The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-06
PUBLIC DOCUME rs.
REPORT or THE SECRETARY OF THE
.M NAVY.

NAVY DEPARrMENr, Dec. g. 1856.
SiR: have the honor TO submit the annual report from
this department exhibiting tho duties performed by tn,
several squadrons my views OF the present condition and
future pects of the service and suggestions la regard
TO further legislation required
~ soUADRoNs.
The home squadron, commanded by Commodore Hiram
Paulding consists of the flagship the fgate Potomac
Captain H. NJ Powell, the sloops-ofwar Saratoga, Com
mander H. U. Wlton and Cyane Commander A. b. Fair
fax, and the steamer Fulton Lieutenant Commanding r.
l.. Tilghuan. ....
The Columbia late the flag ship of the squadron having
conveyed from Pensacola San Juan de Nicaragua the
United States ministers Nicaragua and Guatemala pro-
ceeded rom san Juan TO ST. Thomas where she arrived
the 9th OF February The yellow fever having made its
appearance board she proceeded Norfolk where che
arrived on the 18th Of March. Commodore Newton
detached a the command Of the squadron and the
sci put out Of commission
No intelligence has been received touching the sloop
Albany about whose fate at the date Of my last report
painful anxiety felt The steamers Princeton and Full
ton both sent IN search of her. The Princeton left
Pensacola the 2lst Of down the of
Caba, examined the islands of Little Caymans and Cay
mans Brac thence to Kingston, (Jamaca Aspinwnl aud
Key West The Fulton, Lieu j. X Mitchell sailed
from Norfolk the Goth Of December and through the
Bahama and Oribbee isiaudsalong the Spanish Main to
Aspinwal-thence TO San Juan de Nicaragua--thence
thence to the Dze Honduras and along the of Yu
caian to- Canpeachy-thence TO Havana and Norfolk,
where she arrived the bth Of April making rapid and
searrning cruise evncve of the most ndeatigabe and
untrng zeal Not the slightest information could be OBJ
tanned of the missing ship
The sloop Falmouth, Commander T. Darrah Shaw,
sailed from Norfolk the 18th of December and proceeded
on cruise through the West India islands, touching
ST. Thomas Bay of Samans, city of St Domingo Port-au-
Prince, Gonayts, ST. Jago de Cuba Carhagena and As
pnwal and thence to Pensacola where she arrived the
9th OF May. The of the Falmouth also such
would afford an opportunity of obtaining information in
relation 10 the Albany. .a
The Cyane, Commander S. b. Wilson, having been put
in commission sailed from Boston April 2s 1855 to Join
this squadron In March intelligence having reached the
that the Spanish fgae Ferroana had fired
the United States mail III Dorado, off the Of
Cuba while peaeeaby pursuing her cruise it deemed
necessary and proper that sufficient naval force should
appear in these waters with view protection of
the rights and property OF citizens, and for the pur
pose OF commanding due respect flag The depart
ent, the 10th OF April, assigned Commodore Charles
McCauley to special duty and to the temporary
mand OF the home squadron and placed under him the
Cyane the Jamestown the Princeton and the Fulton To
these vessels added flagship, the San Jacnto
Captain q. X Sribling They actively engaged in
cruising and watching the interests and rights of
countrymen i'll that quarter until early in June The
issued Commodore McCauey on that inter-
esting occasion have already been published. IL Is
ainly gratifying thst occasion occurred for collision
between the national vessels of the countries Appre-
tensions OF unirendy interference having ceased to exist
Commodore McCauley was detached from this duty.
Commodore Paulding assigned to the command of
this squadron the st of July and has for his flagship
the rigate Potomac, Captain L. NJ Powell The Potomac
having in company with the Cyane and Saratoga made
short cruise to the eastward, Commodore Pauding was
m Anec 10 look after the interests Of country and
that American citizens suffer detrimen from the
revolutionary troubles now disracling Nicaragua lie
November The other vessels of this squadron actively
cruising.
BRAZIL SQUADRON.
This squadron Commodore William d. Salter) consists
of the flagship the frgate Savannah Captain Samuel
Mercer the sloop-of-wnr Germantown, Commander Wm
f. Lynch aud the brig Bainbridge Commander James
H. Rowan The store-ship Relief Commander Stephen
c. Rowan also attached 10 this squadron but return
ed 10 New York the l6h Of November and has been
put out of commission The Savannah and Germantown
win be relieved during the ensuing year.
This squadron has been udustrousy cruising princi-
pally between Rio de Janeiro and the Rio de la Plata
looking in at ST. Catharine Monte video and Buenos
Ayres. The health Of officers and has been good.
Msunderstandngs Of very serious nature involving
painful collision having occurred between consul and
officers Of the Water Witch and the President Of the re-
public of Paraguay il deemed expedient by Comman-
der T. j. Page, commanding that steamer special
vice. discontinue for the present the completion Of the
survey of the river Paraua in which considerable progress
had been made You of the of negotiations
between the two governments on this subject
Commander Page has, however, in the time in q
small steamer chartered for the purpose proceeded 10 the
distance Of three hundred anI sixty miles up the river
Sasdo, which emptes into the Paana at Santa Fe, the
principal of the province Of the name and
Of the Argentine Confederation. Beyond this distance II
found impossible to proceed account Of the shall
lowpess OF the The Salado had never before this
been either assembled descended this point The prac
tcabity Of It's navigation problem unsolved until
this exploration. Commander Page, at last dates
Santa Fe and would proceed from thence TO the head
upper of the Pcomayo with the hope Of descend
ing that river. Its exploration has been attempted by
others, but never accomplished.
AFRICAN SQUADRON.
This squadron Commodore Thomas Crabbe) consists o
his flagship, the Jamestown Commander James IL
Ward,) the sloops-ef-war Dale Commander William
McBlair) and ST. Louis Commander John w. Living.
ston) and the brig Dolphin, Commander Edward R
Thompson.) ...
mer was assigned special duty of the Of Cuba
under Commodore McCauley. She sailed from Key Wos
the 9th OF june and arrived at Funcha Roads the
9Th Of July.
The ST. Louis Commander J. W. Livingston, sailed from
Philadelphia the 10th of November e relieve the Dale
On her arrival the the Dale will return TO the Uni
ted Statcs
Commodore Isaac Mayo, who recently commanded th
squadrou returned with bis flagship the Constitution
the United States the I'd of June entering the port
Portsmouth N. II. When within three or four hundred
miles Of Portsmouth he received intelligence which induced
him 20 alter bis and proceed To Havana for tho pur
pose of volunteering his services and that of his ship
Commodore McOauey II required The appearance of th
Constitution there was opportune and impressive.
The sloop-of-war Marion, Commander Hugh Y. Purvi
ance recently belonging this squadron having been
demued unseaworhy and her time being nearly out
turned to the United States entering Norfolk the l0l
of August.
The vessels Of this squadron have been regularly cruis
ing within the limits OF their station, a6ordng relief
whenever opportunity offered merchant vessels and as
taking OF the interests of Americans in that portion
slave trade south Of the equator entirely broken mp Th
health OF the officers and this station has been
for the past year
The Mediterranean squadron commanded by Commo