Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-22
THE NAV Y.

The Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy is
clear and wewrten document and presents elaborate
and highly interesting review of the extensive and brilliant
services Of that branch of tho public service We are
compelled however on account Of the limited space at
our disposal TO conne our extracts from it to the sub
Joined passages.
/ GENERAL REMARKS
s In submitting the annual report Of the transactions
OF this Department and Of the Navy with those OF the
several Bureaus for the year. affords me pleasure 10
you that the condition of affairs satisfactory and
that the discipline and efficiency OF the service continue 10
be faithfully maintained After many years OF peace and
comparative inactivity the officers and sailors OF our navy
suddenly called to the performance OF extraordinary
and exacng duties and during nearly four years Oh OF
hsustinR civil they have manifested their attachments
to the Union and their fidelity to the national nag by sd
enforcing gigantic blockade Of coast, by uglanty
patrong tho great national rivers OF the Interior aud py
succession OF and coaswise expeditions acheVe
which have not only added to naval reDown but
greatly promoted national integrity and strength.
When the change of Administration took place in March,
1861 the war had already been virtually begunthe FORTS
and arsena and and nnss snd navy yards
and national property within the rebel States had been
seized without resistance. The retiring Administration
manifested its inability assert the national authority and
it's Discrimination to vndicate the national supremacy and
closed it's term and that Of the Tbrysixth Congress,
without any preparatory measures for the tremendous
CONFUSION which was then shaking the Union to it's
centre and threatening existence az o nation
Ia six weeks after had entered upon the admnistra-
ton of this Department. blockade extending over more
than three thousand five hundred miles of coast was
ordered and for this stupendous work. 70 Do
impractlcsbe by the highest foreign authorities, we had
feeble navy reduced to the lowest peace
composed largely of sailing vessels most OF which were
dsmantled or dispersed abroad OF the limited number OF
authorized by law, only about two hundred were
available all naval stations and receiving SHIPS
Many of the officers became demorazed and deserted
In this enfeebled condition, without men, or SHIPS or
ordnance or resources placed at its disposal the Depart
ment called upon to establish and enforce the most
extensive blockade that undertaken TO be ensc
| ally maintained by any nation.
10 make available every naval vessel to recall our for
eign squadrons to increase force by building new
vessels and by procuring for naval purposes from the
merchant service every which could be made
fighting vessel to enlarge the capacity of the navy
yards put in requson the oundres and workshops Of
the country for supplies of ordnance aud steam machinery
to augment the number OF and to supply the def
cheney of officers by selecting experienced and able ship
masters and others from the commercial marine
among the important and responsible duties which
precptated upon the apartment at that exciting and IN
| teresng period
The promptly and energscaiy adopted caused
immense navy sprog into existence not to carry on
maritime war; for the rebels had navy to stimulate
sailors to glorious deeds to reward their
activity but men, and ships, and ordnance, and supplies
speedily collected Tor the onerouB naval duties need
ul to sustain national unity and preserve our national
| rights
Besides insttung the extensive blockade of the coast
naval petitions organic at the earliest possible
period and restore the national authority at i'm
portant points within the nsurrectonary region. The
first of these expeditions organized and sailed from
Hampton Roads in August under the command OF Rear
Admiral StriDgham aud resulted in the capture of HATTIE
ss, and the frat conquest OF strong position
which effected on our coast. This was followed .
few weeks later by the victory of Rear Admiral Dupont
at Port ROYAL which secured commo3ous harbor for the
ships OF the South Atlantic squadron The achievements
on the lower Mississippi, where Rear Admiral Farragut
dashed open the gates Of the passage to New orean and
restored the Union the commercial metropolis OF the
South were accomplished the following spring. Those
three important expeditions, compriang in each case,
larger fleet than had been fitted this continent
rtnp thaunE HEaed m
planned organized and carried into execution in tho first
year of the war in addition to immense blockade which
at the came time 40 yganty and vigorously enforced
that the rebels then felt and complained Of its
hausng severity Other harbOrs and places have from
time to been seized and occupied the last being the
bay of Mobile and the Notifications at its entrance effect
ed by the same distinguished officer who had thrown open
the lower Mississippi to uninterrupted navigation two
before Nor have the proves and skill of our navy
10 this unhappy contest involving the integrity of the
Union and national supremacy been felt upon the
seaboard alone On inland waters at Fort Henry at
Donelson, at Shiloh at Island No TO- at Memphis at Ar
kansas Post Vicksburg at Port Hudson and at almost
every important place the Mississippi the Cumberland
Tennessee and other rivers Of the southwest the navy
has been active in reestabishing the national authority
feet of more than hundred vessels has been put
shoat on those waters and most OF them patro
ing those rivers in the national cause.
1t has been the policy Of this Department, rgidly sd
hered under all circumstance and from which IL Las
not allowed itse to be diverted 10 permit the eff
cheney of blockade to be impaired during these domes
tic troubles Hence no large squadrons have been main
been ordered TO important points TO protect
American interests, and capture destroy the few pre-
datory rovers which from time to time have ventured
abroad TO depredste on our commerce.
THE NAVAL FORCE.
Under this heading have tabular exhibits Of the
strength OF the navy including the vessels under cOnstruc
tion on the Ist Of December, 1864, with comparative
statement Of the navy 10 December, 1863 aud 1864.
The whole number Of vessels constituting the naval force
of the United States including vessels under construction
December 1894 are GIL measuring 5l0,396 tons aud
rynR Clio guns OF these ll3 steamers espe
cialy constructed for naval purposes, So paddle-whee
steamers II ironcads &c The increase in the navy for
the past year SO vessels carrying l67 guns The losses
are &c vessels carrying lac guns. Actual addition to the
navy the past year 100 vessels carrying 3l3 guns and
having tonnage Of $3.50 The number Of vessels
struced for the navy since March 1894 203 carry
ing 63I guns, and having tonnage OFF, ga
CONSTRUCTION or NAVAL VESSELS.
half dozen pages of the report are occupied with
opinions and details relating to the construction Of naval
vessels We extract the following in reference to the
iron -clads:
The pressure for iron cSds Of sEt draugh which could
ascend the and penetrate the sounds and bays along
our coast felt to be necessity The operations Of
our armies In the vicinity Of the inland water and
to the rivers required the constant presence Of guDboa
But the thus employed well the magazines and
machinery Of the vessels exposed especially in the
row streams with high and wooded bsuks. Some vessels
and few valuable lives have been lost By these expo
sures order te afford all possible protection to the
gallant who encounter these dangers the Department