The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1860-01-25
The Condition Of our Navy---The
b Report of the Secretary.

Our limited space precludes the pessi-
bility of our giving the full reports Of the
different heads of departments Of the Go
yernment, but we will try to give as COM
p-:hensive abstracts as our cireumseribed
space will permit We will commence
with the report of the Secretary of the
Navy, for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1859:
After brief survey Of the Paraguay expedition
and its satisfactory results, the Secretary refers to
the efforts for the suppression Of the slave trade,
to which the services OF eight steamers have been
doYoted--four on the coast Of Guinea, and the
same Lumber On the coast of Cuba. During the
past year, the squadron ON the African coast have
seized three American vessels engaged in the slave
trade there and sent them back to the authorities
in the United States. Mr. Toucey is of opinion
that the preseLce of these tvo squadrons will ien-
der the slave traffic so dangerous that few Ameri-
can vessels viii be willing 10 embark in it
further increase of steamships is earnestly re-
commended, as well as an increased force of ma.
rilles midshipneh, naval surgeons aud pursefs, to
meet the requirements of the service. Since the
commencement of the present Administration,
The seven screw sloops of war authorized by the
act Of Congress- Of Juue, 1858, have been launched
and oil In commission except one, and they are
oil reported as well constructed and satisfactory
Two OF them were butt at Pensacola Navy Yard
and one at the Navy Yard of Mare Island, Califor
MA thus demonstrating that vessels required for the
Pacific service can be constructed on that coast
thereby avoiding the danger and delay Of the yoy
slge around Cape Horn,
The crossings Of the various squadrons from ar
Interesting feature in the report. The duties Of
the Home Squadron were chiefly confined to The
Gulf Of Mexico aud the Central American and Mex
icaan coasts, where they had enough to do during
Che troublesome times there, The Pacific Squad
ron was occnpiedin looking after .lle interests O
our citizens in the South American ports aud tht
Pacific islands The Mediterranean Squadron du
?
ring the Italian found occupation in protecting
American interests in that quarter, and had previ
ously adjusted difficulties with Syria arising out Of
The murder of Mr.. Steinbeek and the outrage upor
the family Of Mr.. Dickson al Jafia. To the Es
India Squadron fell the duty of conveying and pro
seeting our Ministers to Japan and China during
the aegotiaton Of the important commercial trea
tee which our Government has succeeded in max
lng with these hitherto exclusive Empires
Appropriations having been made by the las
Congress for Improvement in the Navy Yards, TIL
works of that description have been suspended
and no estimates are presented for their contiau
Anee for the next fiscal year. The estimates 70
the support of the navy and marine corfs and al
other objects under the control of the Navy De
psrtment, for the year 1852, were Sl4,6l6,2Ss
the appropriations Sl4,5os, Ss4, and the expendi
lures sl4,s5s,2s7. For the year 1860, the esti
mates were sl3,soo,S7O, and the appropriation
si0,464,T69. The estimates for the fiscal year end
Ing June 80, 1861, are put down at Sll PA, S45 il
the present report of the Secretary, being two mil
lions aud quarter lower than those OF 1860. TIL
report win be read with interest.