Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-12-09
The United States NAVY.

The Secretary OF the Navy in his decidrJiv
interesting report to Congress, gives a tabulur
statement OF the present naval force of the United
States. lie anys;-
When entered upon the discharge of NV pub.
lie duties, us the head Of this Department in
March, 1861, there were but AZ vessels in oom.
mission, and, as stated in my last annual report
but ~ vessels then attached to the navy have
been made avalllbe. Most OF those in coinmis-
sion were abroad, and OF the 800 seaneu in the
pay OF the Government there were on the ION
Of March, 1861, bur 207 men in ull the norris anil
receiving ships on the Atlantic coast to man our
ships. and protect the navy yards and denots
Or to aid in supprcssing the rising insurrectoo
Neither the expiring Administration, nor Con-
gress, which had been in session until the 4tb of
March, Lad taken measures TO increase or
strengthen our naval power, Notwithstanding til.
lowering aspect Of our public aiinirs so that when
few weeks after the Inauguration desired
troops for the protection of tie public properly
at Norfolk and Annapolis, or sailors to man and
remove tue vessels, neither soldiers nor sailors
could be procured. There we've no men to man
ur ships, nor were the few ships at our yards
IN condition to be put into immediate service.
The proclamation Of April, placing our eutire
coast from the mouth of the Chesapeake to the Rio
Grande under blockade, found us with naval
force, even were every vessel on our coast, mad
equate to the work required.
nave IN my former reports at the special
session IN July 1861, and IN December last, made
full exposition OF the steps which were promptly
taken To recall our foreign squadrons and tba
progress which had been made IN auRmentinp our
navy by repairing and fitting, as eApedtiously as
possible, every available vessel owned by the
Government, by purchasing such others as cou VI
be made speedily useful in guarding our shallow
and peculiar coast, and by rapidly constructing
as many steamers as could be butt at our navy
yards, and employing, to the extent that we could
procure materials, engines, and machinery. th
the resources Of the country in adding other,
from private ship yards. The result is, that we
have at this time atioat or progressing to rapid
completion naval force consisting of 427 vessels
there having been added to those of the old navy
enumerated in my report of July, 1861, exclusive
of those that were lost, 353 vessels, armed 10 the
Aggregate with ,577 guns, and Of the capacity of
240, ,02S tons.
The annals of the world do not show go preat
an increase in 30 brief period to the naval power
Of any country. 1t affords me satisfaction to
state that the acquisitions made to the navy from
the commercial marine have proved to be of an
excellent character, and though these vessels
were not built for war purposes, and consequently
have not the strength OF war vessels, they have
performed all the service that was expected of
them No equal amount OF tonnage was ever
procured for any service at prices so correspond
ingly low, and with so little disturbance 10 the
commercial community; aud no vessels were
ever constructed on better terms for the Govern.
ment, or have better subserved the purposes for
which they were designed, than the twenty.three
gunboats for which the Department contracted
on its own responsibility at the commencement
Of hosiiliiies, without waiting for the action of
Congress. In no respect during this war, has
the Government been better or more economically
and faithfully served than in the additions that
have been made by construction and purchase to
he navy.
In order that the actual condition If the navy.
,ast and present, from March 4, 1861, 10 Noyem.
Der, 1862, and the expansion which has been
made, may be seen, present a tabular statement
If the number of vessels, and the aggregate of