Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-12-09
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
A...ras. Of the Rep.r. ., III. -.e.s.a,,

As.'raes 81 the Repsr' OF ,h" sce,s'a', Of the
The new steam frigate Wabash. Capt. Thee
dore Engle the dag ship; the sloops of war Sara
togo. commander Tilion. aud Cyanne command
81 Il. @. Robb. from the Home Squadron, which
il still under the command Of Commodore Pauld-
ing
The Brazil squadron. Commander French For.
rest. consists If the flag ship ST. Lawrence.
Cupt Hall, and sloop of wat Germantown. com
mander Lynch. for whose return orders were is
sued ON the Bis, Of October last. The Falmouth
will I'm the squadron in few weeks.
The Mediterranean squadron. commander
Breeze consists of the flag ship. the f,iga,e Con
gross. Capt. Craven; the slaop Of war Constella-
ton, Capt Bell, steam frgate Susquehanno,
Capt. Sands. The store ship Supply, Lieut.
Commanding Porter, il in the Mediterranean on
special service. under the War Department.
The African Squadron, Commodore Crabbe, is
composed Of the flag ship. the sloop of war James
town. Commander Ward; the Sloop Of war ST.
Louis Commonder Livingston, and the brig Dol
pLn Commander Thompson. The squadron
were NIL we'll at last advices.
The East India Squadron. Commodore Arm
strong. Is composed Of tho flag ship. the San ia
cinto, Commander Bell the sloops Of war Levant
and Portsmouth. The operations Of this squad
ron are not interesting.
The Pacific Squadron, Com. Meryine, consists
of the flag ship Independence, Commander Hof,
and the sloops of war John Adams. 81, Marys,
Decatur. and the steamer Massachusetts,.
The Secretary regrets that Com. Mervine
failed 10 make personal examination of the sup
posed guano island, and recommends that another
small steamer be sent to visit the islands.
Reference is made TO the protection Of our
citizens Mt Panama by vessels of this squadron.
An additional Pacific squadron il recommended
Our growing commerce. and the increasing i'm
portnnce If the Central American States renders
il polite TO double our Pacific squadron rs soon
vessels cpn be assembled in that oconn.
Tho Behring's Strait Expedition having com
plcted its work, has returned.
A large portion of the report il devoted to the
survey which has been made of the bottom Of the
sea and the scientific discoveries IN this explo-
ration of the great deep will be found deeply in
toresting. Specimens have been produced from
the bed Of the ocean, and beautiful charts made,
mapping out its depths ut distances of thirty,
forty. sixty, and one hundred miles. The great
est depth obtained was two thou Island and seventy
fAthoms-two and half miles.
Under tho head of ordnance gunnery, the Sec
rotary recommends the establishment of prac
,ice ship in which gunnery alone shall be taught.
The grent beauty and superiority of the new
steam frigntes ara alluded to with much pride,
and the Secretary says their introduction consti.
tu'cs era in the history of the United States
Navy. He repeats his recommendation of last
year about the building OF seVerai aduitiohal
soops of war
The subject of enlistment and the good faith of
the government towards the sailors. is elaborated
at length, and the policy Of the department do
Tended and explained. This. however, is Of no
interest TO the general reader.
There are three vacancies in the grade of cap
tain aud fourteen in that Of lieutenant, some of
which occurred several months since. Mr.. Dob
bin l. not unmindful of the cnuses which prompt.
cd suspension of executive action. but the in.
tereats Of the service require that they should be
filled either by promotions in the regular way or
by nominating for restoration To the active list
Of the reserved or dropped officers.
The Navy Academy continues To prosper, and
demonstrates its usefulness. The Secretary
commends that, in addition to the Naval Board of
Examiners, Il board OF visitors, composed of civil
ians, DO appointed.
Mr.. Dobbin renews expressions of opinion of
tho usefulness of the Marine Corps, and continues
to recommend its enlargement, aud the adoption
of some plan of appointing to it officers of mill
tarv education.
Tho following are the estimates of the navy
and marine corps for 1858: SS,9l2,979 o.
Expenditures during the years 1856, $S,.iH,-
7;}6 %.