Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-08
Ehs @reason of seore+arv Touesy.


The Special Committee appointed to en-
quire into the condition of the navy has,
through its chairman, Mr.. Dawes Of Massa-
chusetts, made its report TO the House of Rep
rescntafives The evidence presented shows
conclusively that the Secretary of the Nary
has been deeply involved in the reasonable
designs of the hate Cabinet. The report shows
that on the 9th of January, 1861, the naval
force of the nation was distributed as follows:
Elst India squadron 3; Pacific squadron Z;
Mediterranean squnlron 3; African. squadron
I Home squadron l storcships 6; diSmah-
tied g. -s1so l.ass sfF
or the "Home squadron" nearly all were on
the coasts of Cuba, Mexico and Central Amer
ca, or under orders to sail for the South. On
" one of the storeshps was in an American
port, and the receiving ships were unavailable
for actual service. The rrport says; e-u
1.-The number of ships lying in port, aud dis
lnantlcd and unfit for service, is %, mounting
in the aggregate 874 guns. None of them
could be repaired aud put under sail short Of
several weeks time. and several of them would
require for that purpose at least six months
No orders have beeu issued to put in readi-
nc any Of them. ''4 t RI
The foregoing comprises the VII de naval
force of the country-both that which is in
commission and in actual service, and that
which lies in port. and is from any cause una
va;lab!e in any sudden emergency. From this
statement it will appear that the entire naval
force available for the defence of the whole
/ Atlantic coast at the time of the appointment
| of this committee consisted of the Steamer
! Brooklyn. twenty-five guns, and the store ship
Relief, two guns while the former was of too
/ great draft TO permit her to enter Charleston
harbor with safety, except at spring tides, and
the latter was under orders to the coast of AT
rica with stores for the African squadron
! Thus the whole Atlantic seaboard has been,
( to all intents and purposes, without defence
during all the period of civil commotion and
| laHless violence to which the President has
called our attention as "of such vast and a
farming proportions" as to be beyond his pow
er to check or control.
/ 1t further appears, that of the vessels which
might have been available for defence or pro-
lection in case of any sudden emergency aris-
ing at home, now at stations in distant seas or
on their way thither, on the 18th of October
! last, the Richmond left our coast to join the
Mediterranean squadron, aud the Nandalla
left on the 2lst of September TO join the East
India squadron, and about the same time the
Saratoga to join the African squadron, and
others to join the home squadron, then in the
barbor of Vera Cruz, supporting one of the
revolutionary governments of Mexico. r- FL.
The committee revert to the important fact
! that not single vessel of the twcnty-eight "
! ing dismantled has been put under repair, al
though nearly $650,OoO appropriated for re-
pairs in the navy remains unexpended. Atten-
ton is also called TO the extraordinary and
cupablc haste on the part of Secretary Toucy
to accept the resignniions of Southern Off
GERS. Twentv-nine officers have resigned since
the election and in no case was there an ex-
planatioa asked before the acceptance Of the
resignation.
! In at least three instances where southern
officers had joined the rebel forces, and COM
mitted hostile acts against the United States,
official notice of their treason had been receiv-
ed by the Secretary of the Navy, from one to
seven days before their resignation reached
him. Yet these designations were accepted
without question, and 10 Dotice taken OF the
acts Of mutiny and treason. In concluding.
the Committee ask the passage OF vote ol
censure' on the Secretary Of the Navy,
and the chairman gave notice that he should
| ask vote on the resolution on Monday or
Tuesday.