, 1862-12-04
OUR WAVAR AFFAIRS.
From the Report Of the Secretary Of
the Navy.

HkSAA kkAc AAfksVA& ~ @AAV 6&<A~SA5 ~ |
the Nary.
Since the commencement Of our national /
difficulties, four powerful equadrons have been
collected, organized, and stationed for duty |
on our maritime frontier, with rap!d1ty and |
euddepness which finds no appro2cn to par
allel in previous naval history, and which it
is believed no other country but Our own
could have achieved: These squadrons have
been necessarily 1naintaining strict blockade |
Of such gigantic proportions that eminent |
foreign statesmen In the highest scenes of le- !
gislation did lot hesitate, at its commence
ment, publicly to dcDouuce it as "a material
inapossitllity;;" aud Jet after this most impos,
ing naval undertaking had been for period
Of tiqhteen months ID operation, and after its
reach had been effectively extended along the
entire sweep of cur Atlantic aid Gulf cD15:a,
from the outlet Of the Chesapeake to the
mouth Of the Rio Grande, the same eminent
authorities, with a list i1 their hands OF all
the vessels which had evaded or escaped the
vigilance Of our blockading forces, could not
refuse in their official statements to admit
with reluctant candor that the proof Of the
efficiency of the blockade Was conspicuous
and wholly conclusive, and that in no pre-
vious war had the ports Of an eaenny's couu-
try beer 80 cHectual1y closed By naval f1rce.
But even such testimony was not needed.
The proof Of the fact abounds in the current
price Of our Southern staples in the great
commercial marts Of the world, aud more es-
cial condition OF the insErgent region. 1t
s.>c-1a .ect - fnrgotten that 10 Circumstance
[,ostast - ~ aLGst s,,. .seesnisu7e r. tti
S,easesL S:!. " ~ natA ~ Itaulupns. The !nousIla!
the principal maritime nations, armed aud
elnpoweIso ~ lucy ase ny Inc resources o.
modern invention, are kept at bay. 4 multi
t! luz - u.lli9ote uuuea lolsign Jo1i5a1e.
uoa! ioohang AZ nea1'y upon oat sn9Ies ana n
fo1ag f sls ;11ost most convenient lulh'ng paees
W ~ pton.u.1sn 1es.4l1Iou anu puI po3t.. AtS
80 GIoslas Watcneo as ~ .eaoer Tue peru OF al'
sueu teNs04es Ial gEea>ei Luan efGn t1slf
enotin9as 9 gans "hen suecesslu5 caa Anu 9nal1y,
3 .asL hhe OF sca-soae! nearly 30D mics IN
extent, nuch Of It With double shore anl
| alfEoSt money 'comoed With lnletS and harbors,
! liz, oeen SO pcleaguered and locked up that
| the whole immense foreign commerce, which
was tue very life Of the industry sid oppu-
| Ience Of the vast region which it borders, ha5
practically ceased to exist.
| r1r x.r,,roncv
:. o4's.
| Hntn cn1efeu upon tae discourage OF my
| my puolac auties 1 as 1be mead OF tins depart
ment, IN March, 1871, there were but forty
hun as
then altached 10 me navy nave been msde
available. most OF those IN commission were
aofoad, ana OF INC ,epo seamen IN the pay OF
ne goyefaa3ment, govern there we're, on the loth OF
Malen, leot, oas ~ ~ men IN ~ toe POTS ana
reciEing shlps on me Auantlc coast to man
our shps and protect the navy yards aud de-
pots, Or TO aid IN suppresslng the rising III
suiTectaon-
/ Nelther ING expiring administration, nor
Gongress, Tn1eh had @ peen IN session until the
an OF MaIcn, haa taken measures 70 increase
or strengthen our naval power, notw1thstand-
lcg lle l9Nefine aspect OF CUR public anAlr5 :;
tloI desired troops Tor the protection of the
pupnc properly AZ NoFlolk and An1apons, OF
san0rs 10 man ana fem9se tae vessels nelsaes
vas no men 10 man cur ships, nor were the
few ships at cur yards IN condition to be put
| into immaculate service.
Thep1oclamatlon Of April placing our entire
coast from the mouth Of the chesapeake to
she ilo GFande under blockade, found Us With
haEa! force, even were every vessel on OUT
coast, inadequate 10 the "ork required.
nave IN my 1ormer reports at the special
Session, IN July, 1871, and IN december last
made ,u'l exposition OF the steps that wsr5
taken to recan cur tore1gn equadeoes and ths
| progress Which had been made IN augmentin!
our navy ~ repairing and lifting, as eXpedi
tlouEl{ Us PesS1nle. every available vcsse
owned ny TIE government, by Pn1chas1at
suen oIasrs as coalo oe maze specify use;u
N guald1hg our SHALLOW aud peculiar coast
} ano pE 1apaciy constr1ctiag as many sIean
t ers as could De could De omlt at our nav,
yards ana employ1ng 20 tne eAtent t9a1 "
| coulu ploCule ma1el1Ai6, tu2l1es ana ula
, chlae1Y, inc resources OF me country 10 add
, ing others from pr1Vate snip yards. the r.
l sult1es at#e nave al tnls lime aloat, or Pre-
f gfesslbg 10 rapaa compleI1on, . naval lore
consisting Or FL vessels, thers having bee
Z oeen adoed 10 1oose q lhe old navy enume
4 rated ID ny report OF Jniy. 1911, e2ciuslTe
!, uss ovat 'gs.' esI ~ essSto, ~ neu ~ ~
l aggresa1e Win l,5H guns and Of the capaclt
The annals of the world do not show S
great an Increase III 60 brief pariod to th
nsval rouor ~ op,1 counfrv t. ofT,rdc ~
satisfaetson to ata+a |hst 9ha ~
ia fhe navv from ne eonmarcsa1 ,aarsne ha
j. Etose0 ~ WuGoA u eAtssatent VI ChF2etel' taouE
d lasse sEsseis Heie noe oultt LOT war purpose
Aa ooueSa auiusty naso ~ tn9 eIieusea 31
| 80 80 ~! netS es4fto " xH se AAe sito ee
4 seo nes 80 II sApsetsn " tnsM. ~ e4u
aMouns - - so4aase was ese1 Rroculea 1or 80
l3 | serelce nc Prices cofTeSpondinglY low, a1
r with SO little disturbance to the commerci
community; and no vessels were ever CO.
| st1ucted on better terms for the ,rovernmen
in ~ 80 bottar r,1bserrai +ho 6nr1asa. e
. T which they were designed, than tue twent
"a nort-o6ta5 ~ ~ ~ rasnnns,h;f1tr ~ !,
T. oe-,n,aa.sos4 | " ,rt,1;+Sos - >,t- -a;+;
Etenet .4eA' - - 1toot4tH@as 3" "!snuus "ateAt
a. !ol sne Mnon o9 tongfssA N ~ xssPee
AAAAHE eAAA7 May Lao kA0 5os u 41SA1" S~SA ~
g ter or more economically and faithfully serve
n | construction and purchase tn the nsyv