Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1844-12-19
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY. - !.

REPORT OF THE SECRElAh1 UT liz,
NAVY. M
The Report of John Y. Mason' Secretary oEios
Navv. ia long, but methodical and interesting
I,:nsnt we give a summary OF its contents.
TSnr navy at present comprises six ships o. sne
,; one razee fourteen frigates, twenty one sloops
ne wan, sixteen brigs and schooners, lnree sure,
ships and eight steamers a1oat. IN an u'unS"su
state four ships of the line. three lriSates' one
store ship and an iron steamer at Pittsburgh, and
one at the Navy Yard at Washington
The Squadron on the Coast Of Africa, under
Com, NJ C. Perry, consists of the frigate Macedo-
nal, soops Saratoga and Decatur ana orig FasSa ,,
r. The SIuadron undsr intended changes, Will
nnr,t s3 guns 1t is stated that the operations OF
Ills ann, troo are believed to have exercised Ia
vor,5l. inau.oce in checking the slave trade The
Slave trad, il piracy nv the laws ct the unl!ed
States and it is thou .ht that II the DINER CnEis!''
nations visited the crime with the slne Pu',sh'
mAot as is inflicted on offenders IN tn's co"n's'
the trad. wpnld cease.
Ord r.w,r. rivsa to suspend enlistment, IN &C
cord,,ce with the law of June II, ISL limiting
the au,o5er OF persols employed IN me service !"
75n The Secretary thinks this will inJure Inc
nm,,;, i,ter,si II. has, therefore. made estimates
for 9))) mea Al increase of Pursers. surgeons
and Assistant Surgeons Is recommended, Inc
nroper,y OF the Department has been carefully IN
ventoried Measures have been taken to supply
the Department exclusively, with homegrown
hemp. and it is proposed to establish rope-waK
ISS
the sloops Albany and Germantown, and the steam
er at Pitsburg, to procure more supplies OF hive
oak beyond existing contracts; to rebuild the III
gate Gurrere, complete the steamer contracted lot
BY R. L. Stephens, and build brig to take the
place of the Enterprize Activity IN carry on 'he
public works is recommended =
A dry dock is to be constructed at Brooklyn, and
a Board of Officers and Engineers is examining the
harbor of Pensacola and Portsmouth. with refer
enee to the same provision. The work at BROOK
lyn progresses to his satisfaction. improvements
in the Naval Hopital are urged, and an appropra-
tion is asked. There are - insane persons be-
longing to the naval service confined In these hos
pitfalls !: their removal is urged. The law requlr-
ing gunpowder and other supplies to be procured
from the lowest bidder needs modification. The
building of depot of charts is contemplated, and
has been begun. The system OF furnishing CLOTH
ing to the sailors operates we'll >. a.. ...
The Navy Hospital fund on the first OF Noyem-
ber consisted of $3.50, 434: the number OF dSa-
bled seamen has greatly increased, and two new
houses for their accommodation have been built
The investment of the fund in the United States
stock is urged. The nava. stOrekeeperS at RIO,
Hong Kong, MahOn. Cape de Verbs, and the Sand
witch Islands, have been discontinued, and officers
are to perform the duties at $500 per annum-
The examination of Goals, iron and copper by Pro-
fessor johnson, has been suspended. Cause, want
of funds. More Clerks for the Department are so.
licted, and the division of duties by the act OF
1871? is said to have produced many good results.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
After some discussion which is of general and
philosophical character, the Secretary proceeds to
say that the regular force of the United States con-
sists Of eight regiments of infantry, two OF dra-
goons, and four Of artillery.
road has been made from Bangor to Fort Kent.
A military post has heen established at Copper
Harbor, Lake Superior. 1--WE understand the post
is not we'll chosen, as there is no arabic ground
for the 'cditivation of vegetables It is recon-
menaed to renew the buildings at Fort Gratiot and
Fort Brady, and remount the second regiment Of
Dragons. St t1sh HHfz
Two geographical divisions of the army have
been re-instated. Single iron for double wooden
bedsteads are recommended The horse artillery is
well spoken of additional recruits asked for,
and it is proposed to station them in the interior,
where forage is cheap. West Point is commended,
and committee appointed to examine into its COR
diton..
The Notifications are being prosecuted with all
possible DESPATCH having regard to the appropria-
tions Permanent works at Sellers Point below
Baltimore, are recommended for the protection of
that city. The resumption of the work upon the
Pea Patch is urged. The Secretary recommends
the purchase OF the military site Staten Island,
at the Narrows. the sale of Fort Gansevoort, and
the completion of the works al the Rip Raps.-
Enough has not been done south Of Cape Hatteras.
An Engineer has heen sent to examine the Flor
lul Reef aild the lmtuyaS lnelr IortncattOn Is
Recommended. and also, Of a post at Dauphin ISL.
and at the mouth of the Mobile bay. corps Of
SlDDers ami Miners is considered necessary, as
we'll as National Foundry, revision of the PEN
sim law Of 18th june last, a further appropriation
for the Urine Hospitals. alteration in the plan
of the General Commissariat, removal Of the
present restriction upon the Mineral lands, the
further prosecution of the public works on the
w stern rivers and lakes. and the Improvement Of
Light Houses. II. 'raPmont's report If the expe-
ditto, to the R'cky Mountains will shortly be
mad. Tie Secretary proposes the immediate or
g,1iZt 'inn Of the N,rasta territory Several good
suggestions are m,da with regard 10 the Indian ter
rory, and the erecion Of buildings fur the further
arconin,d ,tio1 Of the War Department The do.
cumsnt il judicious and excellent one.
CORRESPONDENCE ON TEXAS DoCU-
81 MENTS
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