Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-01
pIrRILC DOCUMENTS.
Renort Of the secretary Of the Navy.

Sir Since The last annual report, no nava
force has been maintained in The Mediterranean
Under the earnes, request Of the Spanish authors
lies The depu, at Port Mahon has been broker
up, and measures taken 10 remove 'ne STORES ale
withdraw The officers in charge OF them. II !
nrooosei IN The coming year 10 send suitable
force toihat station.
Alter exchanging with the proper officers tht
ratifcations ot the treaty between the U. State:
and China, in December a> Commodore biddic
with The Columbus and Vincennes, the ships un
der his command has visited vaIous impoltan
points in the China seas. In The monih VI May
or June, he sail,d for J pan, and expected u ex
tend his cruise 10 kamschaIka
There is no reason 10 doubt that he will rem
der The valuable service 10 be expected from an
officer of his experience and judgment, by ma
king our county, its resources, and lis ifiendiy
disposition towards The people inhabIting these
remote regions, more iavorably known. de has
probably returned 10 Macao about ms iine, ano
in the month of January or February, the Co
lumbus and Vincennes will commence theiI
cruse homewaId, ny way OF the North PACING
ON the 9Th of January last, orders were sem
from this department TO Commodore bidde, u
proceed with the Columbus 10 the northwest coast
OF America, and assume the command OF The ma
val forces OF The United States on that sialion-
No acknowledging OF The order has been re,
ce;ved and the is no reason 10 doubt that he had
leIt MACAO pclUtt " tCGIHsu i""N E...~~'
he will promptly obey il on lis reaching iiini.
Commodore Skinner was relieved in The com
mand OF The squadron on the coast u AFRICA III
the month OF June last, by Commodore Read
Opr naval forces on that station have been ac-
lively and successfully employed IN me humane
duty of suppressing The slave trade. Inc quad
ron consists OF the frga,e United States, a.; soop
Marion, 16; briss Dolphin and Boxer, ~ each;
and storeship Southampton, 6suns.
The indicious measures adop'ed have secured
10 The officers and men an extraordinary degree
OF health in that inhospable climate. i'senec's
are however SO injurious that Inc cruises ia's
have not been, and ought not 10 DC, 50 ionS w
that as on other stations The prizes captured
and condemned will contribute some 'housahuS
of dollars 10 the navy pension fund.-
On the Brazil station, The squadron under Com
modore Rousseau has been reduced BY the return
ot The frigae Raritan, Captain Gregory and Of
The sloop Plymouth, Commander Henry and the
detachment OF the sloop Saratoga, Commander
ShubIick, Tor the Pacific. The trisaie Columbia
and brig Bainbridge remain on The station; and
although this force small it has secured protec-
ton 10 American commerce within the limits o..
lis operations
The frigale Constitution, Captain Percival, has
returned the United States, having made voy-
age around the world. The special duty assign
ed 10 Captain Perciva has been satisfactorily per-
formed.
In the Pacific ocean The naval forces OF the
United States, under command OF Commodore
John D. Sloat consisted, on the first OF July last.
of the trigate Savannah, sloops Portsmouth, Lee
want, Warren and Cyane, schooner Shark, and
store-shp Erie.
They have been reinforced BY the friga;e Con.
sress the sloops Saratoga, Dale and Preble, amt
The razee Independence the sloop Levant is on
her return home, and authority has been given 10
send home the Savannah and Warren, the time
for which the crews of these vessels enlisted hav-
ing expired Commodore w. B'antord Shubrick
went out in the Independence 10 relieve Commo'
dore Sloat, under orders issued IN August last.
In confidential Instructions dated on The oath Of
June, 1915, The Secretary Of The Navy called Com
modore Soat's 'at,enton particularly 10 The pre-
sent aspect OF the relations between this country
and Mexico II is the earnest desire Of the Pre-
sideni to pursue the policy of peace. and he Is
anxious that YOU and every part OF your squadron
should be assiduously careful 10 avoid any act OF
aggression. Should Mexico, however, be Ieso-
lulely bent on host,ies, you will De mindful 10
protect the persons and interests Of citizens OF The
United States near your station; and should you
ascertain beyond doubt, that The Mexican Go
yernmen, has declared war against us, you will
al once empiov he forces GGcer your command 10
the les: Advantage The great distance 81 your
souadroa and the .idicuity Of communicating
with you, is the cause OF issuing his o.der." IN
officer who vas lhas ins;-ucIed, oJ>ef;el The line
oil conGGct prescribed 10 h'm win >ucn ineih-
gence eni i.eiily, nat 10 Complain has ever beea
mace OF anv 1caGiaorZa . aggression on aiS part.
On the 7lh OF June, is.6, a; Mazatlan, Com
modore SloaI received satisfactory information,
through Mexico, ma; the Mexican troops, SIX
or seven thousand strong, had, by order OF The
Mexican government, invaded the territory OF the
United States north Of the Rio Grande, and had
attacked the forces under General Taylor, and
that The squadron OF the United States were block
aiding the ports OF Mexico on The Gulf. He pro-
perly considered "ihese hos,iities as jus!lying
his commencing offensive operations on The west
COAST and, on the Slh OF June, sailed in The fri
gate Savannah "for the coast OF California, 10
carry ont the orders Of the department on the 10Th
of June, 1915. He arrived at Monterey on the
ID of July, and on the 7th demanded surrender
of The place. This was evaded, and an adequate
force landed from the squadron took possession
of the town and raised the flag OF The United
States without opposition or bloodshed. On the
9th, Commander Montgomery, OF he sloop Ports
mouth, under the Commodore's orders, with like
success took possession OF Francisco and tha.
part OF The country, in the name OF the United
States On the 18th, he sent Pnrser Faunteroy
with detachment as far as the Mission OIL 81
Johns, to hoist the f,g OF the United States, and
10 recover cannon and munitions which had been
buried by The enemy. On his arrival ne found
that the place had been captured an hour or Two
preyious y by Lieut.. Colonel Fremont, OF the
United States army, with whom he returned to
Monterey on the l9ih.
On the 18Th OF July, the frigate Congress ar
rived at Monterey, and Commodore Stockton re-
ported 10 Commodore Sloat Tor duty as part oil
his squadron On The 23i he was ordered 10 he
command on shore, and on the 18th, Commndore
Soat found his intirm health So enieeoed oy ms
arduous duties, that he determined 10 avail him.
4 i'll hal la., uit / ~
in his discretion, 10 assign The command 10 Com
modore Stockton, and sailed Tor Panama on hi,
return home After encounterng much peril
and hardship, this gallant and meritorous officer
arrived al the seat OF government early IN NO.
vember last.
On The 25th of July, the Cyane, Captain Mer-
vine, sailed from Monterey, with Lieut.. Col.
Fremont and small volunteer force on board,
for San Diego 10 intercept the retreat OF the
Mexican General Castro A few days alter,
Commodore Stockton sailed in The Congress iri'
gate Tor San Pedro, and with detachment from
his squadron oil three hundred and sixty men,
marched 10 the enemy's camp. II was found
that the camp was broken up, and The Mexicans,
under Gov Pico ana Gen. Castro had reirealed
so precipilately tina, Lieut.. Col. Fremon, was
disappointed in intercepins him. On The 18th,
Com Stockton was joined by this gallant officer,
and marched distance OF thirty miles from The
sed, duu ehteteu, ""hpu' oPros'iuu", ~ ~
de Los Angeles, the capital Of the CALIFORNIA;.
And on the 22d Of August, The flag OF The Uni
ted States was flying at every commanding pc
sion and California was in the undispu,ed mi
lilary possession OF the United States.
The conduct Of the officers and men Of the
squadron in these important operations, has been
characterized by activity, courage and steady
discipline, and entities them 10 the thanks OF the
department Efficient aid was rendered by Lieu
tenant Colonel Fremont and the volunteers I'M
der his command. In his hands, Com. Stockton
informs the department, he will leave the militia
nv government, when he shall leave California
in The further execution Of his orders.
In the novel situation in which both the COM
manders of our naval forces have been placed,
without instructions TO regulate them in the de-
tail OF their conduct, they have adopted measures
to preserve social order and maintain onr au-
,hority, and to withhold from the enemy any