Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-07
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY or
THE NAVV

ESpOlI Ol lAc COu0ihSu nno Su6trS OF the NAyv
Departments with general review of the naya.
operations Of the past year, enabling the reader
to take comprehensive survey OF the impor-
tant work accom- mplished by the Navy Depart.
ment in suppressng the rebellion.
The Secietar refers TO the difficulties attend
Ing the blockade OF Wilmington; that although
the Government has closed or taken possession
OF every other port on the Sou thern coast, Cape
Fear river from various natural causes is more
difficult to blockade than any other pert The
opportunity for joint naval ard military op.
GRAFTON TO insure its capture has not yet pre-
sented itself. The Secretary refers In terms of
severity to the 'cupidity OF English mer-
cIahts, VINO are engaged in "ilicit traffic
with the South.
The operations Of the Western Gulf SQUAD
9I ~ "a are adyerted TO- The military possession
VI we seVeral ports OF Texas was of short du-
MIauon, M and the guarding Of the coast has, since
lne sln OF September devolved exclusively
upon 1he rhe navy under Rear Admiral Farra-
gut ne circumstances attending the re
markaoie capture" Of the forts In Mobile Bay
The operations Of the East q ulf Sopadror,,
and the South Atlantic Squadron" are men-
toned.
The city Of Charles ton "fails to become sttbar
a naval or commercial emporium, and has
dragged down others without elevating herself
and is fast becoming waste"
The "NOrth Atlantic Squadron" exceeds that
OF any other In the number OF men and vessels
employed, and its operations for the last year
in James river and on The North Carolina coast
are mentioned.
The "Mississippi Squadron" was created to
operate upon the interior rivers. The failure
of the conjoint naval and military expedition
up the Red river is as cribed to the natural OBJ
sIaclss which interviewed.
The "Potomac Flotilla' has been engaged In
arresting the contraband trade across the Poto-
mac river, and in patroling the RappahaI-
mock.
The operations oftAe "Pacific Squadron" and
the West India Squadron" acting as conyoys
10 merchant vessels, guano vessels, and Cali
fornia steamers, are given in the report.
hn tiaal rl,.hA
English manned" which have preyed upon
American commerce are named. The destruc-
ton OF the Alabama is referred to, and the
conduct of her com mmander, after snrren der,
severely denounced. The operations OF the
Florida, Georgia, and Tallahassee are men,
toned.
The remainder of the report, which lakes q
volume OF le pages, is occupied with state
ment Of the "Navsl force" and the vessels now
being built Also, al interesting account OF
the "Construction OF Naval vessels;' "Steam
Machinery;" "Navy Yard for Iron Vessels ani
Machinery;" "Navy Yard on the Mississippe''
"Nayal Rank' "Enistments;' The Naval
Academy" "Cadet Engineers" "Prizss aud
Pensions .Prize Law, "Contracts;" "In-
crease of Salaries "The Bureaus" &c
The whole number OF vessels constituting
the naval force Of the United States, In cluding
vessels under construction, December, 1901,
are GIL, measuring 5l05g6 tons, and carrying
i,6lO guns. OF these ll3 ara sore W. steamers,
especially constructed for naval purposes,
50 paddle-wheel steamers, II iron. cIads, &c.
The incre ase in the navy for the past year is
3 vessels, carrying 167 guns. The losses are
26 vessels, carrying li6 guns. Actual addi-
ton to The navy the past year, 100 vessels,
carrying 3l3 guns, and having tonnage OF
55,5l5. The number OF vessels constructed
for the navy since March 4, 1e6i, are 303,
carrying 1881 guns, and having tonnage OK
2i7974.
The Secretary says "the present contract
system is open 10 many and serious operations,
and suggests, whether it would not be for the
true interest Of the Government to relinquish
the system Of annual contracts altogether, ana
authorize purchases TO be made by agents OF
probity, &c. The Government is seldom bene-
fitted by rise in prices, tor while the law
compels its agents to pursue a definite course
of action, the contractor generally finds little
difficulty in evading penalties and abandoning
losing contract"
The Secretary earnestly recommends the re-
peal of the 9TH section of the act OF July ID,
1864, which authorizes the naval officer seiZ-
ing or taking property to send il to the coRrts
or turn it over to the treasury agent. No one
but the naval seizer has this option-all others
must turn IL over TO the treasury agent
An increase in the salaries of clerical force is
recommended by the Secretary, he says, with
some reluctance, and only under sense of its
absolute necessity at this time"
The total available means OF the Depart-
| ment for the year ending June 80, 1864, were
s115,765,537 20 The expenditures during the
the commencement Of the present fiscal year,
$780, 2ii g. The appropriations for the cur
rent year are SlC9, ,256,6ll 81. Making the total
available resources for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1865, Sl39,2S9,059 AZ. The estimates for
the year ending June 80, 1866, are 112 1s7 1868 %.
The total expenditures since the ith Of March,
1851, including the estimates to March 4, 1885.
four years, are S2S0,6i7, ,26l Al. The personnel
of the navy is stated to be about 5000 officers
and As 000 men.
The Secretary concludes his interesting report
with some general remarks In relation to the
distribution and en- pIoyment Of our maritime
force, which, including the additions to it now
in progress, and near completion, he says con-
stitutes, for all the purposes of defense, if not
of attack and conquest, the most powerful
navy in the world.