, 1861-07-11
Report OF secretary Wefles on tn.
Condition OF the Navy

for so doing; L.C. =.
Report Of sseret.1y xvelles ON the
Condition OF the Navy.
The report Of the Hon. Gideon Welles, 8ecre~
ta1y Of the Navy, is in every respect, as state
paper, the equal Of those which have accompa-
MED 1t from the other departments. The to-
tai number Of vessels in the navy, of all classes
on the 9Th Of March. was ninety. with q capa-
city Of 2,45 guns. Excluding vessels on the
stccks or otherwise unseryiceable, there WIS
an available force Of 80 vessels, carrying ,348
guns and the active force (the balance being
".in ordinRTy") was 42 vessels, carrying SIS
gune, and manned by about 1900 men. Near
II all these were on foreign stations, The
home squadron consisted of Is vessels, 1877
guns, and about {, 600 men; and Of this force,
At the =; oqtbreak Of WaE only 1our small vessels
in commission on our own coast, says the Sec
retary, and our crews in distant seas, the de.
partment Was very indifferently prepared to
meet the e1igency that was rising. Every
movement was closely watched by the dlsat:
fected, and threatened to preeipitate measures
that the country seemed anxious to avoid. De.
moraliZation prevailed among the officers,
many Of whom, occupying the most responsi-
BILE positions, betrayed symptoms Of that ind-
deity which dishonored the service.
III LILLE Gl16i8 IL 0EEA1QG necessary 10 aEE Will
vigor. There could be neither hesitation nor
delay, when the Government and the country
were fmperi1ed+ Orders were given for the
return Of all our public armed Yessals that
we're on distant stations, aud the most Of
them hare since been brought home. Only
can stations, and the large squadrons in the
Mediterranean and Indies are wholly recalled.
Orders were also issued to equip all the pub
lie armed vessels then In port, and the COM
mandants at Boston, New York and Philadel-
phia were directed to purchase or charter,
arm, equip and man steamers which upon e1
| animation might be found fit, Or easi1y con-
vertible into armed vessels suitable for the
public service Under these Instructions there
have been added to the navy, by purchase, y
three sailing vessels. There have been char
tered nine eteamers5 ying from to guns
each. By these additions the naval force in
commission has been increased to 81 vessels,
carrying upwards Of 1,100 guns, and with q
marine complement Of about Ii, 600 men, ex-
elusive of officers and marines. There are al
so several steamboats, and other small craft
which are temporarily in the service Of the de-
partment.
This force, with the exception Of a squadron
In the Pacific, is now required to guard the
coast line from the Chesapeake to the Rio
G1ande, distance Of 5000 mil es, and two
squadrons have been organized as follows -
The squadron On the Atlantic coast, under the
command Of Flag-ofieers 8. b. stringham, con-
eists of 22 Vessels, 296 guns and $500 men.
The squadron in the Gulf under command Of
vessels, 2s2 guns and $500 men. Additions
have been made to each of the squadrons of
two or three small vessels that hare
been captured and taken into the
service. The blockade had been begun
Of the mississippi before either these DAG Off
GERS could take command at those places in
force, and the department has every reason to
believe the blockade regulations are complete.
The vessels employed are, however, either too
large for successful coast duty, or too small
have been added, by purchase or charter,
though not such vessels rs would perform
continuous duty off the harbors in al wealth
era, Will, it Ia believed, answer q temporary
purpose for the summer months, but stron-
ger and different description Of vessel is ne
tessary for the autumn and winter. The de
partment, besides purchasing, has, therefore,
Contracted for the building of twenty three
gunboats, each Of about FIVE hundred tons
turden and has made preliminary arrange
ments for several larger and leeter vessels,
which shall not only aid in preventing illegal
commerce, but be made particularly seryicea-
bic in suppresBfug depredations on that which
is legal Both OF these classes ere Of sizes in
1erior to the sloops- of war ordered by the last
Congress.
4QG LII EA[I3luE LIE QfUET Ql Gu2
last session into effect, directed the construc-
tion Of two vessels at each Of the four yards,
making eight instead Of seven to be built In
consequence Of the great activity and heavy
demands at all the yards to equip and prepare
every available vessel for service, the CON
stIuction Of these sloops has been retaTded.
but is HOW being. prosecuted with vigor, and
We may expect they will be completed at the
earliest possible period.
The authority for these purchases and con-
tracts is to be found in the necessities and
| condition Of the country oad tho times. Thu
action of the department may require the
eanetlon OF congress to give 1t validity. IT 1t
shall pc Inserted that an error has been COM
mtted II TINS p1oEldlng Tor the wants Of the
| service anu me government, much greater
| error Siror "oula nave oeen commltted, It Is be
neVeea IN tns omlFslon 70 nave made such
pI9vlslon usnet et9 ne e11sllng & neeesslnes
oaee me 4i1 u Ma1cns So9 0nceTs nave re-
EgM s,EgnMeu u ueei t;a aas!aissea: lnls oimannLlon
" ~ ~ -sha,s Ie unen .ns toaee "as greaty
.11 Tnsn ~ ,ne mnoae nav armament
naS " NJ ~ ma1 pue ~ IequleI'lon, mas COM
penSa tne department. 70 SEND many OF our
puptte pull senssls W hEa "atuout 1ui compie-
uent " ~ ouIeis. ie.. ~ no4e eAtenI tnls aon
| nensy aus neea suppueo W gen5lemtn 1of-
Msaiy connGeea ;l,i Wi.a lae nav, wno had re.
sl5eo 70 ciyn Puisu1ts IN peaeeaD!e tlmes, eut
tiJ,mp.y, tt.1,1 !O.I@ ~ Ie nunt VI taell cpun-
| uys Reln anu t1. maos solanta1y Ienoer OF their
| detsntiou for want Of a crew. and mona h..
| yond two or three days At no period of onr
history has the naval force had 30 great and
rapid an increase, and never have our seamen
come forward with more alacrity aud zeal to
serve the country.
! The Secretary recommends an increase In
the Naval School, now stationed at Newport,
3. L; also an increase and Reorganization Of
the marine corps, in the clerical force Of the