The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-03

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management Of the affairs of the Military Asylum
created by the act of Sd March last was entrust-
red, have selected site for the establishment of
an Aryum in the vicinity of this city, which has
been approved by me, subject to the production
Of u satisfactory title.
The report Of the Secretary of the Navy will
exhibit the condition of the public service under
the supervision of that department Our naval
force aAoat during the present year has been ac-
lively and usefully employed in giving protection
TO our wdely -extended and increasing commerce
and interests in the various quarters of the Q ODE
aud our Aag has everywhere afforded the security
and received the respect inspired by the justice
and hberaty OF our intercourse, and the dignity
and power OF the nation. ...
The expedition commanded by Lieutenant De
| Haven, despatched in search of the British com
mander, Sir John Franklin, and his companions
IN the Arctic seas, returned to New York in the
month of October, after having undergone great
peril aud suffering from an unknown and danger
Gus navigation and the rlgors of northern eli
mate, without any satisfactory Information of the
objects of their search, but with new contribu-
| tons TO science and navigation from the unfre-
auented polar regions. The officers and mem
Oers of the expedition, having been all volunteers
for this service, and having conducted il as 10
meet the entire appreciation Of the government, it
/ is suggested, as act of grace and generosity,
that the same allowances of extra pay and emolu-
ments be extended to them that were made to the
officers and men of like rating in the exploring
expedition To the South seas.
! | earnestly recommend to your attention the ne
cessty of recognizing the Naval Establishment,
tapporLoning and fixing the number OF officers IN
each grade, providing some mode of promotion to
the higher grades of the navy, having reference
to merit and capacity rather than seniority or date
of entry into the service, and for retiring from the
effective upon reduced pay those who may be
Incompetent TO tie performance Of active duty,
As measure Of economy as well as Of efficiency
tl.a ia ll,f
mentioned is emmently worthy Of your consdera-
! ton.
'Ihe determination of the questions of rela-
tive rank between the officers and civil officers
=. Of the navy, and between otlicers Of the army
and navy, in the various grades Of each, will
also merit your tenton. The failure to pro
vide any Substitute, when corporal punishment
was abolished for offences in the navy, has occa.
sloned the couVenng of numerous courts martial
upon the arrival Of vessels in port and is believed
TO have had an injurious elect upon the dlsc-
pine and efficiency Of the service To modcr
ate the punishment from oue grade TO another
5 among the humane reforms Of the age bul
to abolish one Of severity, which applied 80 gem
gerally To offences on ship. board, and provide
nothing III lis stead, is to suppose progress o.
Improvement in every individual among seamen
whlcn is not assumed by the Legislature in re
spe t to any other class OF men. IL is hoped
that Congress, III the ample opportunity afforded
by the present session, will thoroughly invest
gate this important subject, and establish such
uUdes OF determining guilt, and such gradatlons
p Of punishment as are consistent with humanity
and the personal rights Of individuals, and al
the same time shall ensure the most energetic
and efficient performance of duty and the sup
preston of crime in our ships Of war.
The stone dock in the navy yard at New
York, HhlCa vas ten years IN process OF CON
struction, has been so far finished TO be sur
,nde5ed up 10 the authorities of the yard. Tle
dry dock at Philadelphia is reported rs comPie
ted, and is expected soon 10 be tested and de
liyercd over to the agents of the government
That at Por ,smouyh, New HAMPSHIRE, is also
nearly ready for delivery; and a contract has
teen concluded, agrecaUly to the act of Con.
7 gress at It's last session. for floating sectional
} dock on the Bay Of San Francisco. invite
your attention To the recommendation of the De
partuedt touching the establishment Of "A navy
ward in cOujuI clion with this dock on the Pa
cite. Sucn station Is highly necessary 10 tnr
couI enlruce and eff ctVeueas Of oar feet in
that ocean, wnicl must be expected To incre Isr
with the Growth Of our commerce, AID the raPid
extension Of our hale fisheries over It's waters
Tie Nav,l Academy AZ Anhapolisqunder a re-
visld ard improved y-tem "t regulations, now
Z itlOrds OypurtuuIi. OF education and Iustruc
ton 10 the iupis, quite equal, IL Is beloved. ~!
pr, fessi nal tnprovement. to those enjoyed
by the cadets in the Military Academy. a
, large class @, acting mid-hrpm"n was received
Al the commencement Of The last aend 'mir
term and a prir'ic, ship has been attached Ca
the institution, Ia afford The ampIr-t means fof
regular instruction 10 scamanship, well a.
for cruises during the vac atoms OF thr e %
four months in each the year.
The advantages Of scrnce in nautCaI affairs
have rarely been more srikingly illustrated than
in the fact stated in the report of the Navy D.
pmtment, that. 10y means al the wind and car.
rent charts prof ctei aud prepared by L'eutcn-
ant Maury, the sui crintrndrnL Of the \ wat Oh
servatory, the passage from the Atlantic to the
Poetic ports of our couatry has been shortened
by about forty days.
TIE cs,imite- for the support of the Nay
and Marine Corps the ensuing fiscal year will
be found 10 be Sj.Sj6472 10, the estimates for
the current year uring $4,000 GIL.
The estimates 1or special objects under the
control Of this dep t.npnt amount TO S2.GSi.
800 50, against S22lO9so for the present
year, the increase being occasioned by the al
dtiona mail service on the Pacific coast ard
tie construction Of the dock in California, au-
thorizcd at the last session of Congress, and
some slight additions under the head of improve.
mcnts aud repairs in navy. yards, buildings and
machinery.
deem It Of much importance to just econ
omv, and corrcc, understanding OF naval ex.
pendi;urr., that there should be an entire sepa.
ration OF me appropriation. for the support Of
the naval service proper from those for perinl-
nent improvement, at navy yards and stations,
and from uccan steaU-mail service, ant other
special objects assigned to the supervision 81
this Department
The report Of the Postmaster General, here.
with communicated. presents an interestiag view
Of the progress, operation, and condition Of his
Department
i At the close of Che last f cal year, the length
of mail routes within III" United Ststes was 1876
800 mil es; the annual trInsportnti n thereon
532T2.252 miles; and the annual cost of such
transportation 80 42l.75l.
The length Of the foreign mail routes i cs'i.
mated at 1899 miles AMI the annual trans
-, s,,tiop thurman al 81 < 1DG mica Tn. .t,,.,I