The New York herald., 1851-12-03

slaeriy IN performsuce are 0 the very of the
shp Asd her company om disaster at sea q ws = the
hoaor Of hsr dag Again, ths unlawful violence and
BY the terror Of punishment ct see q veil e On sAos
But public shp carrying no supsrnuous men, the
vice VICE cannot Without injury psrs nom daily duty those
their punishment by imprisonment that we're the
appropriate punishn emit y nothing the
good double duty and The msniai service Of xst
ing on offenders, while thus Imprisoned
10 s
become mole serious unless speedily rsmeded When
sels arrive In pert after cruise it found impossible to
the men on board until proper muster exercise at
quarters and inspection have taken place which are the
means adopted to ASCERTAIN whether officers have done
condition And Independently OF numerous cases Of de-
lnquences overlooked disposed Of BY discharge
nosbe dshonorabe there have been nearly one hun.
dred trials Of enlisted by courts martial since the
passage OF the law In question These details exhi
Sitsd not to oontIsysns the policy Of the Legislature
tion Of whipping cannot be eectualy tried until Con-
gress shall prescribe substitute Whether this shall
beard Of oce above refer to- providing that courts
martial may be ordered BY each officer in command of
graduating punshments Is therein stated as Wen ss
holding out or By other and approved
method referred to the determination Of Congress-
The buildings Of the Naval Academy at Annapolis are
In the course OF completion under the appropriations
made at the last session Of Congress soop
Prebe has been attached to the Academy practice
ship for instruction In practical sesmsnship After the
examination in june the pupils Of the institution were
northern boundary and thence touching at the prin
cipal ports Of the United States between Portland
and the Capes Virginia. returned the latter part of
| September On revision of the regulations, II was
determined to make important change in the
plan of education heretofore approved This consists in
requiring continued course Of study Of four years Of
the Academy without going to except that the
tiOn Of three months in each year spent cruise in
Acadeny three st sea and then two more 4 the
academy ciss. Of nfty .ctng midshipmen was admit
which the system win apply It Is new believed.
that for all the purposes Of naval sduoson the Academy
West Point and under the sfaoent command Of the
present Superintendent Commander Stribng Il hoped
of board Of examiners appointed according to rssuIs
tons to superntend the examination Of candidates
promotion and the general state of the Academy in oc
tober last, is herewith transmitted.
With great Difference to the opinion Of Congress.
again suggest, that it Is highly elpedisnt proper
st args by the President analogy TO the regulation
respecting cadets in the Military Academy, over and
above those spportoned among the Congressional dis
The Naval Observatory and aphcai Office have
been In active and vigorous operation during the year
second volume OF astronomical observations has been
. The Wind and Current Charts planned by Lieutenant
Maury the Superintendent Of the Observatory pro-
being extended to the Pacific and Indian oceans This
work Is viewed with great interest and satisaction BY
the safe and speedy navigation Of tho ocean Il has
materially shortened the passage along the highways by
which our commerce into and through the south
ern hemisphere, bringing the ports Of those distant
parts Of the world, some ten days and several
raj weeks to than before. letter from the
this Communication states the important fact that YES
se sailing from the Atlantic to the Pacific ports Of the
United States with the instructions afforded BY these
charts make the voyage in forty days less upon the
average than those sailing without them and that there
reason to hope the time may be stl further reduced
The expedition for astronomical observations at Ssut
de Chill appears from the reports Of Lieutenant Gil
LIS to have been actively conducted and will probably
The nautical almanac under the superintendence of
Lieut. Davis also in satisfactory state of progress
and the first publication Of the may be expected 70
be made in the course Of the next fiscal year.
The commission appointed to examine copdensers for
supplying the boilers u marine engine With fresh water
letter the % s IRON the
promised in this communication at early day.
The further experiments Of Professor Page the ap-
phcation OF electro. magnetism a motive power In
chanics will be found in his report which 10 subjoued
The last experiments Of Professor Espy meteorolog
made and his expectations respect to the completion
OF his labors are set forth in his letter which
his annual report dated December1 ls49 the contract
OF Mr Robert l.. Stevens, for building war ateamer TO
be shot and shell proof which he considered to have been
abandoned by the contractor and longer obligatory
the department uness roarmed by islaon Act
irg on this decision directed certain materials this
the government to be sold But at the request Of Mr.
Stevens supep ded the order until he should have fur.
Congress and i therefore commend.S to o' essy eon
derstion
The line Of mail steamers between New York and Ii
vepool continues to be highly successful In the speed Of
it voyages across the and the Postmaster Gene
raj has notified this de partment that he deemed expe
dent to incee the service Of this line to twenty six
trips In the year instead Of twentyin other words TO
one trip every fortnight at increase Of pay pro
upon the present compensation. The subject will be
BY him presented TO the consideration Of Congress.
The number Of steamers this line, at this time is
four only; hfth being stipulated for in the contract
last session Of Congress to that eject the oc.r, o, the
Navy who had acted watch officers this line have
been withdrawn nom with the consent Of the coutrAc
tors.
Since the last annual report from this department
two steamers the Ohio and the illinois, have been in
speced and received the line New York and
Chasres The mail service this line Is performed
gularly In three steamers built and completed accord
Ing to contract, and fourth which accepted for
temporary service the contract requiring Ave.
The Pacific Mail Steamship Company owning the line |
between Panama and san Francisco and Astoria have
Gate making six in all and have fulasd their contract
In the number Of vessels and the performance
70 ,he date Of the last According :. the
conjunction with the Postmaster General entered In
to new contract with this company for semi monthly,
centum per upon the old rate OF compensa-
ton and also allowed for sent monthly
the directions Of the said act the latter subject being
left open for further consideration upon the production
OF turtner ev1eence by the contractors.
I append the reports Of the several heads Of bu-
resux Of this Department, and Of the commandment
Of the Marine Corps, exhibiting the estimates for
the support Of the Navy and Marine Corps, for the
yesr ending the Goth Of June, 1883, together
With an aggregate statement O: the appropIis.
tons required for al objects under the control Of this
Department presenting aggregate Of ss5te,6e3 0s,
from which deduct specsl objects 22o So leaving
for the support fthe navy and marine corps IS sb62
1e The amount estimated for this object last year
50 e2l Thesu estimated for spessl objects last year
81 2los8e aud viii be that there
In the present estimate and above that SUM- Of
s473240 CO. which 10 occasoned By the addition o. pay
for increased service TO the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
papy directed BY the act of the last session 81 Congress
the completion Of Il dry dock In California and
buildings machinery To these mu,t be added such
amounts may be appropriated for pier OF basin 70
be appended 10 The dock In California and navy yard
that STATEN II Congress shall In the recon-
mendaton for that object
avail myself OF this connection to repeat the
msndson contained In my last annual report that the