New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-10
THE NAVY pEpAETnENy.

The Secretary OF the Navy opens his report
With . review Of the blockade during the past
ycar--a blockade unparalleled in point Of cx-
tent, fox il covers. according to accurate table
OF measurement prepared at ito Coast Survey
Oii.c, distance Of $50 statute miles, with
10 larbor or river opening, or indentaiions
The blockade is becoming mcrc effective and
complete. Plogrcss has been uiade N repellng
the Rebels from the coast and oiEcumscrb.ng
thoir limits.
TIE Moth Atlantic Squadron Aea 20 ell
.cicrly pelelra'ed, watched Gld guarded the
nycrs VI Virginia. the sounds OF North Carolina
AID The entire coat, - to cut OF all Intercourse
With the Robcl., with the single exception Of
tho port II Wilmington, % clo mich L.s been
difficult i.Ou 10 two inlet', thirty miles apart,
lankel b. extensive batteries. Some mt
tcamcTs have, under The cover Of darllncs
succeeded in clrdinc capture, IN, most even Of
,ha; q r'l..ou Of vessels have fallen into our
Asal- q. briR driven Oh shore.
TIE chief mart Of the blocicfc.rrnreT,
Cil'.r Do, haf been in he course q Tic year,
cr.'~J 81, 70 them. ! iirt temp, made
ID kYr. ADMIRAL Du Iont on the IN OF Apr',
proved ua,gccclf.ul; but Il a. believed tbet
.incc jay. s,ca Rcnr-Adinirl Dah'gr-n took
command ~ Tie feet, and ,oor si,or .y.l,cd
Morris .c.l, no vessels have eludcl tho viz.
lance OF oar Aeet or effected communication
with toe q hols On TINT coast Not a sine,e
bios kalc-runrns IN ractci Charleston 0rf,c
months. THus, San commercial mart, ClArlc..
ton 10 lo-ecl e.sti; ai st.lteglc point 81 T. of
lt;lo consequence. Within the limits oi Til
sguadrol the no ID, extraordinary naval conflict
durug thoyc1r occurrcd--thc battle bCwcon he
Wc'havfrn, v' sci IL tLc Nol.,o. cl4 r, aud
DO ium'dallo armed Rebel slesmcr Atlanta.
/, w-s . st both % this new cli-s o. vessel
and VI .he new i5-inch ordnance The remark
able re'at, the cgp,ure' Of The formidable Rebel
craA ai'cr only f',ecu miuu'ea' rc stance, made
q sensation throughout tho civilized World, and
appears To have c,tinfuished tie last hopes Of
ito Rebels la withstand orr naval power by
naval means.
The Eas'em Gulf Squadron hli almost en-
tircly ann.hila,el To Illicit trade ~ TO- depart
ren', which, on account OF The ncaracs5 OF
Florida TO Cuba and Nassau, presents 80 many
available ports Tor Guiding the blockade. More
than ouo hundred craft have been cap,ulcl or
do-;royei
The Western Gulf and the Mississippi Squad
rons assisted in some If tho grcs;e-t y.1iol.e.
obtained for our cause duripg he ycsr--the
former aiding IN reducing Por; Iludson. and the
latter In reducing Iiokiburg. Together they
thus opened the navigation Of the hiis,isvippi-
one OF tie heaviest blows inflicted upon the
Rebels since tho beginning Of The war. Only
one point OF Importance for successfully cluding
tho blockade was stiil IN the possession Of the
Rabelr-thc mouth Of the Rio Grande; and thi,
has now olso been closed by the successful e4-
petition Of Gen. Banks.
The Increase of The naval iorco during the
past year has again been very considerable.
Al The commencement of the Admin .srgtiOn il
consisted Of 70 vessels. and Of these only 81
we've IN commiiion. In December, l-6:, the
number o! our vessels vas AZ; during he cur
rent year II has increased 10 $50.
The Secretary calls attention to the highly
Improvements in naval wallayc to
which our war has led, and which haye aj-
founded the eniircciyiliAcd worli-the introduce
ton into naval service Of iron shielding and of
ordnance Of oslibor, reach aud power hereto
fore regarded as impossible. Ieurges Jon il.c
consideration of Congress the adoption Of fur.
ther measures for creating powerful navy.
The establishment Of now Navy Yard on a
large scale, he regards as on indispensable ne
ccsity, as ouG present facilities sor mnnuiaciur.
Ing and repairing slcam machiaery arc cntirly
insufficient. Suggestions aro made M TO the
Of Naval Depot on tho Mi..sis-
sippi, tho education of engineers, ,hs Naval
Academy, tho enlistment Of seamen and other
important subjects.
The number Of vessels captured by ls squad
rons and reported to tho Department on thc lsL
Of November ~ I,Oi5, classified a. follows:
Schooncn, 5l7; steamers, 10; sloops. 1871 !:
b.ig-. "; banks. 21i shiDs 10, yGcht5 aal