The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-01-12
National affairs.
Reports Of the Secretaries.

Live are indebted to The Baltl-
more Clipper for the following condensed
statements of the Reports from the sew
eral Departments at Washington:
j. G. Dobbin, is long document present
ing the duties performed by the sq,iadrons,
and his views Of the present condition Of the
Service &c.
The Home Squadron, commanded by Com
modore Paulding, consists of the frigate
Potomac, the sloops Cvanc and Saratoga, and
at st. Thomas. Nointeligence has been had
of the long missing sloop Albany, which has
been given up as lost.
The Brazil Squadron consists Of the frigatc
Savannah, Commodore Saltcr; the sl,pp
Germantown and the brig Bainbrilge. The
Secretary remarks that these vessels have
been cruising between Rio de Janeiro and
Montcvidco; but, as there has been no es-
pccal necessity for squadron there during
the past twenty years. they have doing moth
ing but cruise. 80
The African Squadron, Commodore Crabbe,
consists Of the sloops.of, war Jamestown,
Dale, st. Louis. and the brig Dolphin The
can Squadron, has been condemned as un-
seaworthy. The slave trade south of the
Equator has been broken up.
The Mediterranean squadron, Commodore
Breeze, consists of the tligate Congress, the
steamer Saranac, the soop Constellation, and
the store ship Supply. Nothing has been
done in the Mediterranean.
The East India Squadron Com Abbot,
consists Of the sloop Macedonian, the steam
or Powhattan. the sloop Nandaia, and the
store ship j. p. Kennedy. The civil war in
China has afforded some employment for our
vessels in the East. The Secretary recon-
mcnds sending one or two steamers of light
drift to navigate the Chinese rivers. The
steamer San Jacnto sailed from New York
IN October to relieve the Macedonian, whose
time abroad has expired. The survey of
Be!rlns's Straits and the North Pacific, UNI
der command of Commodore Rogers. has
been carried on with satisfactory results
The account of this expedition is the most
interesting part Of the Message.
The Pacific Squadron, Com. Mervine, is
composed of the frlgatc Independence, the
slooPs st. Mary and John Adams, and Deca-
tur, and the steamer Massachusetts,, the sloop
arrcn, and the ship FrcdonIa.
marks that he has carried their report into
execution. 2Ol officers were found incapable
of performing promptly and efficiently all
Their duty; Of these II were reserved on leave
or absence pay, 81 on furlough pay, and 10
were stricken from the rolls. The vacancies
have been filled hy regular promotion III the
order drank or seniority. The report rcclteS
the history of this reform, urges its necessity,
defends the proceedings Of the board, which
he pronounceS impartial, though thcie may
be rcconsdcrcd, and suggests that years
pay be allowed to those who are cut oft from
And lncrcasr of the Navy is strongly recon-
mended. 1t Is too feeble to contend with
other respectable nations, or even TO com
mhnd the waters Of our own coast. lie
thinks 1t is not now better prepared for an
emergency than 1t was in 1872.
Inc aggregate tonnage of the U. 5. in 1872
was ,2t9.99I tons. For the year ending
June 80. 1893, 1t was 5.@l2,O00 1905, and
our sea coast is now greatly increased in ex-
tent and the damage which might he effect
ed by respectable enemy in six months
would greatly exceed the cost of Navy suf-
icient 10 protect our commerce ctllcicntly.-
~ l"'S''N'' w ''i HiI'e"'e VI VIZ -Na'S tit
Secretary regards as one Of peace rather than
Of war.
The Apprentice system is enlarged upon
and commended as furnishing a reliable body
OF sea-mcn, and he recommends that the De-
partm'nt be allowed TO employ 10000 sea-
men instead Of l,5OO-the present allowance.
The results of the Arctic Expeditions I'M
der hanc and liartstcnc are commended to
the patronage OF Government.
The estimated expenses of the Department
for the ensuing year are $l3,524, sos 81,
which Is less, by nearly 50 OO0,O 900, than the
estimates OF The last fiscal year.
WAR DEPARTMENT.-Thc Report of the
Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, is quite
long. 1t states that the authorized strength
of the Army is Il ,SG7 men, and the actual
strength 1852. The recruiting service is
expected to overcome the disparity in a few
months The cnisments last year number
cd lO,54G. but upwards of 10000 offered
themselves and were refused, in consequence
of their minority or unftness. lie speaks of
the discharge of minors as a growing evil,
and recommends that the contract be binding
Whenever deception has been employed, &c.
The troops retain the same general distrihu-
ton, and four additional regiments have been
organized.
Intercourse with the Florida Scminoles has
been prohibited, and efforts are making to re-
move them.