The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-09

pointed by me and Major I'll Bowman OF the corps Of
engineers appointed by the Secretary OF the Treasury
The third party Samuel Hatch, esd oil Boston, was
selected by them After examining the aud In Question:
and carefully considering the subject they unanimously
awarded that there should be paid by the Treasury De-
partment to the navy-hosptai iuhd, 70, ,ni 10y VI ven
acres Of land the sum of fifty thousand dollars
The board Of officers, consisting OF Commodores
McCauley rnd Layalctte and Commanders Mafehand aud
Steedman heretofore appointed TO prepare code OF sig
nails for the the navy have reported code which,
on the 18th of July last adopted by the department
1t embraces day, night and fog signals and has been
printed and partly distributed to vessels IN commission
The act making appropriations for the naval service
passed March B. 1887 directed the Secretary OF the Navy
to have prepared and TO report to Congress for its APP
prevail code of regulations for the government OF The
navy Such code have had prepared by board OF
officers convened at Washington on the eth OF August
1857 consisting of captain commander lieutenant the
Northumberland of the marine CORPS puser ana
surgeon and now in obedience to the act report the
same that il may be laid before Congress And In dong
so in order to avoid misconstruction beg leave to say
that entirely dissent from the course OF giving to such
code of regulations descending into all the n OF UNI
important details, the authority OF law The author
ty of the commandern of the army and navy is
adequate the establishment of such regulations which
should be varied, modified, suspended from time to
time according to the exgences OF the service, and
could not have the stability Of unyarying law, without
subectng it to the greatest Inconvenience and embar
rassments 1t would be homogeneous to remedy these
difficulties by making the CODE thus sanctioned, subject
to be amended, altered modified suspended or repealed
commander inchief to be tied up by these regula
tions that his constitutional authority to command
must not into conflict with them, they would go
far TO repeal it.
The board has also reported code of laws for the gov
eminent OF the navy This is not obnoxious to the same
objections code of regulations enacted by Congress-
because the subjects embraced in properly subjects
of legislation which should not be left to executive dis
crction. This code not code, but is composed
of the existing laws codfed, with some verbal amend
ments, but without material alteration The only objeo
Of boar ic hat
it was not called for by the department., nor by the
law under which they acting.
The continuation of the exploration of the Parana and
tributaries Of the Paraguay which placed under the
charge of Commander Thomas j. Page, has been some
what retarded by his connexion with the naval exped
ton to Paraguay sent out under authority of the act OF
Congress of last session The small steamer Argentina
contracted for with Mr. Forbes of Boston, to be used in
the exploration and the date of my last report nearly
completed arrived at Buenos Ayres the 10th Of April
and delivered to Lieut. Mc(ary who, with Others of
the surveying party had arrived there the goth OF
March The proceeded in the steamer to Rosario, the
Parana and there awaiting the arrival of Commander
Page, engaged in such preliminary surveys and other
work of exploration could be successfully prosecuted
in his absence The charts compiled from the results of
his former survey of the La Plata and its tributaries
having been completed the Office closed the 3oth
of September last.
The expedition sent to New Granada by the War and
Navy Departments, to survey route for ship canal
from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Atrao and
Truando rivers in pursuance OF the act OF Congress OF
March 81 1851 making appropriations for the naval ser
vice. returned in safety in May last having accomplished
the enterprise in which they embarked The parcu
lar object Of it to verify former survey euten
ant Craven of the navy and Lieutenant Michler of the
army who detailed for this service have not yet
completed the labor of reducing their data to result
1t Is understood they differ in opinion to the feasibility
of ship canal from to ocean, in the contemplated
route AS as the report shall be presented to the
department, it will be transmitted to Congress.
The resolution of the Senate OF the 18th of April last
instructed the Secretary Of the Navy to thorough
examination of the iron, coal and timber of the Deep
River country in the State of North Carolina and to
port at the next session of Congress upon the expedency
Of establishing at point in that State machine and
workshops for the construction of engines, boilers, &c.
for naval vessels In compliance with this resolution
appointed commission consisting OF Captain Wilkes
Mcssrs. Hunt and Martin, chief engineers and Mr. Pook
naval constructor, to make the examination This
animation has been made the report has not yet been
presented to the department.
The home squadron, under the command OF Flag Off
Mcintosh at present consists of the Roanoke Savan
nah Jamestown and Saratoga The St Louis is pre-
pairing to join it. The Susquehanna Plymouth, Fulton
aud Dolphin have recently been withdrawn from it, the
two latter having been ordered to Paraguay.
Flag Officer Long commands the Pacific squadron now
consisting Of the Mcrrmac, Saranac, St Marys Cyane
Vandalia, and Decatur. The John Adams recently be-
longing to it, returned from the Pacific in April last
The Mediterranean squadron, commanded by Flag Of
fcer Lavecttc, consists Of the Wabash and the Mace
DOMAIN The Congress returned home from this station
in january, and the Constellation in June last
The Brazil squadron has consisted of the ST. Lawrence
the Falmouth, and the Perry, under the command of
Flag Officer Forrest. This squadron has recently been
largely reinforced already mentioned, and Fag Officer
Shubrick will succeed to the command of it his arrival
with the Sabine.
The African squadron is still under the command of
Flag officer Conover and is composed of the Cumberland
Vncennes, Dale, and Marion. The St Louis returned
from the station in February last The Bnbrdge having
joined this squadron in the spring. has recently been
transferred to the Paraguay expedition.
The Powhatan, Minnesota Mississippi, and German
town. compose the East India squadron under Flag Officer
Ttnall From this squadron the Levant returned home
in April the Portsmouth in june and the San Jacinto in
August. The Minnesota has received orders to return
home, and may now be on the way.
The Dolphin under. the command of Lieut. Maflit,
while cruising the north coast of Cuba captured
the 2st of August last brig having board 3ls Afr
She surrendered under American color and proved
to be the Echo formerly the Putnam. When first
she standing towards Key Verde apparently with
the intention of landing her cargo Her officers and
numbered eighteen persons, several Of them Americans
She placed under the command Of Lieutenant j. M
Bradford, with Lieutenant Carpenter and with
dcrs to proceed to Charleston where she arrived and
delivered with 900 Africans the United States marshal
for the district The crew the SLAYER were held for
trial. and the Africans sent back to Africa The captain
of the Echo transferred to the Dolphin, and taken
by way Of Key West to Boston, where he delivered
to the authorities
As there TO suspect, from Information
municated to Lieutenant Mat that other American
sells engaged in the slave trade and would shortly
arrive the north coast of Cuba, the United States
steamer Dispatch under the command of Lieutenant Par
rott sent to that vicinity to intercept them She
had been cruising for several months in the Gulf of Mex