Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-11
THURSDAY, DEC. IL, 1856.
Abstract of the Report of the Secretary
of the Navy.


The new steam frigAte Wabash. Capt Theo
dore Engle. the flag shilg the sloops of-wsr
I Saratoga. Commander Tilion. and Cyane, Com
rnander X. G.. RObb, from the Home Squadron
81 which is still under the command of COmmo
dore Paulding.
The Brazil squadron. Commander French
O Forrest, consists of The fig ship St. Lawrence
Capt. Hall, and sloop- of-war Germantown
- Oommander Lynch, for whose return orders
, =, were issned on the Slst of OctoLer last. The
I Falmouth will join the squadron in few
weeks. .t.t. 1FfrE-
The Mediterranean Squadron, Commodore
=. Breeze, consists of the flag ship, the frigate
Congress Capt. Craven; the soop Of war Con
stellaiion, Capt Bell; steam friga,e Susque>
hanna, Capt. Sands. The store ship Supply,
Lieut. Commanding Porter, is in the Medi>
terranean on special service under the War
D, Department.
The African Squadron, Commodore Crabbe.
8 is composed of the flag ship, the sloOp~Of-war
jamestown, Commander Ward; the soop-of.
war ST. Louis, Commander Livingston, and the
brig Dolphin, Commander Thompson. The
squadron were all well at last advices.
w Tie East India Squadron. Commodore Arm
strong, is composed of the flag ship, the San
Jscinte, Commander Bell, the sloops of war
Levant aud Portsmouth. The operations OF
THIS SQUADRON are not interesting
The Pacific Squadron, Com. Mervin, consists
OF the flag ship Independence, Commander
Hoff, and the soops of-war John Adams, St.
Nary's, and the steamer Massachusetts.
The Secretary regrets that Com. MerviDe
failed to make a personal examination of the
supposed guano island, and recommends that
another small steamer be sent TO visit the
island.
Reference is made TO the protection of our
citizens at Panama by vessels of this squadron.
An additional Pacific squadron is recommend
ed. Our growing commerce, and the increas-
ing Importance of the Central American States,
renders it polite to double our Pacific squads
ron as soon as vessels can be assembled in that
ocean.
The Behring's Straits Expedition having
completed its work, has returned.
A large portion of the report is devoted to
the survey which has been made OF the bottom
of the sea- and the scientific discoveries in this
exploration of the great deep will be found
deeply Interesting. Specimens have been pro-
duced from the bed of the ocean, and beautiful
charts made mapping ont its depths ct distan.
ces OF thirty, forty, sixty, and one hundred
miles. The greatest depth obtained was two
thousand and seventy fathoms-twO and hall
miles
Uuder the head of ordnance uunnery, the
Secretary recommends the establishment of a
practice ship, in which gunnery alone shall be
taught.
The great beauty and superiority of the new
steam frigates are alluded to with much pride
and the Secretary says their introduction con-
stitutes new era in the history of the United
States Navy. He repeats his recommendation
of last year about the building OF several addi-
tional sloops OF war.
The subject OF enlistment and the good faith
of the government towards the sailors is elabo,
rated at length, and the policy of the depart,
ment defended aud explained. This, however,
Is Of no interest to the general reader.
There are three vacancies in the grade OF
captain and fourteen ia that of lieutenant
some Of which occurred several months since
Mr.. Dobbin is not unmindful of the causes
which prompted 8 suspension of executive ac-
ton, but the interests of the service require
that they should be filed either by promotions
in the regular way or by nominating for resto.
ration to the active list some Of the reserved OF
dropped officers.
The Navy Academy continues to prosper
and demonstrates its usefulness. The Secretary
recommends that, in addition to the Naval
Board of Examiners, board of visitors, com
posed OF civilians, be appointed.
Mir. Dobbin renews expressions of opinion OF
the usefulness OF the Marine Corps, and con-
tinUes to recommend its enlargement, and the
adoption of some plan of appointing to il tl4a
GERS of military education.
Tie following are the estimates of the navy
aud marine corps Tor 1857 SIS, 9l2, 979 05.
Expenditures during the year 1866, IS, 437,.
1867.