The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-06


tion. The vicinity Of large city, where skill cd
artisans can be obtained without diAiculty and
the facilities Of markets and tenement, are abun-
daut, should be considered.
A foundation Of gravel " Du'd, for the purpoge
OF machinery, be preferable 70 stone. Au extern
syc water frontage must also be occurred. For
such depot aud Hb.ishnUnt, where costly
machinery and material would accumulate
dutug years q peace, the advantages Of an in
terror location are most mauif ST. These favor
able c, uditOus are 10 De obtained nowhere else
So completely as on the Delaware river; an tho
position OF League island, within The limits Of th,
eul OF Philadelphia, presents probably a stronger
c'mOinat n OF the points that ure necessary than
any other location
Il is TO Doe regretted tbat competition for sup
posed local benefits should Interfere with, retard,
aud perhaps entirely defeat the Government N
its ,lurt, g. secure so important national osia-
h1shueut II iu such cont Ct for sectional
iA\pf the country should lose forever the best
situation torsucu navy yard and establishment,
the result would be always dcpCvcd. The De-
IartmeDt has studiOusiy avoided the controversy
which has arisen in consequence Jf the efforts 20
secure navy yard 80 New London, whith rs
foreign 90 the question Of culhrg'ng or suhstsut.
ng more cummOdiOus establish mCut at puil8-
uyptg.
multiplicity cf small yards, similsrin In charac-
ter, crowded into one section OF the country, was
not the object or purpose of the Department tu
the suggestions and rocummeudaiD ions watch it
has rom time 70 time urged upon Congress,
There arc already three navy yards cas-. of the
Hudson, and should Congress deem il advisable
10 add another TO that section or elsewhere il is
to be hoped that such determination will not
luteri, re with or prevent the Government from
having proper establishment for the coustruc-
ton OF iron vessels, iron armOr and iron work Of
every description tOrnaval purposes in the imuc-
dlNe vicinity Of the iron and coal region OF the
more central portions of the Union. Such an
establis sbmcnt as the Department has advised on
the Delaware would not add 20 the number OF
yards, but would be a mere substitution, without
e. (ftNprumpuL for Ia nd
OF the more commodious and extensive grounds
and wafer front Of League island in place of the
present limited and restricted site at Philadel-
phla, which is wholly inadequate and insufficient
tor the purposes Oi a yard for even wooden ships.
REASONS why PHILADELPHIA SHOULD Re
sELECrED.
Among the reasons which impel me again to
Introduce this subject aud earn stly press it upon
the immediate attention Of Congress is the fact
that the great Pennsylvania Central Railroad has
moved Vitha view of obtaining portion of the
least valuable part OF League Island Tor depot
The objections urged against that position for a
navy ard, wlthits workshops, have no weight
with this comuauy, which requires shops and
heavy work. and Knows its own Interest Ualess
therefore. this free gift Of over six hundred acres
OF land, With wa'gs front of twenty.three feet
depth extending for more than two miles, within
the limits Of PHILADELPHIA, should be accep'eL
during the present session OF Congress, It will
probably pass into private hands, and the most
desirable and available position In this country
for such a yard will De diverted to other pur-
poses, ard lost forever TO the Government. As a
measure OF ordinary prudence II is most earnestly
recommended that the offer of League Island be
without delay accepted. When plans for its i'm
proyement hall b, submitted, aud an nppropria-
tion asked, with view of transferring the works
at the present yard to the new location, Congress
can then exercise its discretion in determining
the amount OF expenditure proper for this
purpose.
NAVY YARD on THE MISSISSIPPI
BY an act of Congress, approved June so, 1851
the Secretary OF the Navy was authorized and
empowered TO appoint commission, consisting
OF one naval officer, one officer of the engineer
corps and one civilian, 10 select the most approved
site FOR navy yard or naval station on the Mis-
sssippi river, or upon one of its tributaries aud
10 report to the next session of Congress- In
pursuance of the authority conferred on me by
this act commission has been constituted, and
is now engaged in making the required eXamna-
uOus. Rear Admiral Charles III. Davis, who has
had experience as commanding officer of the Mis-
sssppi squadron, was appointed senior member
OF the commission. The Secretary of War having
been requested TO name a suitable officer of the
engineer corps 10 be associated ON this commits
sion, and having named and detailed Lieutenant
Colonel A. II. Bowman for the purpose, that
officer was appointed. George w. Blunt, a civil
Ian OF nautical reputation and ability, of the city
OF New York, is the third gentleman of the COM
mission.
NAVAL RANK.
There is in the naval branch of the public ser
vice no rank corresponding with thar of leutcn-
ant general. Congress has established the grade
Of frear-admiral, which corresponds with that of
m8jOr-geneTal, and IL would be an act of recOg-
milton eminently deserved and which would be
fully appreciated by the gallant men Of the navy,
were Congress to authorize tue appointment of q
yce-admiral Such honors and prefermeRts
stimulate heroes.
Among eminent commanders in our naval ser
vice, of whom the nation may well be prOud we
have one who, all will acknowledge, merits by
his achievements rs high rank as that of any
naval officer in any country.
On the occasion Of the recent brilliant victory
in the bay of Mobile, more glorious, perhaps, in
some of its incidents, evenl than the memorable
conflict that gave us the possession and ulti-
mately restored the free navigation of the MissiS-
sippi il was, beyond question, the spontaneous
sentiment Of the country, that the veteran hero
who bad illustrated our naval annals by these
grand successes was worthy of the highest honOrs,
and should be promoted 20 the highest naval
rank. In recommending, therefore, that the Office
OF vice-admiral should be created and the ap-
polntment conferred on Rear Admiral d Gvid G.
Frrrlgut, but respond, as | believe, TO the voice
and wishes Of the naval service and Of the whole
country.
The attention of Congress- through the Naval
| Committee, has heretofore been called to the
fact that the number of officers on the active list,
~ the grades OF commodore, captain, cOmman.
der aud lieutenant. commander, is not equal %
tile number OF vessels OF the different rates re-
quired by law to be commanded by officers OF
these grades. A small increase was recomm 3nde1
as well as an alteration In the law relative to
filling vacancies In the grade of admiral in time
OF peace. My letter on this subject, with the
accompanying draft of a bill, making provision
also for the incorporation into the regular service
Of few volunteer officers who, by zeal, ability,
and service during the war, have merited this
reward, will be found in the appendix TO this
report.
CONCLUSION.
In this my fourth annual report l have sub.
mitted somewhat in detail the condition of the
Department and the service. This report presents
the distribution and employment OF maritime
force which, including the additions to it now in
progress and near completion, constitutes, for all
the purposes OF Defense If not of attack and con-
quest, the most powerful national navy in the
In