formation on bis voyage deemed satisfacto.
~ BY hlm be returned 10 the United States.
Though i, is presumed Congress will
scarcely be wiling TO give attention to geo.
c'al matters uuconnected with the objects
tor which ,he extraordinary session of that
body vas conyoked, YET the recent events
induce me to bring to your notice, with a
view 10 the action of Congress, two subjects
as worthy Of present consideration. The
FIRST IS The establishment Of home squadron.
hle squadroDs are maintained ID various
parts Of the world for the preservation of
o4Ir ri Orpc hura hnan
left without any adequate protection. Had
a war With Great Britain been the result,
as was at one time generally feared, of the
subjects Of difficulty now in course Of ad.
lgslment between that Power and the Uni.
ted States, not only would our trade have
been liable to great interruption, and our
merchants TO great losses abroad, but q
naval force, comparatively small, might, on
our very shores, have seized our merchant
ships and nsulted our flag, without sui,a.
bic means Of resistance or immediate retalla.
ton being at the command Of the Govern.
ment. To guard agains, such a result-to
DO ever really to repel or promptly TO chas.
use aggEesslons upon our own shores, II is
necessary that powerful squadron should
be kept 0float a, home. This measure is
recommended by other considerations
There is no situation 10 which greater skill
or seamanship can be exercised and aequir.
ed than on the coast of the United States;
and in TO service would our officers and
seamen become more thoroughly initiated
IN all that is necessary for the national de.
fence anu glory. In that service, aided by
the coast survey now in progress, thorough
acquaintance would be gained with our own
seac0ast, extensive and hitherto but lmper-
lectly known--lhe various ports would be
vIsled-the bays, nlets, and harbors care.
fully examl1ed--the uses to which each
could be made available during war, either
for escape, defence, or annoyance, be ascer.
tanned, and the confidence resulting from
perfect knowledge would give to US, what
we ought surely to possess, decided ad-
vantage over an enemy on our own shores.
Should II be thought desirable that such
squadron be put in commission immediate.
" and kept constantly on duty, an addition.
al appropriation may be necessary for the
amount OF which, as well as the force deem.
VI proper " OS StHpluh Vus wv W iCISA W
the accompanying report on the subject,
prepared under my direction, by the Board
OF Navy Commissioners.
The attention of Congress has been here.
toiore earnestly invited to the state of our
and ordnance stores, and deem il
worthy OF immediate consideration. A sui.
ficient supply Of suitable arms and munitions
Of war Is indispensable to the successful op.
Grafton Of the bravest officers and men and
il cannot, from the nature of the case, be
provided upon sudden emergency. Sail.
ors may be hastily collected from our com.
nercial marine, ships may be purchased,
Du, ordnance cannot be supplied on such au
emergency, nor can some of the materials
or the preparation of ammunition be pro.
cured either by purchase or manutactire.--
Hence the ordnance should, by q timely
foresight, he provided in advance, and the
materials be secured, from which a supply
1f ammunition can be speedily prepared