The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-10
THE REP UBLIC.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.
Report of the Secretary OF the Navy.

quainted with the present condition of the nava
service, and bring to your notice the several sub
Jects which have thought sXForthy of your consid
Grafton and the attention of Congress. l would
beg leave also to say that the many valuable sug
gestions for the improvement of the service, made
by my predecessors in previous reports, which ye
remain open to the deliberation and disposal O
Congress, have, in my opinion, lost nothing o
their interest," and that refer to them now as mos
appropriate subjects for commendation Of the IA Vol
of the National Legislature. If I have presented
other views on the same topics. or proposed diff
ferent method for improving the organization o.
any branch of the service, hope these will be re-
ceved as contributions to the common effort which
this Department has ever felt ii duty to make to-
wards the perfection Of our naval system; aud thai
they may be weighed in the deliberations of Con.
due to the experience of those who have heretofore
conducted the affairs OF this Department. ~.
Distribution of Squadrons.
During the year about to close the vessels
of the navy in commission have been assigned to
the various employment deemed necessary for
the Protetnon OF our commerce, according to the
system of distribution heretofore adopted, and
found most convenient to the exigencies of the
service. IT, .s, .. :
This distribution has been made in q provision
for six squadrons, each of which is required to
serve on cruise Of three years, with the excep-
ton Of that allotted to the coast Of Africa where
from consideration Of the peculiar character Of
the service, 1t 10 limited 10 two years ,.fa..3t .
The duration of the cruise ia subject only to an
occasional Prolongation, when the public interest
may render it necessary. Suitable provision is
made in the enlistments for this incident whenever
1t may occur. +. st~ G"tt 'S4@tt ri l'rIl
The six squadrons are assigned to the East In
dies; the Pacific ocean; the coast Of Africa; the
coast of Brazil; the Mediterranean; and the coast
ofthe United States In addition to these a steam.
ship is appropriated to the lakes upon our north
ern border, and few vessels are kept for detached
service. llg5a , va tsa4 w lJl''s1GE 81 E.iiII,
. The East India squadron has continued during
the past year under the command of Commodore
John II. Auck, and has consisted of the steam
frigate Susquehanna, being the flag ship of the
squadron, the sloops-o of war Portsmouth, Com
mandsr Kelly, Saratoga. Commander Walker:
the Marion, has recently returned TO the United
States, and 10 now assigned to the African squad
ron, and, being ready for sea, will very soon pro-
coed to her destination. ~ -, -
The squadron has been lately reorpanized and
placed under the command of Commodore NJ. C..
Perry; and Commodore Aulick only waits the
arrival in the East Indies of an officer to command
the Susquehanna to return TO the United States .
which he will do in advance of his ship Commo.
dore Perry's command will consist of the line. Of
battle ship Vermont, which lie now in a course OF
rapid preparation for service, and it is expected
will be ready to sail about the first ofN1arch The
Commodore himself has just sailed from the port
OF Norfolk in his flag ship, the steam friRate Mis-.
s,ssiPpi: He will be followed in few days by the
which vessel has been recently added to the SQUAD
ron in place Of tho steamer Princeton originally
detailed for it, but which, from come impcrfcctio
discovered in her machinery, after che had under.
gone a thorough repair, has been compelled to
remain in port. This imperfect I have reason
to hope, will prove to be less seriot than was al
first apprehcnded. and that she may soon be in
condition for service when she will be assigned TO
other employment. an H.1.sEaH - 4
In addition to these two ships the corvette
Macedonian. Captain Abbot; the sloop of. war
vandalla' Commander Pope, and the steamer ALI
leghany, Commander Sands, constitute the re
naming force assigned to Commodore Perry.
The two first of these, the Macedonian and the
Nandaiia, are now nearly ready for sea, and may
month OF December. The Allegheny is waiting
only for the completion of her en- gine and will be
despatched as soon as it is finished, s.-..i - ..a
The storeships supply, Lieutenant Sinclair, and
Southampton, Lieutenant Boyle, are also attached
to the squadron, and are already on their way to
their appointed stations.
The Pacific squadron. under the command of
Commodore Charles s. McCauey, has been COM
posed OF the frigate Rartan, commanded by Com.
mander Mexican, as flag ship of the squadron; the
irigate ST. Lawrence, Captain Dulany; the sloop-
ol-war 81 Mary's, Commander Magruder; Ports-
mouth, Commander Dornin; Falmouth, Com.
mander Petigrn; Vandalia, Commander Gard ncr;
and Vincennes, Commander Hudson. The Fal.
mouth, Vandalia, and Vincennes, and the two
storeships, lie xington and SOUTHAMPTON also Mt
tachcd to the squadron, have returned home
within the last two or three months The Raritap
with Commodore McCauley on bonrd ia now also
on ner homeward voyage, and may be looked for
In the course of the month of January. rs IL.
FMS squadron has been actively employed in
cruising near the Sandwich Islands, from the
Straits Of Fuoa and Puget's Sound, in Oregon, to
Panama, on the North American coast and along
the whole line Of South America on the Pacific It
has also visited the Galapagos islands and the adj
Jacent seas, whilst one more of its vessels have
been kept in constant intercourse with every port
familiar to our commerce, from California to Val.
paraso
In the new arrangement of this squadron il will
be put under the command of Capt. Dulany; and
the razee Independence, the sloops of war Fal.
mouth and st. Mary's will be despatched with no
more delay than may be necessary for their equip
ment. The storeshiP Fredonia, having performed
her service in this squadron, has lately been sent
on voyage TO California as transport of troops
and will, when released from that duty be estab.
l'shed at Valparaiso in charge of the public stores
ut that port I@I..''a -mE.
The African squadron is under the command of
Commodore Lavaette, whose flagship is The sloop-
oi.war Germantown, Commander Nicholas Be
sides this vessel, it is composed OF the soops-of
war Jonn Adams, Commander Barron, and Dale,
Commander Lordncr; and the briggs cambridge
Lieut.. Manning; and Perry, Lieut.. Page.
Commodore Lavalettc, having nearly completed
the period OF bis cruise, will return to the United
States in the Germantown as as he can be re
lieved by Commodore Mayo, who will sail in the
month OF DeceBber in the frigate Constitution
with Commander Rudd in command The Dale
will be replaced by the Marion, Commander How
ard, which is now ready to sail
The steamer Vixen will be added to this com.
mand Tor such rapid communication with the coast
and the trading points on the rivers as the duties
aeigned to the squadron constantly require.
The service on this station is arduous, and at
tended with many incidents to render it far from
being acceptable TO those employed upon it, Con-
slant vigilance and frequent intercourse with
barbarous people the coast are the least of its
dscomforts. To these added exposure to die.
ease and the irksome seclusion of long voyage,
which finds but small relief in visits TO a shore
without attraction, and always dangerous to the
stranger. The health Of our ships that station,
atm happy TO report, has in general been well.
guarded by the useful sanitary discipline which
the experience Of the service has Of late years been
able to suggest and enforce, and we have now no
longer to complain Of such ravage by the maladies
vi the climate overlook those who were in tilnes
past consigned TO this service. |a- aa-
The time has come, perhaps, when it may be
properly commended to the notice OF Congress To
inquire into the necessity Of further continuing the
regular employment OF a fquadron on this coast
The slave trade may be said to be now driven into
n comparatively narrow space on the southern
portion OF the coast, and confined to North and
south Guinea. Whilst the measures recently
adopted in Brazil encourage the hope that this in
famous ira fic will coon be abandoned altogether,
few email vessols added to the Brazilian squad