The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-12-10
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE NAVY
Navy DEPARTMENT. Dec l. IS45

had command of the Cumberland and the Ply.
mouth. lie would have despatched the Plymouth
To the Black Sea. but leave was refused by the
Ottoman port. He conducted our newly appoint
ed consul to Tangier, and lusured his reception.
Our ships in the Mediterranean have usually
been inactive at Port Mahon, during the winter ;
this can be obviated by interchange Of service
Ihe plymouth has. therefore, been directed to
D JOIN the Brazil squadron, and the Cumberland has
returned home; their places will be taken at the
opening OF the season by part of the present
African squadron.
The African squadron was organized by Com
modore Perry, by whom good sanitary regulations
were established. He was relieved by Commo
dore Skinner, In the jamestown, who has shown
equal consideration for the health of all under his
command. Yet the Preble and Truxton con
! tfacted disease. and, an act of humanity, were
ordered To return home. The Southampton has
been sent out with stores TO remain on the coast,
The Marion and Dolphin followed as a reinforce
ment. The Boxer is destined for the same sta
ton, and will sail Immediately. The Cumber-
land, bearing The broad pennant of Commodore
Read, will proceed in January to relieve the
i jamestown and Yorktown which will then repair
TO the Mediterranean.
On the Brazil station, Commodore Rousseau.
the first officer west of the Alleghanies ever Sc
I ected TO command squadron, relieves Cummo-
! dore Turner. The Raritan will then return 10
tie home squadron The Boston is ordered TO re-
| turn to the United States The Columbia. the
! Saratoga, the Plymouth and the Bainbridqe will
for the present, constitute the Brazilian squadron
Commodore Parker, after very successful
cruise, returned from the Asiatc station in Sen.
TENDER, bringing home the Brandywine. the St.
Louis, and the Perry. At the Bay of Islands.
| Captain Mckeever, in the St. Louis had the
happiness to render valuable service TO the nhabi
| ants of all infant British settlement
In May, Commodore Biddle sailed for the East
| Indies, IN command of the Columbus shin of the
| line, and the Vincennes, bearing the minister TO
| China, and the ratified treaty between the Uni
ted States and the Chinese emperor The health
OF MIR. A. IL. Everett, the minister, having in
duced his return, the exchange of the notifications
OF the treaty was committed To the CHARGE of
Commodore Blddle, who will doubtless show tina
an able and gallant naval officer conducts satisfac
torly all affairs intrusted to him.
The Constitution is on her return from Chin,
after having visited different ports and islands in
the Indian seas.
The Pacific squadron under Commodore Sloat.
has consisted of the Savannah, the Levant. the
Warren, and the Shark The three first will re.
turn in 1916, and will be relieved by the Con
gress, the Portsmouth, and the Cyane. The
difficulty OF communicating with our ships in the
Pacific makes 1t proper TO suggest the ADVANTAGE
VI puuliC mai tUiUuBU our own territory
convenient port in the Straits of Juan de Fnca-
Arrangements should also be made, at the earliest
day that is proper, for getting supplies for our
! Pacific squadron from our own soil and our own
! citizens IN that region.
The home squadron has been under the com
mand of Commodore Conner who has DISTINGUISH.
ed himself by sound judgment in the performance
OF his duty. His force, which consisted of the
Potomac, the Falmouth, the Vandalia the Law
| renee, and the Somers, was weakened by the re-
! turn of the Vandalia, which visited Hayti, and
was driven home by the yellow fever, contracted
at Port an Prince. where she had been ordered on
duty. The squadron was increased by the Prince
ton and Porpoise, the St. Mary's and the Sara
tOga, under Commodore Stockton, and soon aftsr
| by the John Adams, and the steamship Missis-
sPpi The aggregate force of Commodore Con
ner was much larger Than has usually rallied
under one American pennant. II gave efficient
protection TO our interests in the Gulf of Mexico.
and contributed TO spread sense of securitv over
our country to its extreme limit of the Del Norte
| Deemng 1t of great importance TO become ac-
| quainted with the navy yards and establishments
connected with the Navy, have, during the past
summer, visited all of them, except those At
Pensacola and Memphis They are generally in
excellent order. The principal improvements in
progress at those visited are at BROOKLYN. where
the work on the dry dock is advancing with eff
cheney and economy. The vicinity to a citv
which is the emporium of naval stores, and IS
| crowded with seamen, ship builders, and excel
lent mechanics of all kinds, gives to that Yard
great facilities for the prompt repair and eouip.
Of ships of war.
At the naval asylum in Philadelphia, more
than hundred veteran sailors are ENJOYING the
ample provision wisely reserved for the comfort
of their declining years. Yet, would earnestly
advise that the buildings, of the asylum, at their
present location, be never enlarged, but that.
after 1t is foil pensioners should be placed in
some saubriOus spot near the ocean where the
aged seaman can watch ships as they come and
go, and have old familiar objects within his SIGHT
| The charge on the navy hospital fund, which
is noticed in the communication from the burean
of medicine, was incurred in 1874, on the recon.
mendallon of the chief of that bureau, at whose
urgent suggestion, houses for the governor and
surgeon for the asylum were authorized to be-
erected. The expenditures have been circnm-
scrbed ; and the recommendation to encroacb
still further on the fund, by erecting other dwell.
lngs at other stations, has not been comnlied
with. The fund should be sacredly reserved FIR
the immediate and personal benefit of those from
whose earnings it has accrued Nor have I
thought 1t just to continue to appropriate LARGE
| part OF the buildings at the asylum to the use Of
| the midsbiPmen who were preparing for the 90
ablished examination previous to their passing to