The national Republican., 1867-12-05
Total number Of vessel. and guns.


Total number Of vessel. and gnn'...,.. gs Is
Eleven thousand nine hundred men have beci
employed in the naval and coast survey durinl
the year,
The Secretary details Admiral Farraguts tril
on the Mediterranean squadron, and says tha
the offers OF the naval authorities 10 remove th'
suffering women and children from Crete wcr'
refused by the Turkish authorities. American
commerce in the East suffered dctrimcnt during
our war, and Prussia and others have prohtet
Prussian flag are In every port RECEIVING iIcigh''
cheaper than are offered by any other nation,
Apprchcnsions are expressed that we are MOI
destined to recover the prestige Of our former %
successful mercantile marine IN the Chlna
s ssess Hrsss tt it,Se Se fbe mt states
the causes which made N cNpedicnt 10 continue
\ force In the Gulf ceased with the attempt 10
To The discretion OF Commander Roe and our
Consul there, the Secretary says, we are inIcDteu
for the prevention of an enusi9n o. DIoou "h'h
Vera Cruz surrendered to the MeNlcans'
Reports from the African squadron show that
the slave trade has ceased. No slaves OF any
nation were discoFereH, lhc l,s,hst tSc i%uisc
of the MiantonomRh to Europe and the hohhI-
mock to California were the most femhIkapIS
voyages ever undertaken by turrettcd lrQn-eiaI
vessels and show that this class OF vessels nccd
not be confined to harbOrs. -Four new vessels
Of this class have been launched dutlng the
year; and the steam machinery IL completed ior
seven moro. The building OF four vessels q tflhe
smaller than the Nantasket, has been commenced,
the smaller class IL tOunu 10 pe HoIt 81 i'S-
able. The Secretary urges an extension OF our
navy yards He says:
Tfccxpcrlcncc OF the last seven years has de-
nonstrAted the Importance OF more extensive
areas and greater facilities at the navy yards for
the construction and repair of naval vessels anu
their machinery. Our navy yards are TOO elr-
Cumscribed In their limits, as well as 100 uch-
Gent in their means TO build and sustain navy
which is at all commensurate with our position
and character among nations. more ehlsrscu
accommodations, where the work required can
be better, more reliably, and. go lar as repairs
hrcinvolN cd, more economically yeNccuted, should
bcprovided. ,-,, , A..
unfinished condition Of many OF the shops and
buildings, Congress omitted to make hrproprla-
tions for Improvements in any OF the navy ystIs
for the current year. In consequence OF thls
omission the estimates herewith presented under
thai head for the ensuing fiscal year, when VIII
close on the 3oth of juno, lsu"' are necessarily
increased.
Scavy's island, adjacent to the Kittcry navy
yard, is valuable addition to that Important
station and when Congress shall have made ap
preparation for its Improvement, aceommoda-
lions adequate to the public wants ~ that point
may be expected to be made NO iHhGs nav ave c
additional works on the island. or for extending
the yard in that direction; consequently nothing
OF the dwellings. Should Congress furnish tho
means this valuable acquisition may be casily
made available for useful purposes though tht
improvements must necessarily be the work o.
years.
The reasons stated in my last annual report FOL
essential improvements at the Norfolk and Pen
sacOls navy yards are referred to, without re
pcating them in detail, as still existing, ant
every consideration of policy and duty calls 70
the necessary appropriations to place those es
tablishmcnts in a condition of usefulness to III
country. In some respects the yard at Noriol
has advantages superior to any other station
Accessible as the harbor is st ali seasons Of tn
year. and having permanent stone dry-docI
already constructed, there is no reason why tn
facilities afforded should not be made availabl
The experiments at the Chnrlestown nav!
yard in the use of petroleum for fuel under ma
safety and comfort are against its use. For tn
Charlestown navy yard an appropriation of y
$50, 600 Is asked.
The naval apprentice system continues to II
ceive the special care and attention OF the Dc
partment, and the results thus far have bee
more satisfactory than could have been rcasor
ably anticipated at the time the enlistment {
apprentice boys was revived, about three year
since There are occasionally mistaken Idea
on the part Of parents and guardians as to N
end to be attained by enlistment, but by far tn
greater proportion, as well as the apprentice
themselves, have a just appreciation OF the benz
The education OF the boys as scamen does nc
cease with their transfer from the apprentic
ships to sea-going vessels. Those In service o
board our men-Of-war arc being educated an
prepared for the higher duties of scamenshiI
and such as identify themselves with the nav!
by twenty years service, become benehciarit
under the act OF March 2, 1867, and are provide
giving a Stimulus to q iong-desired and gFentI
needed improvement In the moral and inte
lectual character OF the seamcn Of the cOuntr
and establishing among them an abiding attac
ment for the naval service.
sEANRN.
Ihaye, heretofore, repeatedly invited sttCntlI
to the importance of legislation to improve Il
condition Of our scamen, both in the naval al
mercantile service, and again ask n rcCurren
to these suggestions, particularly TO those ma,
in my last annual report. The apprentice shil
will gradually furnish a class OF men educated
the nav al serV Ice, and every reasonable Undue
ment should be held out TO them to continue
that branch of sea life In which they have bee
trained.
The longer a seaman continues In the ma,
the more valuable he becomes, and 1t ID worth
OF reconsideration, whether in lieu Of the bOunt
now paid for the rc-enlstmcnt of those wi
have been hOnOrably discharged, or In additiC
thereto, an increased rate of monthly wages ms
not be advRntageOusly given for every honorAh
discharge, that for those who c-editab
BeFYC their cnlistmCnts the induccment to co
tinue in the navy viii increase with their yea
of service
NAVAL. TENElONE.
During the year ending November l. lsr
there has been Hn increase Of 90 on the lnval
pension roll, and of lsI on the widows and q
phans' roll, making q total of 2l3, and calling +
tIOOsO 20 more than the previous year. ri
number of each class on the rolls Ia MS follows
lJ7p inyaids, annually receiving ...,.,.,,, 81 f5I
l,&2 wldUwh and children, annually rcCriY-
7nyaiiis under act March >, ls67 Re-.
cclylmg .........,,,,,,.,,,,..,,,,.. 76
?,Es person receiving total amount o', k3ln s2S
EXPENSES AND EsTINATT=,
The aNUlIhhlu Resources Uf the department for
,h'caly"u ending June ~, 1867, were ~ ~ 30