New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-03
ruu Abstract Of tie Report Of tae Scene-
tarJ Of the Navy.

tarI OF the Navy.
Secretary Welles opens his report in recitiDg the
operations and achievements Of our naval forces
during Ehe pas, year.
EFFICACY OF THE BLOCKADE.
Since the commencement; of the war four power
ful souadroDs have been collected, organized, sno
x,ariOned for duty on our maratlme frontier Win
rap,di;y and suddenness which fluids DO approach 10
spsrallel In previous naval history. aud "nicn ~
IL believed no otLer country than our o" Il 'ou'n
nave achieved. Notwithstanding eminent foreign
Statesmen had con,idercd a strict blockade on 20 vast
.eere "a ron,ei % he "a material mpossi5i iiy,'
yet after THE naval force had been Ill operS''o" 40
months along the Atlantic and Gnu coasts, ron the
ol,leL of the Chesapeake 10 the NOUN OF tte
Ri Cranle the same eminent authorities
were reluctantly Obliged TO a. kEowIedse mat tbe
efficiency of The blockade was conclusive aud III 10
previous war had tue rOr's OF an enemy country
L. an ,aeetually closed bya naval force. But
sncL acknow ledgment was not necessary: tie proof
NJ HE blockade hes ia the current prices OF SCuh-
on s,anles aud III the commercial condition of the
isu,g'nt region. 1ne Secretary describes how the
idns.i I necessities and commercial cupidlty OF the
le.diug nations we're at work TO break this block
sde; not the least from the neglboring fcreien
Hands. A vast hne Of sea coass OF some 3,OJ0
ul,ies honey .cOubeJ with iIlels aud hartOrs, has
been 80 beleacured that the life and industry OF the
vast region which borders II has practically ceased
~ exist.
DISTRIBUTION OF TIE FORCE.
Some changes aud fresh organizations In the force
have taken place.
The North A. ante Squadron, guarding the Virgil
Die ard North Carolina coast, continued in charge Of
kear-Adniral Goid,borougb until the 5 OF Seplem-
Der, when, by his own request, be was relieved by
Acting Rear Admiral S. II. Lee, who has since had
that command.
Ia the South Atlantic Squadron which blockades
tie herbors aud coasts OF South Carolina, Georgia
And The eastern portion o. the Florida Peninsula, 10
clarge has taken place, Resr-Admiral Dupont hav-
hg stl,l command.
Tie Gut squadron was divided on the Dist Of
February. Flag Officer Mexican retained command
Of the Eastern Gulf Squadron guarding the southern
AND western portions OF the Florida Peninsula. On
account Of i'll health Flae-OtiCer Mexican has been
relieved by Acting RearAonirai Lardner, and be in
turn, account OF III health, was relieved by Com
psodOre TLeCdorus Ba ley.
The very responsible duty Of the Western Gulf
Squadron has been assigned to Capt ID. G.. Farra-
gut regard in the selection being had 10 the capture
OF New Orleans and the reoyeuins OF the MIssiS-
Epgi.
Beside this coast service Mississippi fotilla was
requisite. Capt. A. III. FOote was appointed To It's
command. lis services Were greatly evidenced III
sic OF his preparations; and being wound Il
On the oh Of May Fort Donelson be was relieved
by Capt &. III. Davis, wno wac coon after Apo nted
Chief Of the Bureau OF Navigation, aud ia October
rehuQ uis he'd the command. BY order OF Congress,
the gunboat feet was transferred 10 the Navy under
the command OF Aching R,sr-Adriral ID. ID. Porter
who entered upon his duties the 10Th OF October
Tie active operations OF the Potomac hotilla
ceased, In great measure after the erection OF tue
extensive Rebel batteries on the Virginia shore IN
the Agiuau OF ls6l. For several months the CON-
peree there wac almost entirely suspended, but the
passage Of our armed vessels was never prevented.
H. March the insurgents abandoned the batteries
.nd tie troops which garrlso ed them were with
drawn Owing TO the advance OF our army toward
Richmond tie duty on the Potomac was compare
yysly li-ht durIDg the Summer. Ire h0illla is now
under tOmmaI OF Commodore Harwcoc, and dOes
service 10 preventing illicit traffic and Ia Capturing
prisoners and property.
The army being at York Peninsula and before
Richmond gunboats and vessels were transferred 10
James and \ Ork Rivers. After the battle of Mall
yern Hill the vessels 10 protect the army were re-
solved into distinct organization. Capt. Charles
Wilkes was detailed for this service; but the with
orsyal OF Tie army from the Peninsula In August
released the yessels from that duty. flying squad
roll under Acting ke@r.AdmirAl Wilkes Wa. iusii-
tued Tor the purpose OF sweeping contrabanoisis
from the coast.
NAVAL EXPEDITIONS.
In addition - the blockade, naval expeditions
have been NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 10 cooperate with
the army. The result Is the great artery Of the Mis
bissiIIi Valley with Its tributaries, embracing many
thou and miles oiinlapd navigation, is uninterrupted
EXCEPT at Visksbnrg, but from which, with the CO.
operation of military force, the Rebels can be ex
PEELED Tie blOckadiDg squadrons have ports Tor
rendezvous and repairs. ana where Imports and ex-
porte may be made under a Collector Nearly the
entire seaDoard OF the insnTs gent region, In lis man
poin.s Of commercial or strategic imporiance-from
Norfolk and the outlet OF tie Chesapeake through
Roanoke, Newbern, and Beaufort, n. c., Port
koyal Tybee, FernanGina, Key West, Pensacola
70 kew-O orleans aud GaiyestoD-s practically III our
hands held fact and rrecoveraLly under the guns Of
our navy, OF else garrisoued and governed BY our
military force. But short tine Can elapse before
tie lew remaining ports which are stlll IN the POI
session OF the Insurgents VIII be reduced 70 our
pa val or mi ltary occupation ana authoTlty
The Secretary all1des 10 the question OF putting
Tie ports 70 taken simply into Government haBds,
Dispensing with the blockade aud Its expenses, nc
corning 70 the castom OF nations IN times OF rebel
lion. This was cone by ne ~ Mexico. This would
give the feet the opportunity 10 pursue naraudeTs
Oh the nigh seas.
NORTH ATLANTIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ISLAND
Lghl-draugnt vessels were escaping blockade on
the North Carolina coast; 10 In January an army
and navy expedition under Flsg-O1icer l.. M.
Goldsborough and Bng.-Gen. A. l.. burnside
moved FROM Hampton Roads.
This force eolsis.ed Of IL hsht-draaght vessels,
with al armament OF As guns, moot oil them heayy
eaiber. IL arrived at Hattefas Inlet on the loth
January, and ia TWO days passed the diicult chan
nell tie army TRANSPORTS required some weeks
nore. On the 5tb February the combined expedi-
ton proceeded toward Roanoke Island; the naval
vessels placed by Flag Officer GOldsboroush
under tie Immediate command OF Commander >. I.
Rowan, were formed into three separate columns
By Leuts. Reed Worden, Alex. Murray, and ii. X.
Davenport. On the 7Ih February, the enemy, with
eight vessels were repused, and 10 900 troops dis
embarked; and the next day tue island wa yield
I'd up.
Relreating from Roanoke Island, the Rebel naval
beet f-d up ihe Sound into PasqUotank River, to-
ward Elizabeth City, Commander Rowan pursuing
them with tbe hoiilia, Snchorug for the night few
miles from Fort Cobb. At 3 a M, February ~,