The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-04

~ hssr h,yy nor 10 withstand oAnnanaAing
But as long as warfare at unlike that co land psf.
an sne@y when found aoa on the ocean. they e.a al
WAYS be employed with great advantage under hgh a.
nainents against the commerce Of an adversary With
speed 10 ovefake merchant vessel and al the same time
eude The pursuit OF cruiser, they must prove most
formidable means OF annoyance 10 merchantmen
The operations al the National Observatory and Hydro
graphical Office continue 10 be conducted IN manner
highly satisfactory and are adding much 10 the sioes Of
knowledge and the facilities Of ocean navganon ny
virtue OF the authority contained an the ac OF ConSs-s
approved March 3, ls49. have recently APPOINTED 40
in the city of London 10 make sale OF COPIES Oh TIE
charts prepared at the photographed ON fof the mes
cost OF printing them with the charges OF uanspoiA
ton and reasonable commission, so as 10 dhuse ths
information afforded by them to nautical persons gene
The astronomical expedition, under Lieut. Cilliss, TO
Santiago de Chilli with view toa new determinauoa OF
the distance of the earth from the sun, BY OBSERVATIONS
carried on at the same time there and here and other sci
entc objects. has prosecuted iis abors successfully ana
has been sgnay favored by the Gillian government and
people as Is manifest from the haeriDg mention oil u 10
The recent message Of the President TO the Congress o
that country, and from ms applying ana plocu y "
attached TO it number Of their young men as students
The preparations for the publication Of an American
Nautical Almanac, by Lieut. Davis. under the direction
Of The are an advanced state OF progress
II will appear in letter appended from him that he has
solicited and engaged the abors of scientific persons IN
various parts of the United States assistant compuers
and there is every reason hope that when this work
shall be completed il will not only be highly valuable 10
naygators but will be worthy OF the scientific character
81 the country.
The experiments OF Professor Page in testing the APP
plication Of electro magnetism as motive power m me-
chancs have been continued since my report made IN
compliance with resolution OF The Senate IN September
last by virtue OF the appropriation OF March 3 s49, and
he is now engaged in preparation for ual-rp OF To-
connective on railroad propelled BY this mower. !,
The meteorological observations OF Professor Espey,
which are still in progress under the appropriation made
at the last session of Congress- will be detailed in his re
port 10 be presented TO Congress
Wa nf artmo rs in on anil
ration OF ordnance and ordnance stores OF all kinds al
the yard in Washn gton, have been conducted IN
manner highly satisfactory 10 the department; and in
consideration Of the great importance OF this particular
duty 10 the effectiveness oil our naval armament every
where and the labor and responsibility OF the officer
charged With it, / with Difference recommend that his
compensation be male equal TO mat Of commander al
STA 4 .#e v.
board of naval officers has been convened, agreeaby
TO your Tor advice and information the
question of rank between officers oil the military and
civil branches of the naval and the relative rank
of officers of the army and navy when acting together,
on which the opinion of the President requested by
resolution of the House Of Representatives at the last
session. and their report will be laid before you as soon
as received.
have been engaged the examination OF Pacific coast
with reference 10 harbors, forbcailons lighthouses,
navy yards, and DOCKS expected to finish Its work IN
the present month"; and return to the scat OF government
The selection OF site Tor nayy-yaTd and dock on that
has deferred until the reception OF the report
OF the board and personal conference with the officers
BIZ virtue OF the authority conferred on the head Of this
department in the act of Congress- approved September
%, 1861 TO purchase American walerrotted hemp in
open market for the of the navy provided the price
shall not exceed that of " the foreign article Tor the last
FIVE years. the hemp agents at Louisville and St Louis
have been instructed make inquiries and receive pro-
posas as to the price of the article but sufficient
formation has yet been received ousy purchases oil the
quantity required
Of this department. and OF the commandant OF the marine
corps presenting estimates Tor the fiscal year ending the
30h OF June, 1852 together with an aggregate statement
of the appropriations required for all objects under the
supervision OF this department the sum total Of which
From this should be dcduc,ed the estimates for
Transportation OF the mail, Improvement of
navy.y ards, Nautical Almanac, &c. 2,2l0,9S0
To show the amount proposed for the support
of the naval service, including the Marine
corps for the year IS, 900 62l
The above aggregate it will be perceived, is less by
for the present year To however, must be added the
amount which may be required Tor the floating dry dock.
BASIN and railway the OF the Pacific, OF which
estimate will be supplied so soon as contract shall
be made and the price Of the whole work agreed upon
take the liberty to suggest that the appropriations for
the annual support OF the navy should be separated
from those for liked and permanent objects on Shore and
especially from those for extraordinary objects
der the supervision OF the department, which, however
important subjects OF public interest. not neces
sarily connected with it. H. in analogy TO the bills for
the erection Of Notifications, and for the support OF the
Military Academy, as related the army, distinct bills
prepared for navy yards and docks, and the Naval
Academy, and for the mail steam service, and other OBJ
lecis OF the class above mentioned, IL would contribute
TO better understanding OF the matters involved, per-
haps to greater economy under each Of these various
heads and would relieve the navy from the charge OF ex
travagant expenditures.
The total amount drawn from the treasury during the
fiscal year ending June 30. $780, shown by the state
ment OF appropriations for the naval service prepared by
The Second Comptroller OF the Treasury is 30 SOS 81
From which deduct repayments 1,79e,9l3 81
And there is leftthe sum Of 7,sei,s9l @.
the expenditures all objects under the control of this
department OF this amount there expended for spe
cal objects the OF 81 i69 H. leaving az the true
expenditures for the support OF the navy and marine corps
the sum oil 81. 523, 722 50.
The unexpended balance in the treasury Of the sppro.
praons for the naval services marine corps and special
objects under the control OF hs department the 30h
OF June 1850, 81 $50 253 ST. all Of which will be
required TO meet outstanding obligations due from the
appropriations made for that year. T.#.
commend the attention OF Congress the reforms in.
troiuced in the supply Of provisions by the efficient Che
OF that bureau and his suggesonsas 10 others which
can only be effected by legislation; likewise to the
made by the Chief VI the Bureau OF Medicine
and Surgery that the number OF effective medical officers
the service i. insufficient for its wants, and his
e1daon that those unified for duty shall be retired and
their places supplied by new appointments also
in HIS recommendation that the OF $500 ,000pau OF
the navy hospital fundbe invested in stocks. pro-
lection against loss and toinsure regular income
The augmentation of the marine corps, proposed in
the report OF its Chief, deserves likewise the early
Of ships war; is believed that the number Of lands
night bs r.duced and Of rank nd 6e of