Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-01-13
Report OF the Secretary of the Navy.


several stations. The force and operations in the
Mediterranean are then spoken Of including the affair
OF the Carmeita. In this connection the Secretary
speaks of prIvateerng the part of Mexico ncon-
slsent with the spirit of the age, resored to as
means OF revenue with certain result of untold atroc
cities, If favored and deserving it has received the
reprobaon Of the civilized world
The force the coast of South America the SQUAD
ron on the Coast of China, that the Pacific, the
operations IN California, the operations of the Gulf
squadron and the loss of the brig Somers near Vera
Cruz, are next severally dwelt upon with special
praise OF Com. Perry. In connection with the iOst
the assistance rendered by the British, French and
Spanish ships of war anchored near, Is spoken of In
the highest terms. The medals. which by act of Con-
gress are 10 be presented the officers and men who
rsked their lives that occasion, will be transmitted
as soon as Com. Perry shall have procured and COM
municated their names.
The Secretary urges increase In the number of
Assistant Surgeons. He also recommends allow
ance to Naval officers collecting duties in Mexican
ports of one per cent. on the collected. In the
Gulf Of Mexico between thirty and forty thousand dol
lars have been collected the amount collected in the
Pacific is known Of the vessels captured in the
Gull good many have been valued, taken into SER
vice. and their value is TO be paid prize-mCney
TO the captOrs they shall been legally
condemned by the District Court of Louisiana. Those
taken IN the Pacific have been condemned by Prize
Court there originated, but no prze-money is to be
distributed TILL the proceedings OF the Court have been
revised by the Department
The extension of our laws Oregon territory,
and the establishment Of Courts with Admiralty juris
dIction, Is recommended. The voyages of the James
town and Macedonian next spoken Of Mr.. Uriah
Browns liquid fire has been tried with the $4,000
appropriated, but his shot-proof steamship hiss not
The liquid fire is not approved Of The estimates of
the next year spoken of in the next paragraphs,
which quote
a.
from the several Bureaux of Construction Equipment
and Repair, Of Ordnance and Hydrugraphy. OF Yards
and Docks Of Provisions and Clothing, and of Medl-
cine and Surgery, with estimates IN detail tor the
several branches of the Naval service for the next s
cal year. They are based on the employment, pend
ing the war, of ten thousand men, allowed by law,
and number Of vessels in commission requiring their
services. These reports present gratifying exhibit
of the condition of the public works, and of the public
property subject the control and direction of the
Navy Department-and the estimates have been pre-
pared and revised with a careful desire TO ask for
nothing which is not necessary 10 the public interest
/ respectfully ask the favorable consideration of the
suggestions made by the experienced, able and faith
ful officers at the head of the Bureaux.
The gross amount estimated for is ten millions
three hundred and sixty-ve thousand eight hundred
and twenty-five dollars. The amount appropriated
for the current fiscal year is SlO,652, 636 10. The
estimates now presented include item of 81 ,20O,-
000 to complete the four steamers authorized by
the of the Sd of March last increase of the APP
preparation under the head of contingent enumerated,
and three hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the
prosecution of the work the dry dock at New ork.
The reasons for these appropriations are given IN the
reports, and. presume, will be satisfactory. There
other objects estimated for, requiring incOnsld
cradle expenditure, which seem to me to be necessa-
~ for the efficient discharge of the public duties de-
vOlved the Department. Of the appropriations
made for the year, tie uneXpended balances
will, without doubt, prove adequate to all the wants
of the service.
l deem it not inappropriate to the occasion, IL
ustratlng the expenditures of the Navy Department
since the of the Mexican war, TO pre-
sent comparative statement of appropriations and
expenditures for the three years, under the heads OF
the appropriation of pay, contingent. increase
and repair, 50 provisions and clothing" and sur
geons, necessaries and appliances" These may be
denominated the variable appropriations, and will
show the increase of expenditure, during the war,
that of corresponding periods In time of peace.
This comparison exhibits the following result:
aRPy9pria- sUaiLaDIe EDsnd'-
~ fsIs... SOS So 90 S5iiiS6 "a 5;s7i59 50
1871. 6,i3a,949 60 7,06,733, 45 6,4s5,416 Sc
And of the expenditure for increases and repair du
ring the past year, three hundred and fortyve thou
sand hundred and seventy-fve dollars have been
paid for fifteen vessels, storeshps, and steamers, of
suitable draft of wafer purchased and sent to the Gulf
of Mexico.
The four war steamers authorized by the Act of
March Sd. 1917, rapidly building. The models,
tonnage and machinery adopted the report of
mixed board of naval officers, constructors and
gineers The contracts for the transportation of the
mail in steamers between New York and Liverpool,
between New York and New Orleans, from Havana
TO Chagres have been made with Messrs. Collins and
SloO in compliance with the act Of Congress. The
carriage of the mail monthly from Panama to Oregon
has been assigned to the lowest bidder. The Secrea
ry says:
Astoria, In the Oregon territory, was determined
the northern terminus of the route, with right
of changing it reserved TO the Department. and the
law was construed to require mail to be transported
from point the other within thirty days. The
distance Is than three thousand miles, and the
currents known to be such To render 1t impractical
BILE to perform the required service in sail vessels. 1t
was. therefore, determined to employ steamers. The
great distance which the service is to be performed
the heavy expenses which must be incurred by the
contractors in providing, OH the Pacific coast the ne
cessary ships and materials for repair, the indspen-
sable fuel and depots for coal, induced me to adopt
the of ten years The duration of this contract,
which has been adopted by the Post Office Depart
ment for its foreign mail contracts. But TO guard
myself against the reproach of exceeding the author
ly which IL the intention of Congress to CONFER
clause is inserted in the contract TeservDg TO Con-
gress the right annu the contracts at its approach
ing session. If shall be deemed proper or expedent
TO d. so.
The contracts require the vessels to be ready for
use in October and November of the year 1913, and
the right Of pay will commence with the commence
ment Of the performance of the mail services stiPu
hted The annual compensation under the contract
will be:
To X. Collins. ..............S 1885, 10000