The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-16
From the Hartford Times
The Navy Department Under Governor
Toueey.

Toueey.
The Hon. Isaac Toucey has bean repeated
ly charged BY the republicans with having
sent abroad the vessels Of the navy for she
purpose of aiding secession. Senator Sum
ner sand, IN speech delivered in New York
IN Nov, 1851:
'The navy was SO far dispersed or d;sna,+:a5
that the 4th of March, when the new adrniuistra
ton into power there were no ships to enforce
the laws collect the revenues or protect the
property in rebel ports. Out of II vessels of war
then counted navy, it appears that our Who'll,
available force at home reduced to the steare,
Brooklyn, carrying 30 guns, and the storeship Re.
lief, carrying guns:
The senate, al the extra session of con
gress, appointed select commi.tsc to inysx
tigate the affairs OF tue navy, aud Ssns,o,
John 2. Hale, of New Hampshire, was sd
pointed the chairman. Among other wit
nessss summoned by this committee was tss
Hon. Isaac Touoey. He repaired to Wash
lngton and gave his testimony, under oath,
to the committee, on the 18th of Nov, 1861
He was questioned with regard to the dispo
sal of the naval vessels under his direction,
and he testified as follows
SECRETARY roucEY's EVIDENCE
The navy yard at Gosport was not, az tbouebt
IN any danger until Virginia should secede from the
l.. DeileFeu TO De fuIiy protected by the
Pennsylvan the Plymouth the Merr;m,ct opd
the marines stationed there The Cumberland az
rived there before the nary yard was taken had
no DOUBT about the safety of the yard took tn
preeaulon 10 send very capable and faith
of the navy, Capt. Powell unon a s.c-.t -: ee1
the yard, to coufer with the veteran of;car C
dore hlcCauiey, VINO was In command there and N
see lhne noenine was wanting to it's safety
His report was entirely satisfactory .to mo
aware thar considerable portion oftbe boTn -.
ron and naval force at home could be called in -
should occasion require it. The home sop.drar
unusually large. 1t consisted of the Powhattan 6
bine, Brooklyn. St Louis, Pocahentas, Pawnee. Mo-
hawk, Waterwitch, Wyendotte, Crusader Cnmbe-
land, Macedonian, Suppy-most of them steam
ships. The sloop of war Plymouth the practice
snip, was in commission at Norfolk. The steamer
Anaeosta was IN commission at Washington The
frigate Constitution, having been thprourhiv 70
paired, was anchored at Annapolis in aid of tha M.
al academy. The great steamships Colorado Nh
nesota and Mississippi, at Boston, and tho Wobasb
at New Aork, had been thoroughly repaired and Sc
cured, and could be put to sea in two weeks :. an,
Merrimack at Norfolk, in three weeks; the Roam
oke, in dock at New York. in five or six weeks or
the above vessels constituting the ready nav force
at home, fifteen are steamers. 1t was equal to anv
emergency hke'y to arise 1t could not have been
greater wlthout withdrawing or cripplinr the sonad
rons on foreign stations and nececting tba 49,.
ton OF our commerce and citizsns in fora;rn
parts. sa ea4--f so AeAsn
The Mediterranean squadron consisted &c h.. -
ships; the Brazil squadron of three Sims onIv az
East India squadron of four ships only the ;o
of six only, for the whole coast of North, sontb
Central America; the African squadron of sexsr
vessels, being somewhat less than required bv onr
treaty with Great Britain.
There were at the navy yards eight old ships-of-
the-line not fit for sea service, which might be con
verted into effective steam frigates as recommend
ed in my annual report of December ], 1860. There
were also five frigates out of repair, which also
should be raced and converted into
effective sloops of war. Both these measures were
recommended by board of naval officers, but con-
gress did not make the necessary appropriation,-
There were also sloops of war; which had within
lew months previous returned from their regular