The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-12-18
Secretary welles' Report.

Secretary Of the Navy, occupies twenty.
one octave pages. The report commen
ces by noticing the OBJ ects Of the enlarged
estimates of expenditure for The naval
service as were contained in his report al
the extra session Of Congress In JULY,
and says that they contemplated then
| different lines of naval operations upon
the Southern coast. the first of which was
the closing OF all the insurgent ports
along coast line Of nearly three thousand
miles, in the form and under the exact
ing regulations of an International block
ade, iuclnding the naval occupation and
defense of the Potomac river, from its
month to the federal capital, as the boun-
Diary line between Maryland aud Virgin
ia. and also the main commercial avenue
to the prluci pal base Of the miiitaFy oper-
atiuns
The second was the organization of
combined naval and military expeditions
TO operate in force against various points
OF the Southern coast, rendering efficient
naval cooperation with the POSITION and
movements Of such expeditions when
landed. and including also all needful
naval aid to the army in cutting off in,
ter communication with TIE rebels, and
in lis operations on the Mississippi and
It's tributaries and the third, The active
pursuit Of tie pirarcal cruisers which
might escape tie vigilance of the block,
aiding force, and put TO sea from the rebel
ports
To carry out these plans Of operations
the Secretary says that it became neces
>ary for .he department to call into iLn-
mediate service not on y the naval fo;-
ces. but vessels from the commercial ua,
rne.
The force thus gathered was placed d.
loLg our coast and divided into two squad
rons, one Of which, designated as the At
lantlc bluckading squadron, had for lis
field of operation tie whole coast. extend.
:ng from the easternmost line OF Virginia
to Cape Florida. aud was under the coni-
nand of Flag Officer SIlaS II Strineham.
The other, or Gulf squadron, operating
from Cape Florida westward to the Rio
Grande, was commanded By Flag Officer
William Mervine.
These two >quadrons have rendered the
blockade as effective as the circumstances
of their hasty equipment AID the peculi
arltles Of the coast would allow.
The Potomac Floiilla is briefly men
toned, aud is said to have accom-
pIl>lled the purposes for which it was in
tended, until tie close Of October, when
the insurgents erected batteries at sun.
dry points on the Virginia shore, there
by rendering passage on the river danger
Gus. i
In September it was found that the du-
ty OF guarding The coast had become very
arduous, on account Of the great increase
OF the vessels engaged and the continued
efforts of .he rebels to e|ude the blockade,
pressed by the necessities of the people
Two squadrons were therefore organized
on the Atlantic coast Captain Louis NJ.
GoldboroGgh was appointed to guard the
shores Of Virglni. and North CarolLa
The residue of he Southe IN Atlantic
coast, commencing at the line which sep.
arateS the two Carolinas aud extending
to Cape Florida, was intrusted to Captain
Samuel +. Dupont.
Since the institution of the blockade /
one hundred aid fftv-three vessels have
been captured sailing under various flags. I
most of which were attempting to violate
the blockade Most of these Will be con.
denIned by the courts as prizes. A SELF
ure OF some OF the important ports on the
cuast received the early attention of the
Department. Two combined naval aud
militar. expeditions have already been or
canized and put in action. The expedi.
tions to Hatteras and Port Royal are then
briefly noticed bl the Secretary, who SAYS
that the latter expedition was Intended
to have sailed in September, but owing
to causes independent of the Navy De-
partment it was unavoidably postponed
until the 29th of October.
A naval force, auxiliary to and con-
nected with the army movements on the
Mississippi and lis tributaries, has been
organized. and is under the command of
Flag Officer Andrew FL. Foote. The
steamers which have been built or pur.
chased for tl.is service bv the War De.
partment are Of a formidable character,
and manned by class of superior sea.
men and western boatmen.
The Secretary makes a statement of
Z ha co .dition nf tho navy, on tho lth nf
March last, from which it appears that
there was total of II veSse els, carrying
500 guns and about 900 meu.
Without waiting the arrival of vessels
from our foreign squadrons, the depart
ment directed such as were dismantled
and inordinary at the different navy
Yards. and which could be made availa.