Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-01-06
REPORT OLE THE
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

leHt,l Respectfully Subullt THO iOlio"
ng report.
The squadron tn the Mediterrane-
IN remains the same as il was at the
late of my last report, and consists Of
he Ohio "A, the Brandawine first
class frigate), and the Cyane sIoop of
var-tRe whole under the command
1fCommodore Isaac Hull. The force
has been found fully adequate to the
of our commerce, which
has remained unmolested in that qua
ter.
The squadron OH the Pacific station
is composed of the frigate ConstiJu-
ton, the sloop ofwar st Louis and the
schooner Shark, under Commodore
Claxton. Since the date Of my last
report, the schooner Enterprise, then
on her way home, and the sloops Of
war Lexington and Falmouth, which
had been directed TO return, have ar
rived in the United States, and have
been replaced by the sloops Yorktown
and Dale, now on the eve of sail
ing for tie Pacific.
The squadron.when.j joined by these
vessels, will consist of frigate Of the
first class, three sloops of war, and a
schooner. Commodor Claxton has
been directed to despatch to York
town on a cruise to the Sandwich and
Society Islands, New Zealand, the
coast of Japan, the Gulf of California,
and the Lqdrones and Marquesas fol-
the general protection of our whaling
interests and other commercial purpo-
ses.
The squadron on the coast of Bra.
I'll Commodore J. B. Nicholson, al
the date of my last report, was com
posed ofthe razee independence, anC
the sloops ofwar Fairfield and Marion
The two former have returned 10 the
United States, Commodore Nicholson
having been relieved in the command
of that station by Commodore Charles
G, Ridgely, whose force now consists
ofthe Potomac first class frigate, the
sloops of war Decatur and Marion
and the schooner Enterprise. The
difficulties between the French Gov
eminent and that Of the Argentine Re-
public still subsisling, and the block
ade continuing to be rigidly enforced
it has been thought expedientto aug
ment this force, and the sloop of wal
Concord is now on the eve Of sailing
for that purpose.
The squadron employed in the
Gulf, Of Mexico and the West In die;
under Commodore William B. Shu-
BRICK. at the date of my last report
consisted of the frigate Macedonia
and the sloops of war Ontario Erie
Warren, and Lcvant. The Ontario
has been ordered TO the North for re
pairs, and Erie, being found unfit 70
service, has been detached from tn
squadron. The remaining vessels
with the exception of the Warren
were directed to leave the station dur
ing hurricane month, and proceed t
the north. Commodore Shubric
accordingly left Pensacola in July las
with the Macedonia, Levant and Eric
| and arrived at Boston in Angus
Thence he proceeded tOlEastport, an
on hisreturn visited the principal port
on the coast as far south as Norfolk
where in conformity with his instruc
tons from the Department, he deliv
cred the command of the West Indi
squadron TO Commodore Jesse Wilkin
son, who had been appointed to re
lieve him and who has proceeded to hi
station.
The command of Commodore vii
kinson now consists of the Macedoni
an frigate and the sloops Of war LIE
want and Warren, which force is deem
ed sufficient for the protection of on
interests in that quarter, in the preser
state of things.
| The frigate Co lumhia, and corvett
John Adams Employed in Il cruise i
the India and China seas, under Con
George c.. Read, for the protection {
the commerce to the United States i
| that quarter, have returned home. TIL
frigate Consolation and sloop of wa
Boston, have recently sailed for Ri
de Janeiro, where they will replenis
their supplies, and receive Capital
Lawrence Kearney, now in comman
ofthe flag ship on the Brazilian statio
who will hoist his pendant on boar
| the Constellation, as commander c
the East India squadron, and procee
with that vessel and the Boston to cal
ry out his instructions.
The exploring Expedition, as state
in my last report, was at Callac
whence Lieutenant Wilkes sailed o
the 9th July, 1889. Since that peri
cd he has visited the Society Islands
Navigator's Group, New Zealand, an,
various detached Islands, with who's
inhabitants he held the most amicabl
intercourse, and with the ports and han
bours of which he made himself par
ticularly acquainted. On the Goth Eel
and, and proceeded to penetrate tn
Antarctic sea. On the 18th Januar