Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-12-17
WIN. A. ALExASDEa, Secretary.
REpoRr or THE sECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.
The Secretary of the Navy 10 bringing 10 the notice oil
the President Congress the subjects worthy their atten-
on reminds them that many valuable suggestions OF MS
vet not acted have lost OF their inter-
The distribution of the navy into six squadons has still
becn adhered TO- of cruise remains al tlrec
wears excep on the of Africa, where II has been nm.
tied to to The term however is subject TO an occasional
proongaIion when the public interest requires II.
The East India squadron has hcen lately reorganzed ana
placed under command OF Commodore PERRY and MS force
will consist the lncofbattc ship Vermont To DC tco'y
,boui the Isl OF March ncx tie steam gac Mississippi
MS fl ship 10 followed by the steamrgae Powhatan,
detailed il. place Of the Princcton whose machinery mas
been found imperfect Tie corvette Macedonian the so"r
Of war EandaIa and the STEAMER Allegheny VIII con!"'
he reminder of this force The 5orcships Supply anu
Southampton are also attached TO the East india SQUADRON
The Pacific squadron will be put under r"nha VI o'p
DULASY -, ,h ,o,r,,rd
of Comaodoo IavaLErTE. Tic Secretary suggests that
the has when the necessity vi coblhuihS 'hs
squadron may be considered
On the of Brazil Captain SALTER will in the spring
relieve cInmadorc MckEEvER.
The Mediterranean squadron IN command OF Commodore
STRISGlAM will probably hereafter be- reinforced BY either
Princeton Saranac. This squadron has been consrc
uousy agcd ami the zeal with which has peE!cr
its duty is commended
The Home SQUADRON under command of Commodore
EwroN consists al the flag ship, the i!igate Columbia, the
steamers Saramac and Fulton, and the soops-o Albany
Hni Cyane.
The Secretary aGvcrts the expedition for the purpose Of
establishing relations o amy and commerce with the em
survey The China seas, Northern Pacific and Bthng
straits He anticipates important results from both these
expeditions The la ter Is placed under the command Of
Commander RSadoLo, distinguished for his paricp1tons
in arfnsr expeditions and The soop.o Vncennes the
propeller John Hancock and the brig Popoise have been de-
tailed Tor tire purpose
With i view OF contributing 10 the rlfmcnt Of tho high
expectations which the country has formed OF the navy The
Secrcta has also foot other expeditions from
which good is anticipated. These the African
retitiom under Commander LYNCH and The expedition for
PURPOSE IF rxporin. the river La Plata and its ,rioGa
RIGS. whe will be placed under the command Of Lieutenant
PAGE
In coaucxoa with these The Secretary refers the
n:n of Lieutenant HERSpoS. 10 whom was consigned in
commune ion with Passed Miishipman (now Leutenant)
GlBBoS exploration Of the valley Of The rive: Amazon
and lis tributaries Lieutenant HERSpoS has collected val
liable statistics in relation 10 the country and report OF his
journey IS in OF preparation. Lieutenant GiD5oS has
YET rived bat when the facts gathered in
his rout: VA! also be submitted
TIE rrccS Of l.ieutenans LEE and BERRyMAS in as
certanug the position of dangerous rocks between the Uni
ted States and Europe noticed
The expedition in search OF Sir JoHS FRASKLIS about 10
be organized under the auspices OF Messs RISEELL and
PEABODY will furnish occasion for valuable scientific obser
vaton and the Secretary thinks he has done no more than
justice meritorous officer in accedng TO The request OF
LADY FRASKLIS, by permitting DR.. KANE TO accompany
the expedition II additional should be necessary for
his scientific researches the subject is commended TO the al
tenlion Of Congress.
OF the Naval Academy at Annapolis the Secretary gives
his views length. As the number oil those who
can be admitted the school under the present system
necessarily small and the school is liable 10 o.he
proposes fundamental change in its struc
tue and recommends that the academy should be composed
exclusively of cadets young who received
candidates for admission the navy BY the arrangement
which he proposes Congress would be called to nominate
fifty candidates every and the President hVe be-
sides the appointment vacancies arising of failure
preliminary examinations. Various other SUGGESTIONS
in this connection, offered in regard 10 The classification
of midshpmen, passed mdshpmen, and masters and the
establishment of photographed corps. The yearly gra-
duates OF the academy will according 10 this SYSTEM be