Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-17
Report of the Secretary of the Navy

Report of the Secretary of the Navy.
The Home Squadron, commanded by
Captain Paulding, consists of the frigate
Potomac, the sloops Cyane and Saratoga
and the steamer Fulton. The Columbia
was last at St. Thomas No intelligence
has been had of the long missing sloop Al
bany, which has been given up as lost.
The Brazil Squadron consists of the frig-
ate Savannah, Captain Salter: the sloop
Germantown, and the brig cambridge: the
Secretary remarks that these vessels have
been 'industriously' cruising between Rio
de Janeiro and Montevideo: but as there
has been no special necessity for squad
ron there during the past twenty years,
they have done nothing but cruise
The African squadron, under the com
mand of Captain Crabbe, consists of the
sloops- of-war jamestown, Dale, st. Louis.
and brig Dolphin The sloop Marion, re-
Gently attached to the African squadron,
has been condemned as unscaworthy. The
slave trade south of the Equator has been
broken up.
The Mediterranean squadron, command
ed by Captain Breeze, consists of the frig-
ate Congress, the steamer Saranac, the
sloop Constellation, and the storcship Sup
ply. Nothing has been done in the Medi
tcrranean.
The East India squadron, under the
command Of Captain Abbot, consists of the
sloop Macedonian, the steamer Powhattan,
the sloop Vandalia and the s!oreship j. =
Kennedy. The civil war in China has af-
forded some employment for our vessels in
the East The Secretary recommends
sending one or two steamers Of light draft
to navigate the Chinese rivers. The steam
CT San Jacinto sailed from New York in
October to relieve the Macedonian, whose
time out has expired The survey OF
Behring's Straits and the North Pacific,
under command of Commodore Rogers,
has been carried on with satisfactory re-
suits. The account Of this expedition is
the most interesting part Of the report;
The Pacific Squadron is composed of
the frigate independence. the sloops S..
Mary, John Adams and Decatur, and the
steamer Massachusetts,, the sloop Warren,
and the ship FreAonia. The squadron is
under the command of Captain Merviae
The Michigan steamer has been usefllly
employed in the upper lakes.
Like all his predecessors, the Secretary
earnestly recommends an increase of The
Navy, and particularly an addition ofstcam-
ships Of IA light draft OF water. \ great
naval force, the Secretary hints, cannot be
improvised by the tap OF the drum, like a
great army. He considers our navy too
diminutive to contend with that of any re-
spectacle power, and too feeble to protect
even our own harbors. The aggregate
tonnage of the United States, in 1879, was
,249, 997 tons. For the year ending June
30, 1855, it was 5,212, 600 1895, and one
sea coast Is now greatly increased in ex-
tent, and the damage which might be eff
fecied bya respectable enemy in six months
would greatly exceed the cost of IA navy
sufficient to protect our commerce Efficient
ly. The question of an increase of the ma
Wy the Secretary regards as one of peace
rather than of war.
The Secretary enlarges at great length
upon the apprenticeship system, which he
has adopted as means of furnishing a re-
liable body of seamen for the navy, and
gives the testimony of officers in its favor
The old aristocratic plan, which has result
ed in the state Of affairs which rendered
the action of the Navy Retiring Board nee
essary, is to be continued, and the Secre-
tary adopts the old plan (Which has work
ed SO badly of educating men to be COM
mon sailors, without the hope or prospect
of lettering their condition by good behav-
Tor.
The estimated expenses of the Depart
ment for the ensuing year. is S13, 524, sos
81, which is less by nearly 5000, 900, than
the estimates of the last fiscal year