New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-12-14
Reno-, Of rae secretary of .he Navy.


The Home Squadron has been put in commits
sion uader command of Com. STEWART, and as il
was no, wanted at home the Secretary has as
sigaed TO it the duties OF the West India Squad
| ron, which be has withdrawn from the service.
Her cruising ground now extends from the Banks
| of Newfoundland to the river Amazon, including
the caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Missouri and Mississippi have been found
TO be too expensive and otherwise unfit for cruis-
ing in time of peace. They have therefore been
taken out of commission. The Home Squadron
promises TO be kept usefully employed and the
Secretary recommends the addition to it of two
other steam vessels of medium size.
The Brazil Squadron consists Of the Delaware
"a, Captain McCauley; the frigate Columbia, Cap
tain E. r. Shubrick the sloops of war Concord,
Commander Boerum John Adams, Commander
Conover Decatur, Commander Farragut; and
the schooner Enterprise, Lieutenant ] P Wilson,
all under the command Of Commodore Morris. Ii
has been distinguished for order and been of good
service to the interests of the country
The Squadron Of the Mediterranean consists of
the Fairfield, the Columbus, the Congress and Pre-
bic sloops-of-war under command of Com Nor.
gan, who is soon to give way to Com. Morris
Our relations with the countries Of the Mediterra
mean are On the most friendly footing. For the
outrage offered to The late Consul Carr by an off,
cal Of Morocco, that nation, says the Secretary,
has afforded ample redress.
The squadron in the Pacific consists Of the fri
gate United States, Captain Armstrong sloop Cy
ane, Commander Stribling; sloop Yorktown, Lieu
tenant Nicholas sloop Dale, Commander Dornin !;
and the schooner Shark, lieutenant Eagle: all
under the command of Commodore T. Ap c. Jones.
The Squadron is represented as too small for the
proper discharge of the duties required and unfit for
the adequate protection of our commerce on a
coast Of 5000 miles, and throughout an ocean 1000
miles wide. The English have engressed the trade
from the Columbia river to the islands other ma
tons are forming settlements along the coast, and
the United States, meantime nre doing nothing for
the encouragement of their citizens to settle there
The Secretary recommends a large increase of the
Pacific Squadron.
In the East Indies we have only two ships-the
Constellation and Boston; and the Secretary says
that it is owing more to good fortune than to our
strength that our commerce has suffered no mate
rial interruption.
On the coast of Africa we have no squadron,
though the recent Treaty with England readers it
necessary that squadron of at least go guns should
be assigned to that service. This is necessary in
order to suppress the slave trade and to afford the
protection to our vessels from the African savages
of which the aggression upon the schooner Mary
Carver shows that they stand in need.
The return of Lieut. Wilkes, of the Exploring
Expedition, the Secretary says, has added rich and
abundant stores to the country in all departments
of natural history. Lieut.. w. is engaged in pre-
pairing narrative of his voyage and completing
the charts and the Secretary urges additional
aid in this arduous labor.
The Secretary repeats the conviction which ne
so strongly urged in his last report, that consid-
cradle increase Of the Navy is demanded by the
interests of the country. The Gulf of Mexico es-
peciely has strong claims for commercial protec-
ton. The whole cotton crop for 1912 is estimated
at 1853 574 bales, and Of this l60 1889, the Sec.
retary says, were shipped from the ports of the
Gulf of Mexico. The productions of the West.
ALSO tobacco, iron, lead, hemp &c.-seek the
ocean in that way and 1t is thought that on the
whole, not less than twothirds of the commerce Of
the United States passes through the Gulf Nearly
all this valuable trade is carried on through the
Gulf Of Florida--a narrow strait, which could be
effsctually bocksded by two active steam frigates.
These and o,her reasons the Secretary thinks are
sufficient to warrant the recommendation OF con-
siderable increase Of our naval force.
Mr. Upshur does not urge any considerable aP-
preparation tor building new vessels, but recon-
ncnds provision FOR more efficient training of ma
val officers He wishes it borne in mind that it
is an easy thing TO build ship Of war; it is diff
6cult thing to qualify an officer command her"
He proposes system of interchange between the
several squadrons and with that view, an arrange
ment that no ship shall remain more than one year
the same station, except, perhaps, that of the
cemmander.in- chief. The advantages of this, he
soys, are
/. By keeping the ships more at sea, the officers
will be more exercised in their proper duties, and
will acquire more of the science and practice OF
their profession.
=. Discipline Will be better learned ana better
enforced, both as to officers and crews. 1t is al
ways relaxed while vessels are in port.
8. The dangerous connections and fatal habits,
so often formed amid the seductions OF luxurious
ports. will be avoided.
4. Officers will have better opportunity to be-
come acquainted with different coasts and harbors
with their currents, winds &C.; with the languages,
manners, customs, &c. of different regions of the
globe; all which information is indispensable to
an accomplished naval commander.
5. The flag of the country will be displayed in
difieren, ports, on many different vessels, thereby
giving 70 foreign countries better idea of the aS