The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-12-05

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The Board OF commissioners, to whom me mai
,gement Of the affairs of the Military Asylum ere
lied BY ihe.act of 3D. March last was entrusted,
nave selected a sire for the establishment OF an
Asylum in the vicinity OF tins clty, M.cn nas peeh
approved by me, subject to the production OF sat
sfactory title.
hbt the condition Of the public service under the
supervision Of that Department. Our naval toice
a6oat during the present year has been actively |
and use fully employed in giving protection TO our
widely extended and increasing commerce and m |
,erests in the various quarters of the globe. and our
flag has every where afforded the security and re-
ceived the respec,nspired by the justice and iber-
atty 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 Artic Seas. returned TO New York in the month
of October, after having undergone great peril and
suffering from an unknown and dangerous naviea-
ton and the rgors OF a northern climate, without
any satisfactory information of the objects OF their
search but with nsw contributions 10 science and
navigation rom the unireqnented polar re.
gions The officers and men of the expedi
ton, having been all volunteers for this
service, and having so conducted it as to meet
the entire appreciation of the Government, it is
sugge sted, act of grace and generosity, mat
The allowance Of extra pay and emolnments
be extended to them that were made to- The officers
dtun of the South Seas.
| earnestly recommend to your attention the ne
cessity of recognizing the Naval Establishment,
apportioning and fixing the number OF officers in
each grade, providing some mode of promotion to
the higher grades of the navy, having reference to
the merit and capacity, rather than seniority or
date of entry into the service, and for retiring from
the effective list upon reduced pay those who may
be incompetent to the performance of active duty.
As measure of economy well as of efficiency
in this of the service, the provision last men
toned is efninenty worthy Of your consideration.
The determination of the questions of relative rank
between the sea officers and civil officers of the
navy, and between officers of the army and navy,
in the various grades Of each, will also merit your
attention. The failure to provide any substitute,
when corporal punishment was abolished for Of
fences in the navy, has occasoned the converting Of
numerous courts martial upon the arrival OF vessels
in bort, and is believed to have had injurious
effect upon the discipline and efficiency OF the SER
| vice. 70 moderate punishment from one grade to
another is among the humane reforms of the age
but to abolish Of severity, which applied so
generally to offences on ship-board and provide
nothing in its stead, is to suppose a progress
Of Improvement in every individual among sea-
men which is not assumed by the Legislature
in respect to any class Of men. 1t is hoped
that Congress, in the ample opportunity at
| forded by the present session, will thorough
| ly investigate this important subject, and es-
tablish such modes Of determining guilt. and such
gradatons of punishment consistent with
humanity and the personal rights of individuals
and at the same time shall ensure the most emerge
tic 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
which ten years in process Of construction, ha:
been SO far finished as to be surrendered up to the
| authorities of the yard. The dry dock al Phiade[
phia is reported as completed and is expected soor
be tested and delivered over to the agents OF the
| Government. That at Portsmouth, N H., is also
nearly ready for delivery; and contract has been
last session for floating sectional dock on the bay
of San Francisco. ! invite your attention to the
| recommendation of the Department touching the
establishment of 9 navy yard in conjunction witt
| this dock on the Pacific. Such station ID highly
| necessary to the convenience and effectiveness
our fleet in that ocean, which must be expected Il
increase with the growth of commerce, and the "a
pid extension of whale fisheries over It's waite rs
/ The Naval Academy at Annapolis, under re-
| vised and improved system of regulations, now at
fords opportunities of education and instruction tt
the pupils quite equal, it is believed, for profession
al improvement, to those enjoyed by the cadets ii
the Military Academy. A large class of acting
| midshipmen was received at the commencement o
the last academic term, and practice ship ha
been attached to the institution, to afford The am
pest means for regular instruction in seamanship
we'll as for cruises during the vacations of thre
or four months in each year. a.
| The advantages of science in nautical affair
have rarely been strikingly illustrated than
the fact stated in the report OF the Navy Depart
| ment, thet, by means OF the wind and curren
charts, projected and prepared by Lieutenant Mau
ry, the Superintendent Of the Naval Observatory
the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific port
of our country has been shortened by about fort
days.
The estimates for the support of the Navy an
Marine Corps the ensuing fiscal year vii be foun
| tn ho he astim FIR he chr
year beng S5,900,62l.
The estimates for special objects under the con
troll of this Department amount to 81, 6S4, 900 So
against $2,2l0,9 $50 for the present year, the in
crease being occasioned by the additional mail ser
vice on the Pacific coast and the construction of tn
dock in California, au thorzed at the last session
Congress, and some slight additions under the hea
Of improvements and repairs in navy yards, build
ings and machinery.
l deem it Of much Importance to a just economy
and a correct understanding of naval expenditures
that there should be an entire separation Of the ar
preparations for the support of the naval seryic
} proper from those for permanent improvement
navy yards and stations, and from ocean steam ma
service, and other special objects assigned to til
| supervision Of this Department.
The report of the Postmaster General herewit
communicated, presents an interesting view of til
t progress, operations and condition OF his Depar
( | ment.
At the close Of the last fiscal year. the length
mail routes within the United States was 1876, 90
miles the annual transportation thereon, So, 272
] 1852 miles; and the annual cost of such transpor
! alton $342l,754.
| The length of the foreign mail routes is estm,
ted at $40 miles, and the annual transportatio
thereon ut 615, 206 miles. The annual cost of tn
service is 81 ,472, 1877 Of which $44S, 937 is pa
by the Post Office Department, and 81, O23,250
. paid through the Navy Department.
The annual transportation Wtthtn the Unite
, States Excluding the service in California and
egon, which is now, for the first time, reports
and embraced in the tabular statements of the ID
partmenU exceeds that OF the precedingyear 6, l6e
| s55 miles, at an increased cost Of $547, TO-
$ The whole number Of post-offices in the Unit,
States, on the Both day Of June last, was 1877
There were 1,69S postoffices established, and 2.
n discontinued, during the year.
The OF The Department Tor the fiscal yes
including appropriations for the ranked matter Of Co
Rress. Of The Departments epd officers OF Government.
Bh s%ounsa -
paid under award Of the Auditor in pursuance Of
Mississippi rivers in 1884 and 1885, and the amount paid
the Bnh posstee Tor foreign posase. collected ior al
q rsyenne over The proper expenditures Of the
The receipts fer hostages during the year Excluding
foreign possges collected for and payable the British Pc
oic) amounted to q. "a being incIssse OF $50
oS or IL Do oo per cent over the for the p
The reduction of postage, under the Act of March La
FISCAL year. The accounts FIR the first quarter, under
operation Of the reduced rates. will not be settled before
present be made. Ii believed, however. Il
ey VIII al ar short oil those OF the last The
urher appropriation from the aid of the
nues OF the Department, required Tor the current rs
S Se ss s
ceip Of the hs two quarters OF the fiscal are fully