The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-06
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
NAVY.

:
this department showing the duties performed by the
er squadron the present condition of the service with
recommendations Of further legislation.
souADRons.
The new stearn-friga Wabash Captain Frederick En-
gle the flagship the sloops-owar Saratoga Commander
G. Tilton, and Cyane Commander r. G. Robb, form the
home squadron which is still under the command of Com
modore Hiram Panldng To this force the steamer Full
will again be added repaired sufficiently for
service The frigate Potomac recently the flagship Of
this squadron has since my last report been put out Of
Commission a1d her and most of her officers transfer
red TO the Wabash.
This ship with oommodoS Paulding on board, having
from New York on the 2sh November 1856 for the pur
poses mentioned in the last report arrived at Havana ON
the goth January in company with the Fulton, which
had also been despatched to San Juan On the 22d OF March
they were joined by the Saratoga and Cyane which had
been a cruise among the Wndward islands The squad
rom after making short cruise separated the flag ship
in company with the Saratoga, running down to wind
ward as St Thomas whence the Potomac sailed to
Key West and the Saratoga to San JUAN and thence to
Aspinwa where she arrived July 23d and has been sta
toned for the purpose OF protecting our interests In that
region She will be relieved by the Cyane, which
sailed from Boston the 9th Of November. This latter
vessel after separating from the squadron at Havana and
making cruise in the Gulf Of Mexico arrived at Boston
the 9th of August to which port she returned the nth
October after having been to the eastward far as ST.
Johns, Newfoundland The Fulton having visited Bazo
and the Bay of Islands, touching in at Key West proceed
ed Washington, and arriving there the Both ofJune
was temporarily put out Of commission.
1t having been represented that American citizens
arrested by foreign naval force in their progress
the shmus San Juan del Norte orders issued 10
Commodore Pauding the 18th of May, to proceed to
that port Immediately With view to DESPATCH the Com
modores flag was transferred to the steam-gae Susque
hanna Captain r. Sands then fitted out for the Medi
terranean The delicate and important investigation
prosecuted at San Juan by Commodore Pauding with
commendabe zeal and prudence The circumstances which
gave temporary misapprehenson satisfactorily
explained and Commodore Pauldng returned to the Po-
tomac at Key West after looking in at Aspinwal The
Susouehanna proceeded thence to the Mediterranean.
The Wabash left Philadelphia trial trip on the 9th
of September for New York whence having taken board
her supplies, she proceeded to Portsmouth New Hamp
shire At this place she received board the President OF
the United States and conveyed him to Annapolis Mary
land She sailed from New York on the 2sth November
for Aspnwall
The Brazil squadron Commodore French Forrest
sists of the flagship the frgae ST. Lawrence Captain j.
B. Hull now on her way out and the German
town. Commander VIM. Lynch for whose return to the
United States orders sent the 3ls of October 1t
designed that the soop-owar Falmouth shall join the
squadron in few weeks The frigate Savannah Commo
dore Samuel Mercer late the flagship for whose return
orders sent out the 10th of july arrived at New
York on the 27h of November. The brig Bainbridge,
which till lately formed part of this squadron, returned
Norfolk Virginia, the lh of September under the
command OF Lieutenant @. F. NJ. Spotswood The store
ship Relief Lieutenant Commanding JW. Cooke returned
to New York the 18th Of july and sailed again for the
station on the OF September with the squad
rom Nothing Of material interest has occurred the
Brazil station during the past year, although the vessels
have been actively cruising.
Commander T. j. Page, having completed the survey Of
the river La Plata and its different auents returned with
the United States steamer Water Witch to the United
States entering the port of Washington on the eh OF May
last The very interesting accompanying Synoptca report
OF Commander Page gives full information of the Of
the surveys the charts Of which now being prepared
for publication.
The Mediterranean squadron, Commodore s. L. Breess,
consists of the flagship the gate Congress- Commander
tain Charles H. Bell and the seam-rigate Susquehanna
Captain j. R. Sands This last vessel joined the squadron
In July. The steamfrgate Saranac Captain J. O. Long
which had been the station nearly three years returned
tn he 26Ih June arriving
delphia The storeship Supply Lieutenant Commanding
David D. Porter is in the Mediterranean, still engaged in
special service under the War Department. The vessels of
this squadron have shown the flag many ports in the
Mediterranean where American makes il appear
composed of the flagship, the sloopofwar Jamestown
Commander James H. Ward the sloop.of-war St Louis
Commander John W. Livingston and the brig Dolphin
Commander Edward r. Thomson. The soop-of-war Dale
Commander William McBlar returned from this station
January llth entering Norfolk Virginia. The reports
from this squadron favorable as to its health and
dyy.
The East India squadron, Commodore James Armstrong
composed Of the hagship the stesmRae San Jacinto
Commander Henry H. Bell; the sloops-ofwar Leyant Com
inander William Smith; and Portsmouth, Commander A.
H. Fooe This latter vessel left Norfolk May 3D. and
rived Hong Kong the 29th of August The steam
fgate Powhatan Captain W. J. Mckinney arrived at Nor
folk from this station the 18th Of February; the soop
ofwar Macedonian Captain John Pope 1.-THE flagship OF
the late amented Commodore Abbot) at Boston tba
7th Of August and the sloop-oswSr v@ndalia Com
the 30h September and all put out Of commission
The San Jacinto, her passage TO Hong Kong, put In
at Palo Penang for the purpose OF receiving on Board
Townsend Harris esq consugeneral to Japan and con-
yeying him to Bankok Siam, with which government he
charged with special business by tie State Depart
ment After having completed this the San Jacnto pro-
ceeded Hong Kong and at last adyices about
ing for Simoda, Japan for the purpose Of aordng pas
sage TO Mr. Harris TO that place She will then proceed
Shanghae to Join the Leyant which has been sent there
from Hong Kong with Commissioner TO China (Dr.
Peter Parker who desirous Of visiting the inerme
diate ports at the North
The Pacific squadron Commodore William Mervine con-
ssts Of the flagship the gate Independence Commander
Henry K HoH the soops-otwa John Adams, Commander
Edward B. Boutwell, St Mary's, Commander 7, Bailey
Decatur Lieutenant Commanding Edward Middleton; and
the steamer Massachusetts, Commander Samuel Swartwou
The Independence left San Francisco In the middle OF
January and proceeded cruise to the southward via
the Sandwich islands, for the purpose Of ascerninng
whether gusno to be found island the location
Of which had been confdentally communicated by
pany OF gentlemen, and two old and experienced
captains who personally gave that 1t abound
ed in guano She arrived at the designated point the
| lh Of March Commodore Mervine reports that owing
to heavy breakers all his efforts to land baed This
deeply be regretted for although he states that
from the ship, the island manted over With
luKuant vegetation and expresses an opinion adverse
the anguine hopes and expectations Of the agricultural
community still there TO exist unsats6ed state
Of the public mind because Of the shsence Of actual per-
sonsl examination. Il possible that the difficulty OF ef
cting landing may not exist at all Of the year
IL s therefore recommended that another smaller nation
vessela seamer-be sent visit the island differ
of the year. the state Of affairs AT Pan
ANA and the coasts Of Washington and Oregon viii
permit such vessel to be spared Arriving at Valparaiso
the 10th of June the Independence proceeded to Pam
rhe Rha Ia fDr fhp ofatia