The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-09


have been collected, organized, and
stationed for duty on our maritime from
tier, with rapidity and suddenness which
finds no approach to parallel in previous
naval history, and which il is believed no
other country but our own could have
achieved. These squadrons have been
necessarily maintaining strict blockade
OF such gigantic proportions that eminent
foreign statesmen in the highest scenes
of Legislation did not hesitate, ut it's COM
mencemcnt, publicly to denounce it as
ga material impossibility and yet after
this most impossible naval undertaking
had been for period of eighteen months
in operation, and after its reach had been
effectively extended along the entire
sweep of our Atlantic and Gulf coasts,
from the outlet of the Chesapeake to the
mouth Of tie RIO Glandc, the same emf
nent authorities, with list in their
hands of all the vessels which had e,aded
or escaped the vigilance Of our blockading
forces, could not refuse in their oficia
statements to admit with reluctant candor
that the proof of the efficiency of the
blockade was conspicuous and wholly con
clus We, and that in no previous war had
lie ports Of an enemy's country been SO
eIfectually closed by a naval force. But
even such testimony was not needed.
The proof of the fact abounds in the cur
rent price Of our Southern stables in the
great commercial marts of the world, and
more especially in the whole Industrial
and commercial condition of the insurgent
region. 1t should not be forgotten that
no circumstance is wanting to attest the |
magnitude of this greatest of all naval
triumphs. The industrial necessities and |
the commercial cupidity of all the prin-
ciral maritime nations, armed and en-
powered as they are by the resources of
modern invention, are kept at bay. A
multitude of island harbors under foreign
jurisdiction, looking nearly upon our
shores aifording the most convenient Turk
ing places from which Illicit commerce
may leap forth to its prohibited destna-
ton and purpose, are SO closely watched
as to render the peril of all such ventures
far greater than even their enormous
gains when successful. And finally, q
vast line of sea-coast nearly 5000 miles
in extent, much Of it with "a double shore
and almos: honey. comb. with inlets and
harbors, tas been 80 beieagured and lock
ed up that the whole immense foreign
commerce, which was the very life and
oppulenoe Of the vast region which it
borders, has practically ceased to exist.
rur rnurr II
When / entered upon the discharge Of
my public duties as the head Of this de-
in March, 1861. there was but
forty-,wo vessels in commission. and, as
stated in my last annual report, but sew
enty-six vessels then attached to the
navy have been made available. Most OF
those in commission were abroad, and of
the 7, 500 seamen in the pay Of the gov.
eminent, there were, on the 10th oil
March, 1861, but 207 men in all the ports
and receiving ships on the Atlantic coast
to man our ships and protect the navy
yards and depots, or to aid 10 suppressng
the rising insurrection. /,
Neither the expiring administration,
nor Congress, which had been in session
until the 4th of March, had taken meas
ures to increase or strengthen our naval
power, Notwithstanding the lowering as
pect of our public affairs SO that when
) few weeks after the Inauguration de-
sired troops for the protection of the pub. ,
lie property at Norfolk and Annapolis, or .
sailors to man and remove the vessels, ,
neither sailors or soldiers could be pro-
cured. There was no men to man our ,
ships, nor were the few ships at our yards
IN condition to be put into immediate
service.
The proclamation of April placing our ,
entire coast from the mouth Of the Chasa-
peake to the Rio Grande under blockade,
found us with naval force, even were ,
svery vessel on our coast, inadequate to
he work required. II
! have in my former reports at the
special session, in July, 1861, and in
December last, made full exposition Of
The steps that we're taken to recall our !
foreign squadrons and the progress which 4,
had been made in augmenting our navy
BY repairing and fitting, as cxpeditiously !
as possible. every available vessel owned
by the government, BY purchasing such
others as could be made speedily useful :
in guarding our shallow and peculiar
coast, and by rapidly constructing as ]
many steamers as could be built at our /,
navy yards, and employing to the extent ,
that we could procure materials, engines
and machinery, the resources of the coun- !;
try ia adding others from private ship !
yards. The result is, that we have at (
this time afoat, or progressing to rapid ,
naval force consisting of i
a27 vessels, there having been added to ,
those of the old navy enumerated in the ,
report Of July, 1861, exclusive of those J