Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-07

character and eapabaiiy Of the dock, basin and
| railway.
In the third section Of the naval appropriation
act passed al the last session OF Congress, il was
provided SHAT athe grounds and appurenalces
| hereunio belonging, known as the Memphis Navy
| Yard, in Shelby county, Tennessee, be and the
same is hereby ceded 10 the Mayor and Aldermen
| ofthe city OF Memphis for the use aud benefit Of
said city audthat the Secretary Of the Navy order
the commandant Of said nayy-yaTd NJ Memphis 10
surrender TO the Mayor Of Memphis said property
In pursuance Of that provision Of law, addressed
! a communication to the Mayor ofthe city Of Mem
| phis, 10 ascertain the views the Mayor and AL
| dermen as to the acceptance OF the donation. On
receiving from them aceriifed copy of their pro-
ceedngs, expressing their readiness 10 receive the
| properly, an order was issued to the commandant
Of the Navy-Yard at Memphis to surrender the
| grounds and appurtenances 10 the Mayor The
order was obeyed, aud in due form the surrender
was made and the propertyis now in the posses
sion and under the control Of the corporate au-
thorlies Of Memphis. II is perhaps proper that
should state that there were sundry articles of
| property belonging 10 the government used in
connection with that yard, the sale of which the
Department has for the present suspended at the
request oi'the Mayor aud Aldermen, on their com
municating 10 The Department that they had re-
solved 10 appeal TO Congress 70 re-establish the
Navy-Yard.
The ground and appurenaaces, however, have,
in pursuance Of the law, been Internationally
surrendered, and the yard abandoned by The gov
eminent.
The Naval Academy has during the past year
continued TO present to the country practical evil
dence TO the wisdom and foresight Of its PROTECTOR
Under the vigilant superintendance Of Comman-
der Goldsborough and his worthy assistants. the
| strictest discipline has been enforced, 10 the
| marked benefit of this institution. F4. sss
The plan Of education is now thorough, and
the training of the youth admirable. The cruise
in the Practice Ship is Of unreasonable advan-
tage in imparting al an early age practical know
ledge Of seamanship. During the last summer
the Preble, with 81 young midshipmen, visited
Portsmouth and Plymouth in England, and Brest
and Cherbourg in France thereby afording them
an opportunity of examining The naval establish
mems at those points The contract has been
| made for the erection Of a machine-shop al An
napolis, under the of Congress authorizing il,
and shall avail myself of the first opportunity
when the service will permit, 10 substitute
steamer for the sloop now asedas practice ship
The number of students now al the Academy is
one hundred and sixty. Attention is called 10 the
report Of the Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
and photography, and the annual report of the
Board of Examiners, as. also that Of the comman-
der of the practice ship - 44fea III
The Naval Observatory is still entitled 10 gen
erous support, and eminently demonstrates the
utility Of its original establishment
The achievements on sea quietly and gradually
effected by Lieutenant Maury, although not at
cling the beholder with sudden flashes Of triumph,
have reflected honor upon himself and his coun-
try; have brought remote nations in comparative
proximity 10 each other; have promoted COM
merce, by pointing out to the mariner new paths
on the great deep, where favorable winds and
currents lend friendly aid. His !" Wind and Cur
rent Charts" and " Sailing Directions are saving
millions of money, by shortening the voyages OF
merchant vessels freighted with treasures.
am officially informed, that il was stated in q
anarr kaln fha lcoo Ioo
that il was estimated in India that set OF wind
and current charts for the Indian ocean, like those
that have been constructed at this Office for the
Atlantic ocean, would produce an annual saving
10 British commerce in those seas alone of not less
than $l,000000, (f250000) and for British com
merce in all seas Of $40 100000 year This esti-
mate was based on the condition OF shortening the
voyage only ons-tenth. whereas the average length
Of the passage 10 all places beyond the Equator
has been shortened much more J and the estimate
was again repeated at the last meeting Of the As
sociation in Liverpool" Il has also been estma-
ted that the value of these charts 10 the commerce
and navigation of the United States is equivalent
IN the saving OF time 10 several millions year.
trust these considerations may prevent all OBJ
lection 10 the comparatively small expenre an
nually called for 10 sustain this establishment.
The Department is advised that Mr.. Robert l..
Stevens, of New York, is now rapidly progress
sing in the construclion of the iron war steamer.
TO be shot and shell proof, for harbor defence in
accordance with his contract, under the acts OF
Congress Of 1912 and 1852 In his communica
ton Of the 26th ofzOctober, NE informs me that
the boilers viii be ready 10 put on board in about
three weeks, and the shafts beams cranhs and
links, are nearly finished and turned" and thai he
has nearly five hundred men engaged on the work.
IL 10 very desirable that this vessel should be COM
peted, large sums having already been expended
be Congress upon IL. II the undertaking is snc-
cessful, and the contractor aceompshes what he
promises, the benefits deriyable from il for harboe
defence ncalcuabe. sah
Great dificulty having been experienced An pro-
curing American waterrotted hemp special
agents have been appointed IN the districts of
country IN which il was most likely 10 be attained.
The instructions for It's inspection and receipt
offer every Endorsement 70 encourage ifs prepara-
uon. The supply OF hemp has been principally
drawn from Russia and the present state OF affairs
IN Europe demonstrates the Importance Of our not
being dependent on other countries for our sup
plies ofthis necessary article. eisa ~ n
The estimates for The support OF er1t 1871
the Navy and Marine corps for l1 %
the year ending June 30, 1856,
and for all objects coming under N
the control Of this Department .ffa ~ =
are, in the aggregate. ..,,...... sl6,o4I,e3I 81
From which deduct special objects ~ a.lfg
including transportation Of the
mail in ''esmsS'ps. .......... 7,ao4,s5 %
--
Leaves for the suppou ofthe NAVY "a 4Ni q
and Marine Corps.......>.... 6,ei7,297 81
The estimate for the pgesen, fiscal = ~ as
h year for the support OF The Navy
and Marine Corps was. ........ ss,35I,i7l 10
.=---=.=s
The total amount drawn from the .4 -
treasury during the fiscal wear .fe
/ ending June 30, 1854, as exhib-
tied BY the statement Of appro-
priaiions for the naval service
prepared by the Second Comp
troller Of The Treasury, wac. ali. 7s0o3s ~
From which deduct repaymenis.. sls 3oi o.
Gives as the total expenditure for
all objects under the control Of
the Navy Departmeni......... IosOl ,S45 %
hut OF this amount there was ex-
pended for special objects the
sum or. ........,.......,.... aelo,or2 %
Leaving as the legitimate expen-
ditures for the support OF The
Navy and Marine corps for the
hscal year ending June 30,
iooa'' '..,..,'.,.......,.-.. esq, $50 90
rHrrt e..#.t.fl00 @=sn~=-=s=
There are, however, outsianding claim. 10 h.
ouf nf he