The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-04-28

only nave reached US. They are startling.
''The lives and property at stake there FIR the
years for which we have complete returns may
be thus stated:
lS49 Number of American seamen 1850
Value of ships and outfit, 81 f5J,u0)
Value ofoil taken, 2G065p
Value of bone, SHE
-ss o7o,G22
ls5lNo. of American seamen, 43lG
Value of ships and outfits, 81. 10000
Value OF oil taken, 1861 pol
Value of bone 600
--S9,3iiS3l
Total seamen, s.97o
Value of ships and cargocs Sl7Iio III
"The losses during the year 1851 have been
unprecedented, SO far heard from No less
than seven sails of this fine fleet of 1851, the
Honqua, the New Bedford, the Arabrlla the
America, the Armata, the Mary Mitchell, aad
the Henry Thompson, have been wrecked there
and lett behind as monuments, of the dang Rs
which meet these hardy mariner in their advrn-
turous calling. There are reports of other
losses and wrecks these certain; and though
several of them were lost not on shoals, but
otherwise, yet these are enough to tell Of i,n-
perfect photography, and to show the national
Importance OF looking to it; for it may be ST.
That IN case, OF inos ice, the knowledge of a
sheltered anchorage near, and which IA survey
would give, would have prevented the exposure
to the ice winch induced the loss
"Al our commerce with what is called Ct e
East is not SO valuable as this was for 1S49 and
1850
I'VE see by the above statistics that in tn Sc
two years more American seamen were engar-
ed in that small district of ocean than are en-
poyed in our whole navy, at any one time
that In these two years these hardy mr. ners
hshed up from the bottom of the sea, and by
their own energy created and added to the ma
tional wealth, the value of more than 81 hit
millions of dollars. And we moreover 5, e tha..
owing TO the dangers of the land and the ice.
the hlddenrock and unknown shoals, that one
vessel in every twenty that went therein du.ing
the summer of 1851 has been left behind total
wreck, and that the lives Of their crews or of
not less than one man for every twenty engaged
in that business, have been put in jeopardy,
mostly tor the want proper charts. NJ protvc-
tion that our squadrons can at this IA pmenr rive
to our commerce with any of the Sat IT
Chrls'endom can compare with that VIII eli a
good chart of that part of the ocean would a.
ford to this nursery or American seaman, AID
to this branch of national industry
81 learn that in latitude Ga deg. Is min y,
long. IFS deg. W., Capt Middleton, Of the
barque Tenedoz, Of New London, discovered a
shnal having only eight feet of water on It. and
Two acres IN extent. That the ship Al x, Of
Havre, was los, on rock ). of the Isl of ST.
Lawrence, ten miles from land. That til
entire fleet of wha.emen in the Arlic ocean
complain much that charts are wronr Tn,t
the coast is badl explored, but little knowncic.
Thet several of our vessels have been near bcnr
wrecked by unexpectedly making land or CHS
under the bows at nj ght. That they have foand
in the Arctic Circle low sand-spits, extenon,
five or six miles out That also IN Ocher,k sea
there are hidden dangers That the ii nqra
in 1851 was totally wrecked on sunken rock in
that sea
81 am also Informed TINT the Indians are very
friendly; that they wanted to trade that The
whalemen frequently went on shore, ect That
Capt Taylor brought specimens of ores If
metals from the Arctic shore that he ob aimed
information Of the natives of the existence of
gold among them, also iron; that when
shown implements of various kinds they gave
HIM to understand, plenty in the mountains =
Such also was the case with gold they knew
the metal, and pointed. as such existing among
them
With these facts before the Department. I
have no hesitation in expressing an opiui N ia.
vorable to the measure suggested in the rrsoirl-
ton nor IN recommending such reconno IS lnce
and survey as will establish accurately the po-
s tons OF the prominent capes, bays, hsadands,
and harbors.
To fix the positions OF the rocks and shoals
that endanger the navigation there, and to cx-
anime the Fox or Aleuton Islands Won d be The
work OF two or three properly appointed vessels
only for short time. When the seas III is clos.
ed for these latltudes the SINE vessels could b..
most beneicially employed in an examination
of the seas of China and Japan, and III regions
thereabouts, whose hydrography is de-, W.,
and an accurate knowledge of which is be-
coming every day of more and more impor-
lance
In reply to the latter clause of The resolution.
viz: 'whether any vessels belonging to the
service can be used for that purpose, and also
what would be the expense Of such rrconnoiss-
ance." respectfully state that this Depart
ment has not at its command the ssels ,
necessary for the contemplated service. unl, IS
by reducing the numbers Of our ve<s, Is attached
to squadrons, on foreign service, and VIII CHI by
10 mean recommend
| ana of opinion that the necessary YES ;eIs can
be built at our navy yards, purctla>ed for
sum not exceeding $l25,G00, and tina, no add
tional appropriation, beyond that sum. n, d be
made. The wear and tear Of the vessels. paw
of the officers aud screws, stores provisions
instruments, &c, can be provided for ont OF
current appropriations The accampruyinr
report from the Chief of the Bureau of Ord
nance and photography, and papers prepared BIZ
Commander Ringgold and Lieu,enanis Maury
and Page, are respectfully submitted as tn, ow
ing additional light upon the subject
have the honor, to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servnat,
WILL. A. GRAHAM
Hon. w. R King, President of the Senate
DRUNKENNEss.-There seems more Truth tl,an
poetry IN the subjoincd extract from report of
the New York Legislature
"The attempt to show that crime almost inva-
riably results from the use ofIntoxicatins drnk..
is not sustained by crimnl statistics ard history
of the human race. Ages before the use Offer
mented drinks, Eden was forfeited, and tie
hand of Cain was stained with a brothers
blood
"Though no one denies bnt that habits oftrm
perance conduce The happiness and prosperity
OF people. yet in thos, countries in winch th. {
P 'ope abstain entirely from in,oxca,in > drinks. q
Ell her, from OF religious duty or inability