Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-12-07
Report of the Secretary of the Navy

The Secretary Of the Navy recommends the con-
verting Of eight ships into first class
1888 900 each. The other ships of the line would
not pay for the expense being old and nearly used
up: The sailing frigate Sabine and Santee are to
be LETT as they are, and the remaining six sailing
frigates to be converted into steam soops of war
and finally into stOre-ships New sloops- of-w
should be built to replace those built prior to 1910
The present condition Of the active navy Is then
reviewed and commended. The Secretary reports
in favor Of screw steamers, and against sdewheel-
steamers, in case of war An increase of the navy
Is demanded, on the ground that we have now
navigating interest Of 5000, ,0OO tons, and import
and export trade Of So OOO 900 81 900 900, and
coastng trade Of equal extent and value. All ad-
ditions to the navy should employ steam power.
Attention is called to the fact that the Consttu-
ton prohibits individual States from creating a
navy Of their own. Estimates are submitted for
replacing all Of the prominent navy yards Of the
country In condition Of full activity. high
plmentis is paid to the efficiency and dlsci pline
Of the Naval Academy, under Capt. Blake. Fig
ures are given to show that the education Of the
pupils has improved. q-..
In the slave trade twelve vessels have been cap
tursd this year by the Afcican squadron, and more
than COO negroes rescued. A strong hint is then
given that the slave trade can only finally be sup
pressed by England's enforcing her treaty Of lSi7
with spain In reference to Cuba, or the annexa-
tion Of Cuba by the United States
The act Of Congress of June 22, 1850, authorized
the President to send some mpetent person or
persons to the lsthmus Of Chiriqui to examine
ouu tcPoft upou tue ana PROBABLE guam
tty Of coal to be- found on the lands Of the Chi
riqui improvement Company; the character Of
the harbors OF Chiriqui Lagoon and Golfto; the
practicability Of building a railroad across said
lsthmus, so as TO connect said harbors, aud gen.
orally as to the value Of the privileges contracted
Tor In the conditional contract Of May 81 1859,
made by Ambrose w Thompson and said C ON.
Pany with the Navy Department. An expedi ton
was accordingly organized under the command
| OF Capt Frederick Engle, Of the Navy. The
| hydrograPhical part of the work was assigned to
i Lieut. VIM. N. LETTERS, of the u. s. Navy, the
| topog raphical to Lieut. James St Clair Morton,
| Of the U. Geographical Engineers, aud the
geological 70 Dr. John Evans an eminent geol.
/ OgiSt Thus organized, the expedition set sail
| from Norfolk in the U. s. war steamer BROOKLYN
August IL, and on the 23d arrived at the .Chriqui
/ Lagoon. The expedition has just returned to
| Norfolk. Reports are transmitted from Captain
/ Engle, Lieuts Jeffers, Morton, and Evans. The
reports show that the harbors on both sides Of the
isthmus Of Chiriqui are unsurpassed; that in the
opinion Of Lieut. Morton ''it Is entirely practi
cable to connect the harbors by line Of railroad
adapted to commercial purposes" and that ths
coal found there is Of excellent quality, and tn,
| supply inexhaustible.
The bill introduced by Jefferson Davis prohibit
Ing the purchase Of patented articles for the armI
and navy Is next attac ked as Injurious to the pu
| lie service. The Secretary recommends that b,
| be given power to purchase butter, cheese, four
| and tobacco for the navy by private purchase anC
not by advertised contract. The present state and
| services Of the various squadrons aad ships ar
| then formally recorded, compliments being PAID
| 70 Commodores Poor, Porter, ana Brent, 70
| prompt action in righting the wrongs Of Ameri
| can citizens. The japanese Embassy, reports a
| to the marine corps, surgeons and quartermasters
| together with brief statistics Of the various ex
ploring expeditions, form the main balance of tn
Secretarys report, which closes with summar,
| Of naval estimates for the fiscal year ending Jun
%, 1s6l-total amount Sll y5l3, ,9O4 OF.