, 1864-12-07

The expenses Of this dcpar:mentwoula falf millions
below those OF other governments. As the y:s-
sells which wcrc built and purchased bare an In"
tinaic value, ths money Paid for them M! bs con-
coscLus1oy.
In this ny fourth annual report hare submit
ted Somewhat In detail the condition Of tho depart.
ment ard The service. This presents tho dfstztbn-
including the additions to It now in progress and
near completion, constitutes, for all The parposss
ofdefanse, Il not attack and conquest, the raost
eeega .sF n sf IN sat
submitted to you upon tho assembling Of Co1gress
In the extra session OF 1861, il has been my duty
to exhibit the n1sthoas and measures OF 4dminis-
gtnng, and nntet the pressure OF an nneIampIed
edgcrcy. this vast nayal power has since yo1f
accession Y he Presidency, been brought Into
been mado TO 1t from our commercial marine: to
Indicate the application Of all the resources Of or
p1hlic naval establishments TO- its construction
and preparation fer service; 70 show how lndivid-
nal energy and skill and capital have come sue
cessfully In aid Of insufficient governmental provt
8ion for the due prosecution OF the work. and to
ofinreutiEe Eehtus and scIent3dc experiment which
have changed. to great extent, the material and
forms Of naval stractuc and amor and armament,
and have enabled our country, while in 50 brief i
period assuming foremost place among maritime
nahonB. to create also new era In the deyeloueut
and application ofnayal foscc.
In couAEIAuu Will 6uCQ ACCOUNT Oh INC a1udeA
creation OF new American naval power, it has
been at the same time my privilege tn these COM
mnnicaduus to make ottcia record ola aesIes of
val enterprises and achievements wholly without
precedent or parallel No previous conception Of
efficient blockade; no former endurance under the
fire Of fortified batteries no audacity and sncceEs
heretofore known of naval attack upon such for
ttestes, through formidable subtnariue obst1pc-
tious for their defense similar penetration by
war vessels Of internal waters through reach Of
navigation almost continental, no gigantic scale
-Dfn ~ jrr{f In,
pcditions md cornbats hundreds Of miles fton the
sea board, and along the course Of ttvers precar-
1ous and dangerous Of navigation. can anywhere
be found OF character to compare with the tri-
umphs In all these forms Of navu1 effort which It
has been the duty Of this department during the
past three years to organize and to report.
Ifin the prosecution Of duties 50 nrduous, com
plicate1, and e1acdng, the trust condaed TO this
department shall sppear to have been fal.h1nily
ledements are stll due, as they have been hereto
fore expressed, to the gentlemen associated with
me In It's management to the whole clerical force,
to several CHIEFS Of bureaus and especially to tbs
invaluable services the Assistant Secretary and
the chief clerk Of the department.
But 1t is to the officers and men OF our naval ser
vice that the greal rcuoWn OF what has thus been
done, and IS doing. Justly belongs. the best ad-
minstatlon Of this department can do little moro
at any time than to give them the adequate means
and Inc right opportunity Of action. 10 them,
therefore, nrst md always. bo tho honor. when
their own country and tho word shall recognize
In this expansion and these exploits OF our navai
power spectacle Of patriotic and Ytrtuoa5 hero
Ism worthy OF the cAusu in which 1t IL displayed,
and Of The national life which 1t illustrates and de-
feuds GIDEON WELLEs,
In the President ,StcTtfGry pffHe AdeY.