Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-06
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TEEE
NAVY.

also mentioned propositions made for the con-
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TEEE
NAVY.
The report of Hon Gideon Wcllcs Secretary of the
Navy, to the President reviews the demands made
upon the Naval service during, me year. speaking
first of the fall of Fort Fisher which event, and the
possession of Cape Fear river, closed all access to
Wilmington the port of rebel supplies. put an end to
the Illicit trrc with the States in insurrectOn. and
cxtingu;Shed the last remnants of that broken
mercc which foreign adventures had notwiths' and
ing constant and severe losses persisted in carving on
by breach blockade. The capture of Wilmington
preliminary to the fall of Richmond and the surren-
der Of the rebel armies. which were thencetOrward
deprived of supplies from abroad. 1t released at once
u large portion of our naval force and led to immc
diae measures for the reduction of squadrons
and the withdrawal Of all vessels which could be dis
pensed with from the blockade; The report gives an
account Of the capture of Wilmington and its de
fences the fall of Charleston and the surrender of
Mobile, The reduction of the naval force was COM
menced on February l. and steadily continued all
superuous vessels being disposed of and their
discharged.
As soon as our domestic troubles were overcome
the duty of attending ia our interests abroad prompt
cd the re-esablishing Of the foreign squadrons which
had been suspended. The European, the Brazil, and
the East India squadrons have been organized anew
upon as economical scale as is consistent with their
efficiency the interests Of commerce, and proper
gard for position nation.
These squadrOns with another which is soon to he
put in operation in the West Indies and the Pacific
squadron which has never been discontinued, are
considered sufficient for the encouragement and pro-
lection of our countrvmen engaged in legitm te COM
mercial pursuits, ana for UNFOLDING cur flag abroad
THE NAVAL FORCE.
From 1900 men in service at the commencement of
the rebellion the number was increased to 5l.5U0 at
Its close In addition to these the aggregate of art
sans and laborers employed in the navy yards was
lGS,O, instead Of 3SA previously in the pay Of the
government This Is exclusive Of those cmHl0yCj in
the private ship yards and establishments. under
contracts, constituting an almost equal aggregate
number, 2S vessels have been commenced and
few Of the larger will require still further lIr
for completion. Only steamers, the propellers also
having sailing power have been built by the govern
ment during my administration of the department.
Since the 18th of March. 1861. rs vessels have
been purchased, of which three hundred and thir-,
teen steamers, at cost OF SlS3556Sl S. aud Of
these there have been sold $40 vessels for which tn
government has received S5,62l ,S00.27.
THE CONDUCT or THE BLOCKADE.
In order to guard the coast and enforce the block
ade, the department was under the necessity #
breaking up and ordering homo our foreign squad
rons This recall, rendered imperative by tho ne
cessitie' Of the case left extensive commerce on
distant seas unprotected. The great maritime pow
ers OF Europe, as soon az they were aware of our
domestic diftultv FASTENED to recognize the rebels
as belligcreuts, and proclaimed themselves neutral
between the contendirg parties. The operations OF
this assumed neutrality were to deprive our National
ships of the privileges which they had by Matt ona
courtesy enjoyed and while thus restricting and in
ficting injury on Government, the protested and
proclaimed neutrality gave encouragement and
strength to the rebels who were in instruction and
waging war upon the Union. Each of these Euro
pen neutrais had treaties Of amity and was in
friendly official and commercial intercourse with the
government OF the United States, while with the
rebels, who without recognized flag or ma
tionality, they had neither treaties nor official rea
tons.
The United States had navy which commanded
respect. and a commerce that covered every sea-
whilst the rebels had neither navy nor commerce to
be affected by neutral exclusions and RESTRICTIONS
Consequently this action Of the neutral league ope
rated, on the one hand 10 injuTe and embarraSs
friendly Government that cultivating and prac-
tcing peaceful and friendly relations with every ma
ton; and, On the other hand 10 give countenance
and encouragement to rebels engaged in a causeless
instruction to subvcrt the most benefcent Govern
Virtually excluded from the ports Of the great mar
thine powers by thi assumed neutrality, the difficulty
of maintaining even a limited naval force abroad
greatly increased The withdrawal of our SQUAD
runs left our unprotected commerce exposed TO the
depredations of semi-p;ratica cruisers which were
built, armed, manned and sent out to plumber and
destroy our merchantmen from the shores of neutral
Europe.
REBEL CRUISERS.
Under this head the report speaks Of the Stone
wall. Sea King, alias Shenandoah and other pratt.
cal vessels fitted out IN England. to prey upon our
commerce, and the protection which the British GOV
eminent apparently VUuchsated them. Says the re-
The English government in the exercise of all that
neutral tenderness aud which it had manifested
for the rebels from the beginning of the Instruction
when finally compelled to admit the eXtinguishment
OF the rebellion, made special reservation to protect
the rebel patIca cruisers and particularly the She
nandoah; which was an outlaw, without country or
the rebel organization. Warned by neutral England,
whose subjects constituted almost her entire crew.
that the organized Instruction was annhated, the
Shenandoah had no alternative but to seek again the
shelter and protection of that neutral power where
she was built, aud from which she was armed and
manned.
and saied as an English vessel. with English flag
and an English crew. and as late as February she
stood on the books at the Registers office of British
shipping IN her original name, and in the name of
her Original owners. Such may have been the case
wnen me pirate was warned that he had not the
preteXt OF rebel organization to soften his crime
and that he was an outlaw. Of all her captures not
one was ever sent in for adjudication and am not
aware that she eyer entered the port Of any country
but Engiand 1t was fitting, therefore. that she
sh3pld return for refuge to the country of her origin
The Sea King, alias the Shenandoah entered The
MerSey on the 9th of November and her pirate cap
tam; IN formal letter TO the English minister sur
rendered the vessel to the English government.
j., lhe enlargement OF our navy yards, laying up Of
the iron-clads, healthncss of iron-clads, Naval
Academy, pay in, navy yards, Military and Naval
among various matters considered in the report
~, PROPERTY CAPTURED AND DESTROYED.
coi,rs EmHSr q vessels captured and sent to the
81 the rebellion, is one thousand hundred and
hfty:ene of which there were; steamers 2lQ schoon-
e6s ooy Sleeps 49, ships. Isl brigs and brigantineS
y; barks, 5 yachts ?: small beats 1885, rebel rams
and iron clads, 6: rebel gunboats torpedo boats and
armed scnooners and sleeps 10; class unknown :
burned, wrecked. sunk. and otherwise destroyed
during the same time were steamers, So schooners
IA; soops 81 ships p brigs p harks 1: small boats
9o renel rams, o. rebel iron cads 4; rebel gunboats
totPe boats; and armed schooners and sloops, IL
.o'ai ooo making the whole number Of vessels CAP
tured and destroyed, 1901
Nearly all the captures of value we've vessels built
IN SPECIALIZED neutral ports and fitted out and freighted
IN me ports OF a Government with which we were
on friendly terms, which had publicly pledged itself
TO strict neutrality, and manifested its sincerity so
Jar as we we're concerned, by withdrawing hospiajiy
to our national vessels ''
Inc gross proceeds of property captured since the
blockade was Instituted, and condemned rs prize
pTiQI 10 the nfst OF November. amounts to 81 500
2f3 costs ana expenses 81 GIG 223 a5: NET nroeaads
Tor distribution so sol $3.50. There sre numhar
OF important cases still before the courts which win
largely increase these amounts --0'' " IL
The value OF the l49 captured vessels will NOT bo
less than twenty four million FIVE hundred thousand
dollars and Of the @ vessels DESTROYED at least seven
millions of dollars making total valuation of not
less than thuty-one million five hundred thousand
dollars much of which was British property engaged
IN neutral commerce. and SO Justly captured and
condemned.
EXPENSES AND ESTIMATES.
The total expenses Of this department from the lth
of March, 1851 to the Both of june 1865 embracing
period OF four years and four months and covering
not only the ordinary expenses of the navy but such
Us have arisen in the purchase, construction, and
equipment of vessels and in the maintenance Of the
irge naval force required during the war. S3l4
kfooa'S99s5-an average annual expenditure of $72,
ne total available resources from appropriation
5or me sca year ending June 30th 1866 Sl42
Inc estimates for the year ending June 3Oth 1867
are $685., 1870.