Washington telegraph., 1852-12-22
I ask your approval. It exhibits an unusu-

I ask your approval It exhibits an unusu.
al degree of activity IN the operations OF
the department during the last year. Pre-
parations for the Japan expedition, to which
I have already alluded, the arrangements
made for the exploration and survey of the
China seas, the northern Pacific and Beh-
rings Straits, the incipient measures taken
towards reconnaissance Of the continent OF
Africa eastward of Liberia; the preparations
for an early examination Of the river La
Platte which recent decree Of the provis-
ional Chief of the Argentine confederation
has opened to navigation; all these enter
prises, and the means by which they are pro-
posed to be accomplished, have commanded
my whole appreciation, and 1 have no doubt
will be productive of most useful results
Two officers of the navy were heretofore
instructed to explore the whole extent Of
the Amazon river from the confines of Peru
70 its mouth. The return of one of them
has placed in the possession of the Govern
ment an interesting and valuable account of
the character of the resources Of the coun-
try abounding in the materials of commerce.
and which, if opened to the industry of the
world, will prove an inexhaustable fund Of
wealth. The report Of this exploration will
be communicated to you as soon as it is COM
pieted
Among other subjects offered for your
notice by the Secretary of the Navy. Sc
lect for special commentator, in view Of
the connection with the interests of the ma
Wy, the plan submitted by him for the es-
tabiishment Of "a permanent corps of seamen,
and the suggestions be has presented for a
reorganization of the Naval Academy.
In reference to the first of these, take
occasion to say l think it will greatly i'm
prove the efficiency Of the service, and that
I regard it as still more entitled to favor,
for the salutary influence it must exert upon
the naval discipline, now greatly disturbed
by the increasing spirit of insubordination,
resulting from our present system.
The plan proposed for the organization of
the seamen, furnishes a judicious substitute
for the law Of September, 1850, abolishing
corporeal punishment, and satisfactorily sus-
tains the policy of that act under conditions
well adapted to maintain that authority of
command, and the order and security Of
our ships. It is believed that any change
which proposes permanently to dispense
with this mode of punishment, should be
preceded by system of enlistment which
Shall supply the Navy with seamen Of the
most meritorious class, whose good deport-
ment and pride Of character may preclude
all occasion for resort to penalties of
harsh or degrading nature. The safety Of
ship and her crew is'often dependent upon
immediate obedience to command, and the
authority to enforce it must be equally
ready.
The arrest Of refractory seamen in such
moments not only deprives the ship of in
dispensahle aid, but imposes the necessity
for double service on others whose fidelity
to their duties may be relied upon in such
an emergency. The exposure to this in
creased and arduous labor since the passage
Of the act of 1850, has already had, to a
most observable and injurious extent, the
effect of preventing the enlistment of the
best seamen in the Navy, The plan now
suggested is designed to promote a condition
of service in which this objection will
no longer exist Thedetails of this plan
may be established in great part. if not
altogether, by the Executive, under the
authority Of existing laws; but l have
thought it proper, in accordance with the
suggestions of the Secretary of theNavy, to
submit it to your approval.
The establishment of corpse Of appren-
tees for the navy, or boys to be enlisted un-
til they becorle of age and to be employed
under such regulations as the Navy depart
ment may devise, as reported in September.
certainly approve and commend to your
consideration. | also concur in the sugges-
ton that this system for the early training
of seamen may be most usefully engrafted
upon the service Of our merchant marine.
The other portion of the report to which
I have referred reorganization of the Ma
val Academy, recommend to your atten-
as a project worthy Of your encouragement
and support The valuable services already
rendered by this institution, entities it to
the continuance of your fostering care.
Your attention is respectfully called to
the report of the Postmaster General, for the
detailed operations of his department, dur
ing the last fiscal year, from which it will
be seen that the receipts from postages for
that time, were less by 1,44l ,695 than for
the preceding fiscal year. being a decrease
of about % per cent. The diminution is
attributed to the reduction of the rates of
postage made by the act of March g. 1851
which reduction took effect at the commence
ment of the last fiscal year.
Although in its operation during the last
year the act referred to has not fulfilled the
predictions Of its friends by increasing the
correspondence of the country in proportion
to the reduction of postage, should never
tbeless question the policy of returning to
higher rates Experience warrants the ex-