National Republican., 1873-12-02

were Of any consequence or value were 90
cured by Commander Greer, and tho mex
! day the Tigrcss stood toward tho south. Sh
passed Cape York, anchored In Melville bay
Communicated with the authorities at Tes
siusah, and arrived at Godhavn August %
She was again coaled by the Juniata, an,
Immediately resumed the search. She raj
over to the west coast, thence southwark Il
the entrance Of Cumberland Sound, back /,
tho coast Of Greenland, In the vicinity O.
Ivigtut and Flskcnaes, searched In Davis
Strait as long as her coal lasted, and ther
proceeded TO st. Johns, at which port sh,
arrived October 10, and learned OF the rescue
aud arrival In Scotland Of Captain Budding
ton and party. She left 50. Johns October
30 and reached New York November q.
The Department takes this occasion to ex.
press its Indebtedness to the officials Of III,
Danish Government In Greenland for theil
uniform courtesy 10 the officers OF the United
States navy connected with the recent expedl
tlon TO the Polar seas, and for the facilitie.
extended to those expeditions to promote
their success.
TRANSIT OF VENUS.
The liberal appropriations made by Con.
gross for making observations on the transit
OF Venus have boon In part expended. for the
purchase Of Instruments. Five points will
be occupied In tho southern and three In the
northern hemisphere. These observation,
Is my intention, under any eventually now
considered, 10 furnish naval transportation
to the several parties designated, and such
other facilities as may be practicable.
nrDRooRArmo orrIcf.
This office Is steadily and surely progress
Ing In Its usefulness In tho interests Of navi-
gation; rs its issues Of charts and books iu-
crease they are gradually taking the place
OF foreign publications, aud some Of Its
works are now much sought for abroad.
The Pacific survey, originated In this office,
under tho Bureau OF Navigation, will, as ex-
ccuted, be n great benefit, not only to the
commerce Of the United States but to that
OF tho world, and, secondary TO the sur
vcy, much Information will DO acquired
In tue various brances OF natural science.
The establishment, by electric telegraph,
Of the 1ongltudes OF the Islands Of tho West
Indies and the points on tho northern coast
Of South America to which tho cable has been
lsil BY aparty organized aud instructed at
this Office, will makes most desirable addi-
tion to geographical Knowledge and to navi-
CATION. refer you to the report Of the hy-
drographcr to the chief of the Bureau Of
Navigation, and recommend that two addi-
tlonal nall vessels be employed In surveys,
one In the West Indies, tho other In Asiatic
waters. In this We not only take, In common
with other maritime nations, part in the
exploration Of tho channels Of commerce, but
give. at the same time practical experience to
the junior officers Of the navy In a most I'M
portant branch OF their profession.
Again would call your attention to my
recommendations In my previous reports,
and / urgently recommend that on appro.
priatlon be made for the purchase and IT.
ting building permanent aud suitable for
Al hr0r nh Il Ia taAN. lAa
the rented building, at present occupied, as
either sultableo or safe In It's present condition.
NAVY YARDS.
/ beg to renew the recommendations made 10
my annual reports Of former years, In refer.
encc to our navy yards, and to urge that their
resources may DO Increased and developed to
meet the emergencies OF those wars to which
evon the most peacc-loving nations are liable
and which are best averied by readiness
for action should they be thrust upon us.
At the most Of our navy yards little could
be done during The past year beyond making
the repairs necessary to keep them from fall
Ing TO decay.
At Mare island, our only naval establish
mcnt on tho Pacific, the new dry-dock and
the iron-working shop for construction are
we'll In hand and win add largely TO Its re-
sources. We have great naval interests on
the Pacific, and l cannot too strongly express
The hope that Congress may strengthen them
by liberal appropriations to develop this ad-
krsenal.
League Isiand.-At Leagne island, In oLc-
dience to the injunction Of Congress, the
work of removing 10 1t tho material and
stores Of the old Philadelphia navy yard has
begun. The heavy ordnance, shot aud can
non, the anchors aud chain-oables and q
portion Of tho shlp-building timber are al
ready transferred. A massive machlne-shop
rs. N... ..1a ..I l.
been built aud tho foundation of q still
greater establishment for construction has
lccn begun. II is conclusivcly determined
that there Is no difficulty In finding per-
lectly secure foundation at moderate cost,
aud that such q foundation at League
sland will be no moro costly than ut New
York or Norfolk, or other Of our sea-board
nAy yards. Il is time that VIC should
.easc to have two navy yards at Phila-
lclphla, and hat the narrow and cramped
Tard, so muSh needed by tho city for It's
should be transferred to the
grand and better site bestowed by Phil
ldelphia, and. accepted by Congress with
is implied obligations. / beg to renew my
that Congress may cause
he old navy yard to be valued, and that I,
.dvaneo , the sum, sum cxPeclsd to accrue from is
,xpcnd the amount thus appropriated, within
our years, OH such buildings and Improve
nents at League Island as shall authorize
ho abandonment OF the old yard. The
Treasury may then, by Its sale, DO reimbursed
or tho money advanced to create tho new
establishment.
New York; am impelled by recent ex-
,erionce to say that trust that no legisla-
Ion may Interfere with the preservation of
he New York navy yard In Its present site
md In Its integrity. The present moment
hows In the clcarcst manner how invaluable
his yard Is to the navy In utilizing In time
II emergency the vast naval resources Of
equipment and repair which Its
central position enables 1t TO draw from the
hip yards, docks, machine shops and stores
II the great city that surrounds II, teemlng
With population OF skilled artisans.
Pensacola. Il think Il very Important that
he Peniacola navy yard, burnt during tho
cbellion, but with many Of Its improvements
should DO 10 some degree rebuilt.
n the event Of complications In or near the
iulf Of Mexico. or West Indies, 1t would DO
tation Of vast importance.
New London.-l again call attention to the
obligations Of the Government In regs I'd to tho
laval station at New London, 10 Connecticut.
We arc the owners, by gift fri tho State,
II large and valuable property at this place,
which has never been, utilized for want OF
adequate means appropriate for the purpose,
The considerations In favor Of this site have
,een frequently presented, and will only add
hat all that we have done there In the past
ias been done SO well and so cheaply as to
rive an earnest for the future, and induce the
Jellef that q wcll-found and supplied naval
tstion at this point would be extremely val
liable to the service and to the country.
ORDNANCE.
The report Of the chief of the Bureau Of
Ordnance, though brief, is highly interesting
md satisfactory, especially with reference TO
he great advancement made In tho manufac-
ure Of gunpowder and the perfection at
aimed In the production Of suitable car
ridge for small-arms.
The operations Of this most important
branch Of our naval service have been closely
,onnncd within tho appropriations, the mar
row limits Of which prevented any elaborate
experiments being made In testing the mani
Iold improvements which occupy the atten-
lion Of ordnance men abroad.
The ureau has, nevertheless, boen ex-
lrcmely vigilant In collecting tho necessary
data TO enable 1t to proceed intelhgently In
the solution Of any Of the great quest re-
latlng TO naval armament whenever Congress
may grant the requisite authority and sup
plies. In the meantime Its resources are
sufficient for the armament OF every ship
which can at present be placed In commits
sion. Nothing In its economy appears to
have been neglected, and II only remains TO
Increase Its efficiency by liberal appropria-
lion. Otherwise nothing practically can be
done TO keep pace with tho movements Of
European navies.
Unquestiouably the efficiency OF man-of-
war Ia mensured by the mower Of her battery