Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-12-18
Rcpor, Of the seeretnry of The Nayy.

tisu In uli the bounds Ol the nitti state
Rcpor, of the Secretary Of the Navy.
Secretary WEuFs' report goes less into
detail, Of what has been done by the Navy
than his last years report did. \ great por-
ton of tie navy is occupied IN maintaining
the blockade of the rebel ports The blockade
extend, oycr three thousand five hun
drcd and cishty-ulnc harhor and river OPEN
inss. OF indcutatious. and more than one
hundred vessels keep guard. Ca the Misss-
sippi the distance traversed and patrolled by
runblat, !, three thousand SIX hundred and
fifteen miles. and two thousand miles of
sounds. bayous. rivers, inlets, &c, on the
Atlantic and Gulf have also been watched
Except at Wilmington-which is difficult u
cl, Sc wholly lccausc Of it, two entrances,
thirty miles aIart and hankfd by heavy bat
terics-thc running of the blockade has been
reduced To- a trfing amount, and even there
the attempt to run the blockade il frequently
unsuccessful. At Charleston not blockade
runner has succeeded for months past. BY
our occupation OF Brownsville, Texas, on the
RIO Grandc, a great channel for rebel sup
plies has been stopped. He pays tribute
to the gallant deeds Of our naval officers and
men on the Mississippi, and to the force dis
played at the West in fitting up, and man
ming vessels for the service on the Western
rivers
But the great and important exploits Of this
SQUADRON we're in the vicinity of Nicksburg,
where the strength Of the naval as well as Of the
military forces were centerei.
During the siege sixteen thousand shells were
thrown from the mortars, gunhoats, and naval
batteries upon the city and It's deiences before
they capitulatei.
The creation and organiEl;ion Of this large squad
ron. which has done such effective service on the
Upper Mississippi and its Tributaries, extending
over distance Of more than 5,po miles,
NAV be Justly considered among the most Won
darf,l events of the times. It is but little over
two wears since We had not a naval vessel IN all
tbe.e waters. where we now have a squadron Of
one hundred vessels, carrying l62 guns, with
crews amounting in the aggregate to about
. 800 men
There are now SIS vessels, Of i67,967 tons
and 4.4f3 guns. in our navy, which Is gain Of
1G1 ships. IL. .G3l tons and l,l15 guns. over
last wear. We have lost during the year -
sbins Of l.. qS5 tons, and l66 guns, Of which
10 were capturcd. 8 destroyed to prevent them
FILLING into the hands Of the enemy, sunk IN
bsttle or by torpedoes Is lost by shipwreck'
Fiftv-ei,bt vessels. Of gS.ol0 tons and i52
s,,p. have been placed under construction since
December. 1867, Of which
we're double-end iron steamers, l. guns,
I .0so tons each - single turrei iron-eiads,
Guns 81 tons each; { double turret lror-c'Ads'
/ runs. $3.50 tons each, y clipper s,re"-
sloops euns. 1900 tons each; screN-siuols' >
snar-dcck. ~ guns, 2,3pn tons eich' d s'reN
sioops of great speed, guns, 3,-'' tons elch
3 screw sloops Of great speed, ; guns ''V'' 'ois
each. - ,,- ,,,,,,
III o,,s;st of ili Iron-clad steamers, coast ser
,.;ce 1jO Guns. -. .5Is tons; - iron-clad steam
orr inland service, l52 guns, 20, tons zo'
s;de-wbeel steamers. ,3i0 guns, l26,9l. tons
1gs s.rpw steamers, SIS guns, eI,s32 tons
10 sailing vessels. ,52S guns, Io,2'o ions;
,,,.;n, total Of ,Ss vessels, i67 ,961 tons ana
NAAhlAi- Il NN'-.A
4 ,4i3 guns.
New Navy Yards, capable Of making great
er and more powerful ships,are wanted Inc
Secretary urges the Importance ol having en-
cineers educated for the navy, OF training
bows for the navy and of giving employment
~ our seamen in time of peace, and OF en-
couragins merit by providing for examlna
tions with a view to promotion.
Secondary Wrr1Es reviews the operations
or r,bel cruisers fitted out in England u
nrev ON our commerce, when the reoei
hive not a port to carry prize into, not
court where prize can be adludicated' an'
their only practice is to pillaGe and burn Ves
sells engaged in peaceful commerce, as 81
restoration of that Algerine and TriPolitai
system which long afflicted the clVliize'
,rorld but which under the lead of our gov
ernment. WAS extermlnated in the early par
of the present century. Everything ma
hecn done that could be to arrest these atro
cious proceedinss-but thus lar WIN ou'
moderate success. Coupled with the difflcui
ty of finding piratical vessel on the via
ocean with multitude of ports disposed
favor 1t. TO run into, there has been the. ne
cessity of employing most Of our naval 'ore
in the blockade service and in ccnluncuo
:.L ,,,- ornieS
Tho number Of vessels captured by the SQUAD
ron and reported to the department to the he, u
., November. is ,0i5, classified a. follows
schoopers 81; steamers l7s; sloops lSl; orle
so: barques ~; ships 10; yachts and sInA oOi a.
~ 1hi, is exclusive Of large number az
i,raysd an the Mississippi and other rivers an
IN ,be coast. a table giving their names aa',
oT canture. and other particulars. Is apPenaed
At the cosc OF the war Of lsl2ihere wsreo?r's' q
.els including armed gunboais anu 'en'e'S' III ~