The republic., 1850-12-04

TINS squadron, mas been ordered home, and may b,
expected daily. Under orders from the Depart
| ment, Commodore Morgan, with his flag ship In
dependence and the steamer Mississippi, visited
Lisbon in the month of June, and received ON boaro
our Charge dAffaircs, on The occasion OF his
ment from that court, and conveyed him TO Naples
This squadron has been actively engaged in visit
ing the various porte of the Mediterranean TIA,
Adriatic, and the Archipelago, and has main taineo
discipline and efficiency highly commendable
The squadron Oh tbs coast OF Africa, under the
command of Commodora Gregory, embraces his
flagship, the sloop of wac Portsmouth,, Comma A.
der Peck, the sl)op Of war John Adams, Comman-
der Powell, the soop-o.'war Dale, Commander
Pearson, tie brig Porpoiso, Lieutenant Lardn r
and the brig Perry, LieI enant Foote. Orders
were issued for the return of the sloop.of war
Yorktown, Commander Harston. lately attached
TO this sqi adron, bat belpre thct receipt she was
wrecked on coral reef on the northern extremity
Of the island of Mayo, one of the Cape de Yerdes
All the officers and crew were saved and have be
sent home in the sloop John Adams; they arrived
at Norfolk on the 9th Instant the vessel is tota
loss Under the vigilence and energy of the officers
OF this force the slave traffic has been broken up
the west coast of Africa but it still prevails the
south coast, in vessels bearing the flag Of the Uni
ted States, in spite of the efforts of our rusers
which have been from time to time despatch ID
from the squadron to suppress 1t. Within the pre-
sent month brig, called the Chatsworlh, captured
as prize on the latter coast by Lieutenant Foote
in the brig Perry, for being concerned III the
slave trade, has arrived in the port of Baltimore
for trial.
Occasional instances have occurred of the inter
ference OF British cruisers with vessels bearing
flag on that coast, upon suspicion of their being
slavers; but in each case the offence has been
atoned for by explanations and apologies to our
officers on that station, and the reports thereof
have been transmitted from this Depar tment to the
department of State.
The squadron in the East India and China seas,
lately under the command OF Commodore Gesin-
ger, who returned home in the sloop ST. Marys in
June last, was transferred to the command of Com
modore Voorhees,, and consists of the sloop- Of
Saratoga, Commander Walker, and the soop- Of
war Marion, Commander Glendy. The soop- Of
war Plymouth, Commander Gedney, and the brig
Dolphin Lieutenant Commanding Page, having
been recently detached from this service on the
expiration OF their cruise, their passaE &c
| to the United States. In the month of February
last the commander of this squadron took on board
Of his ship, the sloop of-war Plymouth, at
Macao, Mr.. Bailesier, who had been appointed a
commercial agent of the United States, and car
ried him to Cochin China and other parts of Eas
tern Asia, with view to the extension of our com
mercial relations among those distant and pecu-
liar nations.
1t is a source of high eradication that, wherever
our flag has been displayed by national vessel,
1t has received the respect due to the national char
acter, and that interests and commerce in
every sea have been secure and prosperous under
its protection.
Under the joint resolution of Congress approved
May 2, $780, ''authorizing the President to accept
and attach TO the navy two vessels offered by Henry
Grinnell, ESQ of New York 10 be sent TO the Arc
tic seas in search Of the British commander, Sir
John Franklin, and his companions" whose un-
certain and melancholy situation has enlisted the
sympathies of the friends Of science and nautical
adventure throughout the world, two brigantines
were received, and by order of my predecessor
were placed under the command of Lieut.. j. DE
Haven, who, with sufficient crew of officers and
men, nobly volunteered for that service. The com
mand OF one OF these vessels assigned TO Passed
Midshpman S p. Griffin, Lieutenant De Haver
I col n.
direction of the expedition. They sailed from New
York in the month OF May, and at the date of their
last report to the Department had advanced TO the
10Th degree of north latitude, and about the Goth
degree of west longitude, calamity contending
with the icebergs Of that region, and as yet not
without hope of success in their humane but peril
enterprise.
In the active service aloat of the officers Of the
navy, il is proper 10 enumerate their labors the
Coast Survey, a work which, although committed
to the direction of the Treasury Department is, in
the most important part Of it's field operations es-
sentally performed by them. During the last
year. nine parties, eight in the Atlantic and in
the Pacific, each in charge Of lieutenant IN the
navy, accompanied by competent force Of mid.
shpmen as assistants, have been actively engaged
in this survey. Whether, in consideration Of the
main objects expected to be realized in the com
pletion of the work, and the large agency in its
execution dcyolved on the navy, il would not be
more appropriate and just, az well as economical,
10 assign II wholly TO this branch Of the service, is
lature
Having presented hasty review Of the service Of
our various squadrons during the past year, and
designing TO suggest some general considerations
upon the naval policy required by the present in
terests Of the country deem il needf1l 20 a full
comprehension Of the subject, very briefly 10 re-
view our present naval establishment.
The vessels of the navy of the United States con-
sist OF ships Of the line; race u frigatcs 2l
sloops-of war brigs; 2 schooners; 8 steam fri
gates; steamers Of the lst class steamers les,
than Let class; store ships.
OF these there arc I'm commission, razec; Fri
gates; 10 soops Of war; brigs; schooncrs, (coasi
survey,) steam frigates; steamer Of the isi
class; steamers less than lst class ships the
line, receiving ships; / steamer do ; ! soop do.
There arc also on the stocks, and in progress o
construction, but the work thereon now suspended
four shipe 1.-THE line and two frigates.
To the foregoing may be added a contingent ma
val force OF vessels owned by individuals, but built
by contracts with the Governments, and employed
in the transportation Of the mail, and liable IN any
emergency 10 be taken at valuation and converted
into vessels Of war, namely: Four steamers Of The
fret class employed on the line between New lorl
and Liverpool. A fifth is contracted for, but nO
yet constructed. One steamer Of the fret class be
tween New York and Panama. second steamer
ON this line bas been brought into use, but has
not been finished so as to undergo inspection anc
be received The contract on the line, on tia
10 Liverpool, provides for five steamships
To supply the demands Of the service IN the con
struction, equipment and repair Of vessels Of all de
scrptions, navy yards are established at. Ports
Z mouth, New Hampshire; 2. Charlestown, Massa
chusotts; 3. Brooklyn, New ork; 4. Philadelphia
5. Washington; o. Norfolk; 7. Pensacola; 3. Mem
phis
Permanent stone docks have been many year,
since erected at the yards in Charlestown and Nor
folk, and third is nearly completed in that q
Brooklyn. Floating balance docks, with stone ba
sins aud railways, arc expected to be completed
for Portsmouth and Pensacola in the cours,
Of the ensuing year, and floating sectional dock
also with stone basin and railway, Mt Philadel
phia within the same period If these three dock
| shall realize the expectations OF the Government
they, with the dry dock at New York, will have
| augmented our naval facilities IN this rcspec
threefold within the next twelve mOnths, and vii
have provided all the accommodation of that kline
which may be required on the waters OF the Allan
tic and the Gulf OF Mexico for many years TO come
The navy yard at Washington carries on highly
in. portsnt manufactory of ordnance and ordnance
storcs, of anchors chain cables, steam engines
and other fabrics OF iron, and preparations arc IL
progress TO erect there machinery ior rolling cop
per, an establishment long wanted, as well on th'
score Of economy rs 20 furnish better quality o
rolled copper for sheathing vessels than can be OBJ
tained in market. The yard at Memphis j. being
Immediately prepared for the manufacture Of cord
age and other supplies of hempcn material for ma
val uscs, and its operations may be enlarged will
the Necessities Of the service. have regretted e
learn that there has been lOss in the expcndi
ture there in consequence of the difficulty of Oh