New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-05

with bis flagship Independence ana the steamer
Mississippi, visited Lisbon IN the month OF June
and received or board our Charge d Afalreg. on
the occasion of bis retirement from that court
and conveyed him to Naples. This squadron has
been actively engaged in visiting hevarious ports
OF the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the ArchI-
pelago, and has III aintained discipline and etflcl-
ency highly commendable.
The squadron on the coast Of Africa, pnder the
command of Commodore Gregory, embraces his
flagship, the sloopotw war Portsmouth Comman-
der PECK the sloop.ot-war John Adams, COnman.
der Powell, the soop war Dale, Commander
Pearson, the brig Porpoise, Lieut.. Lardner and
the brig Perry, Lieut.. Foote. Orders were Issued
for the return of the sloop-of-war Yorktown, Com
mander Marston, lately attached to this squadron,
but before their receipt she was wrecked on
coral reef on the northern extremity OF the Island
of MAYO, one of the Cape de Eerdes. All the
officers and crew were saved and have been sent
! home in the sloop John Adams; they arrived al
Norfolk on TIE eth inst. the vessel is total loss
Under the vigilance and energy oil the ohcers oil
this force the slave traffic has been broken up on
the west coast of Africa, but it still prevails on
the south coast in vessels bearing the Tag OF the
United States, in spite OF the efforts OF our crul9
ers which have been from time to time dlsPatcnsu
from the squadron to suppress It, w itnu 'ae
present month brig called the Chatsworth cap
tured as prize On the latter coast by Lieut.
I Foote in the brig Perry for being concerned IN
the slave trade, has arrived IN the port oil bitl-
more for trial. r..
Occasional instances have occurred of the in
reference of British cruisers with vessels bearing
our fac on that coast, upon suspicion OF their BE-
ing slavers: but in each the otfense has been
I atoDed for by explanations and apologies to cur
officers on that station, and the reports thereof
/ have been transmitted from this Department TO
/ the Department OF State
j The squadron in the East India and China seas,
/ lately under the command OF Commodore Geisln-
ger, who returned home in the sloop ST Mary's.
/ in June last, was transferred to the command OF
! Commodore Voorhees, and consists OF the soop'
of war Plymouth Commander Gedney, and the
brig Dolphin, Lieut.. Commanding Page, having
| been recently detached from this service on tne
expiration OF their cruise, are now on their pas.
sage to the United States. In the month OF
! February last the Commander of this squadron
took on board Of his flag ship, the sloopof.war
Plymouth, at Macao, Mr. Baliestie who hadbeen
appointed a Commercial Agent of the United
States, and carried him to Cochin China and other
parts Of Eastern Asia with view to the exten-
sion of our commercial relations among those dis.
tant and peculiar nations.
1t is a source ofhighgratification that wherever
| our flag has been displayed by national vessel,
it has received the respect due to the national
character, and that our interests and commerce in
every sea have been secure and prosperous under
! it's protection
Under the Joint resolution of Congress, approx.
ed Nav 3 1850, " authorizing the President TO ac-
cept and attach to the navy two vessels olTeredby
! Henry Grinnell, Esq. OF Newly ork, to be sent to
the Arctic seas in search of the British Com
mander. Sir John Franklin, and his companions
whose uncertain and melancholy situation has en-
listed the sympathies OF the friends OF science
md 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 ere" oil
officers and men, noby volunteered for that ser
vice The command Of one Of these vessels was
assigned to Past Mdshipman S. P. Griffin, Lieut..
De Haven commanding the other in person, and
having the 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,
bad advanced to the 18th degree ofnorth latitude,
and about the 50th degree Of west longitude, gal
antly contending with the icebergs of that region,
and as vet not without hope of success in their
humane but perilous enterprise.
In the active service ahoat of the officers OF the
Navy it is proper to enumerate their labors on
the Coast Survey & work which, although COM
mittcd to the direction of the Treasury Depart
ment, is in the most important part OF Its opera
tons essentially performed by them. During the
last year nine parties, eight in the Atlantic and
one in the Pacific, each in charge of a Lieutenant
in the Navy accompanied by acompetent force Of
midshipmen as assistants, have been actively Gu
gagged in this survey. Whether, in consideration
of the work. and the large agency in it's execu-
ton deyoived ON the Navy, it would not be more
appropriate and inst, well as economical, TO
assign it wholly to this branch of TIE service, IS
worthy the attentive consideration OF the Le8sla-
ture.
Having presented hasty review Of the SER
vice of our various squadrons during the past year,
and designing to suggest some general considera
tions upon tie naval policy required by the pre-
sent interests Of the country, deem 1t neediui to
full comprehension of the subject, very briefly to
review our present Naval Establishment.
The vessels of the Navy of the United States
consist OF ships of the line razee, - frigates,
n sloops of war 4 briggs, schoOners, steam Tn
gates, 8 steamers of the first class 3 steamers
less than first class, storesbips.
OF these there are in commission, ! razee, b
frigates, Is sloops of war, briggs, schooners'
Coast Survey . steam frigates, steamer OF the
first class steamers less than first class ships
ofthe-line, as receiving ships l steamer do,
sloop do.
There are also on the stocks and in progress of
construction, but the work thereon now suspended,
four ships of the line and two trigates.
To the foregoing may be added a contingent ma
val force Of vessels owned by individuals, but
built by contract with the Government and en-
ployed in the transportation OF the mall and la
bic in any emergency to be taken at valuation
and converted into vessels of war, namely Four
steamers of the first class employed on the line
| between Newly ork and Liverpool. tlth is
contracted for, but not yet constructed. Ohe
steamer of the first class between eW- I ork ahd
Panama. A second steamer on this line has been
brought into use, but has not been finished SO as
to undergo inspection and be received. The con
tract on this line as on that to Liverpool provides
for five steamships.
To supply the demands of the service in the
construction, equipment, and repair OF vessels OF
oil descriptions navy yards are established at.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire ?. Charlesto"n
Massachusetts 3 Brooklyn, New York A. Phil
adelphia; 5. Washington; g. Norfolk; T. Pen
sacola; g. Memphis.
Permanent stone docks have been many years
since erected at the yards in Charestown, Norfolk
and third is nearly completed in that at Brook
Ign. Floating balance docks with stone basins
and railways are expected to be completed tor
use at Portsmouth and Pensacola In the course OF
the ensuing year, and floating sectional dock,
also with stone basin and railway, at Philadel-
pbia within the same period. Ii these three docks
shall realize the expectations Of the Government
L.