Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-12-19
Abstract of the Report of the Secretary
of the NAVY,

I luSuTBehI ports ana coast Hoe OF nearly three
thousand miles /; to protect cur maritime com
merce and cruise in pursuit of pIratical vessels
sent out by the Confederates and to take
part in combined naval and military expedi,
tions against North and South Carolina, and
/ the ports of the infected districts. The report
of the Secretary of the Navy gives detailed
information of the manner iu which these ar
duons duties have been performed
Vessels have been sunk in 0cracoke Inlet,
on the North Carolina coast, and others are
about to be sunk in the harbors of Charleston
and Savannah.
Que hu dred and fifty three vessels, OF
various sizes, have been captured since the in
stitution of the backade, most of them in at
tempting to run the blockade.
! The naval expeditions were, it seems plan
ned after receiving the reports of board of
officers, who deliberated on the best points to
be attacked and seized The board consisted
OF Captains j. T. Dupont aud Charles II
Davis, of the navy; Major John G. Barnard.
of the army, and Professor Alexander Bache,
of the coast survey.
The Secretary reports that Flag officer A.
II. Foote, OF the navy, has organized an eff
cient naval force in the Mississippi, auxiliary to
the army
Of privateers the report states that " such
of these cruisers as eluded the blockade and
capture were soon wrecked, beached or sunk,
with the exception of one, the steamer
Sumter, which, by soma fatality, was permit
ted to pass the Brooklyn, then blockading one
of the passes of the Mississippi and after a
brief and feeble chase by the latter was allow,
ed to proceed on her pratical voyage. As in,
etl, l. l.
ordered by the Department.
The Secretary fully sustains the act of Cap
tain Wilkes in capturing Mason and Slidel-
He says admirably
The prompt and decisive action of Capt
Wilkes on this occasion nerited and received
the emphatic approval of the Department :;
aud if a too generous forbearence was exhibit
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
motives, be excused But it must by no means
be permitted 10 constitute a precedent here
after for treatment of any case of similar in
fraction of neutral obligation by foreign vessels
engaged in commerce of the carrying trade"
| There were, on The 4th of March last. in
commission and at the service of the Secretary
/ of the Navy, only ~ vessels, carrying 555
/ guns, and 1900 men There are. today, IN
commission 264 vessels, carrying 1851 guns
and over % 900 men This is an immense
work 10 do in little more than eight months
Besides this there will be ready, very shortly,
! itty-two new steamers, peculiarly adapted TO
coast guard duty" three of which are iron
clad.
! The Secretary advises the creation of more
/ grades in the naval services, as likely to add
/ t) the efficiency of the work, by making the
rewards more frequent Also, he recommends
a rule that officers he retired with a sufici ut
allowance, after forty-fve years service
Twenty FIVE acting leutenants, four hundred
and thirty three acting masters, aud two hun
/ dred ana nine masters mates have been ap
/ pointed, in order t. have officers enough TO
the so largely increased navy. There have also
| been acting engineers and surveyors appoiut
! ed.
/ The Secretary asks Congress to foster the
/ Naval School TO such degree that at least
double the usual number of cadets may be in
structed.
On the slavery question the Secretary says
nothing. but the following, {" on the employ.
ment of fugitives, will show that he proposes
to protect loyal men, and arrest insurgents,
without asking if they be black or white He
says:
In the CoaStwiSe and bIockadng duties of
the navy it has not been unfrequent that fug
uYes from lnSurrectonary places nave sOu2ht
on" ships for refuge and protection, and ou
naval commanders have applied to me for in
structlon as to the proper disposition which
should be made of such refugees My answer
has been that, il insurgents, they should be
handed over to the custody of the Government
but If, on the contrary, they were free from
any voluntary participation in the rebellion and
sought shelter and protection of our flag, then
they should be cared for and employed in some
useful manner, and might be enlisted to serve
on our public vessels or in our navy yards re-
celVing wages for their labor. If such employ
ment could not be furnished to all by the navy,
they might be referred to the army, and if no
employment could be found for them n public
service, they should be allowed to proceed
freely and peaceably, without restraint to
seek livelihood in any loyal portion of the
country. This have considered to be the
whole required duty in tie premises, of our
naval officers
! The naval estimates for the year ending June
80, 1860, amount to $I4 625, 665; and besides
/ this the Secretary reports deficit of SIS, $50,
600 needed for current expenses to pay for
vessels purchased and for necessary alterations
incurred in fitting them for naval purposes, for
the purchase of additional vessels and for the
construction and completion Of twenty iron
/ clad vessels
Army Signals.