Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-14

should be present and have Il predominant.
influence all over the American continent. and
i'll order 10 maintain il, should have the mcan,
Of causing their power to be felt at any point
wherever and whenever il might be necessary
The Secretary goes OH to say that II we wcr,
under different circumstances Is regards III,
finances OF the country, he should not hc>ta,,
10 recommend AN Increase Of the navy on t!I'
general ground that il is required ior defence
and Will be Necessary to maintain our right
and the honor and character of the country
Fer the present, however, he reluctantly con
tents himself with urging the construction 4"
al least ten more war steamers. such as wrr,
authorized by the act of Congress ol the !a-i
session.
The Naval Arade'ny at ANNAPOLIS. under the
>upcrintcndcncc of Captain George :. Blake
continues to give marked evidence of lis great
usefulness. Onc hundred and eighty nine act
ing mil>hipmen are now attached To this insti
tuition. The report recommends. in order that
the naval professors Of mathematics may br
transferred to the Naval Observatory. wcr,
they arc much needed, that authority he grant,
cd by Congress to do for the navy rs has been
done at West Point for the army organize (;
corps nf professors Of the academy. compose.
olcivilian> with such compensation a> will com
mand the highest abilities ior this most impo,.
tant service
The Sloop.ofwar Prrblc. under Commando.
Craven. has made cruise during the last
summer as a practicc-ship. with i view To thc
instruction Of the acting nid>hipmcn 1T sea II
navigation and scaman>hip. Ninety pu
pills were on board, who exhibited coinmcnda.
bic Zeal and proficiency, and prolitci hy the
opportunity thus presented them Of improving
thcllSelre, in the practical duties Of their pro-
icssion. Attention is called To the very made
luatc provision that has been made for the ac-
comnulatinn Of mid>hiplncn al the Naval
Academy, and also to the necessity of incrca>in.
the effective strength of the medical corps ui
the navy. An addition oi twenty surgeons
and as many assistant surgeon, will suffice la
meet the immediate want, of the service The
Secretary likewise recommends thc appoint
mcnt Of fifteen or twenty additional purscr>.
and that the number of prisatc' in the marine
corps he increased to :,.0Uo.
The board Of officers heretofore appointed To-
prepare a code Of signals for the use nf the
navy have reported a code. which OH the 18th
.! July last was adopted by the department ii
embraces day. night. and log signals. and has
been printed and partly distributed 10 vessels
in commission. 4 code ol regulation, for the
government Of the navy has been prepared. in
obedience to the act Of Congress of March ::
1857. and is now reported. I" he laid bcn:c
Congress. I'm doing ST., the Secretary enter,
hi, dissent to giving thi. code the authority ni
law. as it would dc,ract from the authority Of
the Commandcr-in.C hict Of the army and navy.
and the regulations should hc varied. moilirl
or suspended from time tn time. ACCORDING l."
the eXiScncicS OF the service.
The expedition sent To New Granada by the
War and Navy Departments 10 survey n route
for ship canal from the Atlantic 10 the Pa
riiic. through the Airal" and Truaudo river.
returned i'll safety in May last. having acrom-
pl>hed the enterprise in which they We're cm.
barkcd The report Of the officers in charge
has not vet been submitted
The report proceeds IN detail the point, At
which the naval forces are now stationed. and
alluics to the capture Of several slarcr>: al.o.
to the steps taken 10 protect the honor Of the
American flag at 81. Domingo, in the casr Of
the American schooner Charles Hill" and at
the island Of Naya>>a. where our citizens were
engaged i'll procuring gllano. The >loop-otwar
Plymouth. under Commander Dahlrcn. and
the Fulton, under Lieut.. Amy. visited 'rampiro.
TO investigate certain grievances which orr ci,i-
zcn> have suffered from tl" authorities there.
and obtained the rc'lrc>> demanded Uticl
eases arc mentioned n illustrative ol the man
ncr in which the officers and vessels attached
to the several sq,iadron> are employed in pro.
tcctng American interests within the limits Of
their respective stations At no period when
We were not actually engaged in war !rn> the
navy been more a'tivcl y employed than during
the past year.
The Secretary expresses his high apprcri,-
ton Vi the lahors Of Commander Maury hc.
slowed upon his wind and current charts and
sailing directions for many years past, and Of
the benefits conferred b. him upon commerce
ny giving the result, Of those !aborS 10 the
world
For the fiscal year ending June 81. l,6"
the estimates are Sl3.jo0.31o ~. incluln.
$Gl4,0op for completing the eight lightdraught
steamer, authorised at the last session Of Con-
srcSS and not including the usual compcnsa.
ton of *935s5o for steamship mail service
which will then be discontinued. OF the above
estimates. the amount for the navy proper i>
$9,470.S7?: for the marine corps S7o%.%?i -
and all other object, IS so ng1 81: