Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-31
p,-RIIC DOCUMENTS.
-, Of the secretary of the Navy.

NV DEPARTMENT, Dec. 6, lS4I
D. ,be ac, OF Congress of June IL, !o4f,
elE' " S,,ablishment was adopted, authorizing
'asr s,ormept in the navy OF seven thousand
emp rS;si ne;,y officers, seamen, landsmeh anu
n"I d. The act of Angus, 10, 1916, was III,
,,,o in thousand, with direction .na., ""
a S~M o! The existing war win nneA,Io,
ev ,m,sr should be reduced to seven !hous%"u
h s"mS,ed During the past year, MS NO. oe,
.I n' ,%a, more Than eight thousand men hafS
VI" .''a n, one lime in service. The honor Vi
aas the safety and efficiency Of SnPS y, " ,bs
tnire that they shall moi 60 10 sea WnnoS s,;ns
fws allowed by we'll disesied resu'a'''"S "Ae
kif respective complemenis. t., n.v., ser.
|Tbs d,fficully of eDlstmenis lot .'e
:, cau,ed mainly by the exiraofu'hdl! GO Go.
re mercantile marine, the hish fa'e VI
The conseGuen, increase OF seaiiieh
DELAYED the consrmmatloa Of coh'einpI"eu
Engagements for the employment OF ciu'>e's w
I3ral stations, and the increase Oh ou' n"'"'
~, IN the Gu!; and en- the RACINE
! In N. month of April last, orders were sem 70
mmoio.e Read 10 detach a sioop from 'ne az
:, ,onalron, and send her 10 The Meoheita-
II, In obedience 10 this order, The Mai
mmandcr Simonds, reached Gibraltar m July;
|, ,eamer Princeton, Commander Ens'e' saieo
n Philadelphia in June, for that sea; IN Au-
: The revenue cutter fancy, LisuienanI--com.
,T5ips c. G. Hunter, temporarily Transferred
ne Treasury Department, sailed from New
i. with The same destinations; and mere IS no
~, that Commodore Read, in the frisate Unileo
=, has. in obedience TO his orders, assumed
> Command Of the naval force in The MediletIa-
an ,,,;
The measures for the collection in The Medi-
,nsan sea of this force, Tor the protection oI
commerce, were fastened 81 intelligence re-
t,,.i early in June, that an American vessel,
q the Carmelila, had been seized on the
1 :, seas and carried into Barcelona, b. vessel
e.the Unico, claiming 10 cruise under Mex
n authority. The alleged prize was promptly
,a,et by the Spanish authorities, and the cap
3, imprisoned Tor liial.
/ The aucmp; of The Mexican government, by IS
he o. letters OF marque 10 persons mol o'na eae
zsns with authority 10 cruise IN vessels Inc
pery Of foreigners against our commerce, and
j, 10 legaize piracy, has not found favor or
,nmandcd succo IS in any quarter. Ii am happy
stale that, with The single exception of The Car
5rlila have received the most satisfactory re-
(ns from our naval commanders in every quar-
OF The globe tina, our commerce has not been
kles,e,!; ami there is no reason 10 apprehcnc
IL interruption of its successful prosecution oy
aucup,ed measures Of Mexico-measuIes IN
'-sisent with The spirit OF The age, resorled 10
means Of revenue, with certain result OF
! loN atrocities i! favored, and which deserve,
hey have received, the reproballon Oh Inc
|;aed world. The activity OF the vessels sent
| he Mediterranean has removed all apprehen-
%. even in that sea; and the most complete sue
k, has attended the measures OF pIecaution
ach were adopied. 1t gives me great satIslac-
= 10 state that the honorable fidelity win when
balm has executed her treaty stipulalions win
has sisnally disappointed Inc lawleSs persons
thin her dominions, who may have been dis.
sed 10 accept the tempting offers OF Mexico.
During the past year, The squadron On INC
has, Of Africa, under command OF Conmo
re Read, has been actively and snccessiveiy
|nployed in the humane duty OF Suppressins 'he
|ave-lrade Ii is not known that vessel WIN
rcrican papers has escaped SEIZURE where
terc was just reason 10 suspect that She was
gagged or intended for employment in The VIC
|lion OF our laws or the dishonor oil our nag.
In The month OF September Commodore Boil
|n sailed from Norfolk in the sloop jamestown,
relieve Commodore Read in The command Of
j. squadron On that station. The necessity OF
Fniing the Marion and the United States 10 The
faiiirrranean. nnd the re.nrn al tho hr.9 n.J-
fvn, Commander Pope, 10 The United States, has
fiaced the squadron below the loFce which The
ks.ed States engaged BY the treaty OF Wash
(ston 10 main'ain on that station. But prepa-
tlOns are in progress, and near completion, 10
b2pIv the deficiency.
Il is contemplated b. the department. As per-
IN q cpnoIrpn
BE- Mediterranean sea, principally with the ships
hich shall have served potion OF the usua!
kIiOd OF cruise on the African station. BY
Els transfer it is hoped tina, our officers and men
II no, be required TO remain in the inhospita-
|. climate of the coast longer than one year in
.ruSe.
No selection of permanent depot has been
babe in The Mediterranean since We were re-
med 10 withdraw our stores from Mahon.-
Ior the present, the squadrons will be supplied
means o, sioreships from the u. States.
10 The month Of June, the ship Ohio Captain
bingham, sailed from New York for Rio de
aneIo. She carried as passengers Mr.. Tod, the
|liaisicr TO Brazil, and his Secretary OF Lega-
~, with their families, and arrived there in
august.
The Ohio, on her way TO form part Of The
fac'iic squadron, had orders 10 remain at Rio un-
ae !J,h OF November, when she was directed
EOceed 10 her station. On her arrival al Rio,
4 en-. Rousseau transferred temporarily, the com
sat OF The station 10 Capt. Strinsham, and re-
Ftsi 10 The United STA eS in the ifisate Colum.
a, with Mr.. Wise, his family, and secretary Of
cation, as passengers. Com. StoTer sailed in
+ Itisaie Brandywine in the month OF Sepem-
! lor Rio, to relieve Capt SIrnsham, and as.
lne The duties of the command which Com
tu>seau had honorably discharged, and Of which
vas relieved al his own request.
The brig Banbrdse, Lieut.. Comd'g William.
., has returned home and is undergoing repairs
| immediate service. The squadron on the
All Of Brazil consists of the irisa;e Brandywine
2: brig Perry. The steamer Allegheny, Leu;.
FCnts w. w. Hunter, will proceed 10 that sta
ID 80 soon as she can be fitted Tor sea. The
'stnce Of steamer on that station is peculiar
| important, under existing circumstances
American whale.ships on their homeward v0y.
e nave long been in the habit of entering GER
Pa ports OF Brazil, and exchanging portions OF
~ u ca'SoeS Tor necessary supplies. BY the laws
o'aZ'i. THESE poHs are rot open for the entry
OUT vessels and notice has recently been Civ.
/ mai !hese laws will be risidly enforced Such
course will be seriously injurious 10 our CON-
Eace, unless timely warning can be given 10
y who may no, otherwise be informed of the
Essence OF the law until they have incurred its
taal'es. The Allegheny will be sent oul 10 per.
qlhs service.
aiihe date of my las, annual report, the SQUAD.
On The coast of China consisted OF The Gu
I4bus, Captain Wyman, and the Vincennes,
f''an Pauldins, un.er The command OF Com
zoe Biddle. In he month of July, 1916. he
[Na Jeddo bay with both ships, and invited
t.fable consideration on the part of the Japan.
+ government OF our desire Tor friendly com
F'elai intercourse. Notwithstanding The pru-
Faes and discretion with which he made The |
'iure he could not prevail on the government,
Flax the system by which Japan is closed 10
siade of the Christian world, with the excep.
"a Of the limited privilege acceded to The
4ca, to send one or two small vessels annually
.In Batavia 10 Naeai>aki. Our squadron was
,fea with kindness and lis wants supplied, bu,
me was permitted 10 land; and to The offer of
WY intercourse, The Interchangeable answer
'as-'Go away, and 90 not come back anv
'!e' Although Japan has not We, opened her
,.s 10 our en'erprisins coun,rymen. The rapid
n ,'n oil trade with China, with its manifest
ssaa'ases. can hardly tail 10 exert favorable
s : WIN The Japanese, and We, add hers to
! ports OF distant nations in which American
nv s Iay SaieIy enter, and American enter
~ r.. nno liberal and profitable traffic.
ana, 'I ,a rom ihis department. of the 9Th Of
NIL 1916, did not reach Commodore BiddIe
), NJ arrived al Lima on the 3ist Of Deem.
.nn,n, mac me; The Independence, bearing the
% nr, VI Commodore Shubrick, AT Valparaiso,
80 proceeded IN Monterey. arriving on The ODD