The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-08

:
Commodore Thomas Ap g. Jooe., On ths 24th of
January fom podore Jones was recalled, and Com
modnre A. ]. Dallas orde cd to succeed him in the
IN and OF the squadron. Cowmodore Dallas SAIL
ed from Norf,k in the sIoop VandaIia for Chagres,
and arrived at Calao 10 the latter part of July. On
the 9Th of August he had not met vi Commodore
jones, who was absent on cruise to the Sandwich
Islands ...gt e-f errta8rfs
The yorktown returned home on the 81 of
August, and the Dale on the l9th Of October,
having on board The remains Of Commodore A.
Claxton, who died while in command of the
squadron. The places of these vessels have been
supplied by the sloop Leyant, Commander H.
n Page, which sailed from Norfolk on the I'd Of
September, and the Warren Commander J b. Hull
on the 10Th of October The new frigate Savannah
has been equipped for sea- and sailed on the 18th Of
October from New York, under the command Of
Captain A. Fizhugh, to join this squadron. When
she reaches the Pacific, the United States i'll propa
bly, return home. The store ship Erie, Lieutenant
Manning sailed from Boston on the 9th Of February
| with provisions and stores for this squadron. Upon
her arrival at Rio, Lieut. Manning was relieved from
the command, and Lieutenant N. w. Duke ordered
to succeed him. The Erie has arrived on the sta
ton The vessels of this squadron have been ordered
to return to the United States, in future by way of
China and the Cape of Good Hope.
This squadron cruises along the whole west coast
Of America and westward from the meridian of Cape
Horn to one hund ell and eighty degrees west ongi
tude and southwark between those meridians.
The East India Squadron has been composed of
manding the squadron, and the sloop Boston, Com
mander j. C. Long, which latter vessel after visiting
the most important ports and islands in the China
seas and the Pacific, returned home by Cape Horn in
the month Of August The Constellation left China
IN the early part Of the year and was at the Sand
witch Islands in August last to sail in few days for
the United States, via California and Cape Horn.
squadron, under the command OF Councillors
Foxba A. Parker, has been fitted out in the plaoe Of
that commando by Commodore Kearney. TheQ
gate Brandywne, bearing the flag Of Commoddfc.
Parker, and the sloop st. Louis Commander H. H.
Cooke, sailed from Norfolk on the 23d of May
These vessels arrived at Rio de Janero on the 10Th
Of July, and sailed thence the 5th of August A
leak was discovered in the bow of the st. Louis,
which obliged her TO put back TO Rio for repairs at
which place she arrived the 7th Of September. II
| was expected that the vessel would sail again in
few days. The new brig Perry, which was launched
in May, has been despatched under the command OF
Commander S. f. Dupont, to join this squadron.
The African squadron is composed of the frgate
Macedonian, Captain Mayo, the sloop Saratoga Com
mander Tattnall, the soop Decatur, Commander Abb
bott, and the brig Porpoise, Lieutenant Stellwagen
the whole under the command of Commodore Mat
thew G. Perry. The brig Consort is fitting out
at Boston as store ship for this squadron
! The cruising ground of the squadron extends from
the Madeira and Canary Islands, TO The Blight of BIZ
ARA, and from the coast of Africa to the thrtieh de-
gree Of west longitude
The following vessels have been employed on spe-
cial or detached service:
, The brig Trnxton, Lieut. Upshur, sailed from Nor
folk in June last for Constantinople, to bring home
} the remains Of the late Commodore David Porter
She is daily expected to arrive in the United States
; The brig Oregon, Lieutenant (now Commaader)
Powell, which had been employed survey of the
! Gulf Of Mexico, between Apalachicola Bay and the
Mississippi river under resolution Of Congress da-
ted the 20th July, 1910, arrived at Norfolk the 9th
July last the season being too far advanced to permit
l further continuance of operations. The steamer
Ponsett, also engaged in this survey, renamed out,
81, II, baa, a.. ID
, Semmes
The schooner Flirt, Lieut. J. A. Davis, made trip
, to Chagres IN April with mail for the Pacific
squadron; returned to Norfolk in July and has
g since been despatched to Galveston Texas.
The schooner Phoenix, Lieut.. Sinclair, has also
e been employed as despatch vessel, and has re-
Gently returned FROM Chagres.
. The brig Lawrence, built at Baltimore by contract
u has been fitted out and placed under the command OF
II Commander W. ii. Gardner, and has lust departed
e from Norfolk a cruise to the Wiudward Islands
{ The sloop Marion Commander w. Nj. Armstrong
returned from cruise in the West Indies in May last
!. and is ready for sea at Boston.
1 The small steamer Engineer has had new boiler
put IN her and is now used tender TO the receiving
e ship at Norfolk.
e The vessels employed receiving ships the
: nsylvsnia, Captain Zanz niger, at Norfolk; the
: Ohio, Captain Hunter, at Boston, the North Caro-
Iina Captain Dulany, at New York the Experiment,
: Commander Varnum, at Philadel phia, and the On
ka-hy-e, Commander knight, at Charleston, s. c.
] he Ontario lately used as receiving ship al New
Orleans, and the Wave, at Baltimore, have been laid
up for the present at Norfolk.
Two war-steamers with submerged propeers
: have been launched during the year-the Union and
the Princeton. The Union is constructed upon the
, plan Of Lieut. Hunter, with submerged horizontal
wheels upon the sides. The trial OF this vessel was
, considered quite satisfactory 10 the Department
The boilers, however, having been somewhat faulty
ones are 10 be substituted when it is doubt
ed by the ingenious inventor that high rate of speed
will be secured. Lieut.. Hunters official reports are
II appended, also the letter Of the Department on a
: trial of this vessel.
II The Princeton, with Ericsons propellcrs a vessel
OF most beautiful model, both for appearance and eff
cheney, constructed under the immediate drec ion
IS and supervision of Captain r. F. Stockton has made
Z highly successful experimental cruise, under biz
. command, 10 and about New York the official re-
" port OF which IS hereto appended
J Should these experiments, on further trial, eQua
: the expectations now confidently entertained Of them
q new era will commence in steam navigation, anc
o particularly in the use Of war-steamers Vessel
% that can move al the pleasure OF their commander
against wind tide, and whose machinery is beneath
i the reach Of enem,'s fire, will be able easily e
overcome and destroy any waryessels Of the ordina
/ ry structure.
e Improvements Of some magnitude and much u,lit,
have been made the past year in the Navy Yards a
y Portsmouth, n. H., Charlestown and Gosport ant
others are proposed in the different yards the ensun
Is year, for all the details Of which refer you TO tn
appended report Of the Chief of the Bureau Of Nav
&c Yards and Docks.
For the service or the next year the employment
the following force is proposed:
For the Home Squadron, three frigass, six sloops
- two steamers and Eve brigs and schooners makfn
y IN all sixteen vessels. For the Mediterranean thre
y frgates, four sloops, brig and one s,ore-ship
- nine vessels. For the coast of Africa, four sloops
" two brgs or schooners and store sbpseven YES
sells. For the coast of Brazil, two frigaies tire,
z sloops ono brig and one store-ship-seven vessels
q For the Pacific three frgates four sloops two brig
% or schooners and one store-ship-ten vessels Fo
the East Indies, two igates, two soo,s one brig ant
one store-ship-six vessels. For the Lakes on.
&c steamer For special service the M,ssssip
4 pr Princeton and Union, and the small iron stea me
now building at the Navy Yard, w sshngton.
This increased force TO be called for aforc
adequate protection TO national interests embarked
in our increased and growing commerce on the disan