The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-11

me Report u the Secretary Of the Navy.
This report is . full and elaborate statement
Of the condition of the Naval Department He
says, the condition of the country at the close
of the extra session of Congress demanded Of
him:
/. The closing of all the insurgent ports along
q coast line OF nearly three thousand miles, Ia
the form aud under the exactiLg regulations III
m international blockade, including the naval
occupation aud defense OF the Potomac river,
from its mouth TO the Federal Capital. Is the
boundary line between Mary land aud Virginia,
and also the main commercial avenue " the
principal base of our military operations.
y. Tho organisation OF combined naval and
military expeditions to operate against various
pvi.ss II she S,VutieIu SVass, rendering encieht
laval cooperation with the position and move
ments of such expeditions when landed, and in
Guiding also neediul laval aid ~ the army In
cutting of INSTRUMENTATION with the rebels
aud in its operations on the Mississippi and its
tributaries; and,
8. The active pursuit of the piratical cruisers
which might escape the vigilance Of the blocka-
dug force and put to sea from the rebel ports
He says, the first condition was complied with
20 far as the peculiar nature Of maritime frontier,
which has throughout its extent large portion
of double coast, would admit. The great draft
Of the principal naval vessels made this service,
on our shallow coast, work of great difficulty
And this was especially true If the coast OF
North Carolina.
At an early period it became necessary to
,I.oo n Ao,;lIa NJ, tho nvor Patnmac In ante
Of many obstacles, for several months the river
has been kept open for commercial purposes,
and the communication between the opposite
shores has, to = great extent, been restricted.
For the purpose Of blOckadng the ports more
effectualIy, fleets have been dispatched laden
with stone, to be sunk upon the bars OF various
harbors. Some have been placed in Ocracoke
Inlet, and another and larger description OF ves-
cells we're bought in the Eastern market, most OF
them such as we're formerly employed in the
whale fisheries. These were sent to Obstruct
the channels Of Charleston hsrbor and the Sa-
vannah river; and this, if efectually done, will
proye the most economical and satisfactory
method of interdicting commerce at those points
dred and 6fty-th vessels have been captured
sailing under various flags, most Of which were
attemp ing TO violate the blockade. With few
exceptions, these vessels were i'll such condition
when seized, as to authorize their being sent At
once to the courts for adjudication and condem-
nation as prizes.
An expedition to Hatteras Inlet under CON-
lend Of Flag Officer st,,us CHAM, with eight hun
oieo sooe'e -"der command vi Major General
Butler, was emnently successful in the attack
upon and capture Of Forts Hatteras aid CIsrk K.
The entire garrison, under The command OF
Samuel Barron, recently and Tor nearly fifty
years an officer OF the navy, surrendered after
sustaining great loss, while not life was tacr +
iced nor an individual of the Union forces
wounded.
Dupont, of forty eight nsVsi '' op'. ". a =
transports, left Hampton Roads on the 2sln sun" =,
October.
After encOuntering the severest storm that
has visited the coast during the present season,
| which partially dispersed the squadron, causing
the wreck Ut several OF the Transports, and com.
pelling even some OF the smaller vessels of the
navy to put back, the feet, by the merciful in.
terpOsiti0n OF Providence, was preserved, and
appeared before Port Royal, one OF the bes.
though neglected harbors Oh our Southern coast.
on the 5th day OF November. So soon "a the
inary measures accomplished assaults ere ffatie
on the well-buiIl and thoroughly armed forts
Beauregard and Walker. CUnsummate naval
strategic skill and the most admirable gunnery
were exhibited i'll the attack, which was of such
tremendous effect that General Drayton and the
rebel army surrendered their strODgholds, and
fed the coast with precipitation, leaving their
property, armament and papers, while our naval
forces took aud still hold quiet possession of one
of the finest hsrbors on the Atlantic seaboard
A demonstration since ordered by Flag Officer
Dupont on Ty bee Island, at the mouth of the
Savannah river, resulted in the capture
of that island and the strong Martello tower and
battery that virtually command Fort Pulaski.
Our naval forces have possession of that island,
a part Of the South American squadron is at an
Choir in the hsrbor, and the Gag of the Union is
still unfurled in Georgia.
A naval force, auxiliary to and connected with
the army movements ON the Mississippi and its
tributaries, has been organized, and is under the
command OF Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, who
Captain Charles Wilkes, in command OF the
Son Jacinto, while searching in the West Indies
for the Sumter, received information that James
N. Mason and John Sidell, disloyal citizens and
leading conspirators, were to embark from Ha-
wanna in the English steamer Trent, on their
way to Europe to promote the cause of the in.
surgeuts. Cruising in the Bahama Channel he
intercepted the Trent on the 9Th of November.
and took from her these dangerous men whom
he brought to the United States. His vessel
having been ordered to re6t for service at
CharlestOwn, the prisoners we're retained on
board and conveyed to Fort Warren, where thew
we're committed to the custody of Col. Dim.
lick, in command of that fortress.
The prompt and decisive action of Captain
Wilkes on this occasion merited and received
the emphatic approval of the department. and
if too generous fOrbearance was exhibited by
him in not capturing the vessel which had these
rebel emissaries on board, it may, in view OF the
special circumstances, and of its patriotic mo.
tives, be excused; but it must by no means
De permitted to constitute precedent hereafter
for the treatment of any case of similar infrac-
ton OF neutral obligation by foreign vessels en-
gaged in commerce or carrying trade.
There was total, as stated in the last report,
OF ~ vessels, carrying 555 guns and about T..
6OO men, in commission on the 4th of March
last.
When the vessels now building and pur-
chased, of every class, are armed, equipped and
ready for service the condition of the navy
will be as follows:
Number Of vessels. Guns. Tonnage
Ships-of-l line ............ 5O4 1894
EEieAteS SoO IZAV4