Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.
TIE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
=. Fort Of SecretnrY R~besOn

~ ~gcTt tdTy OF The NAVY. IN hts report to
thu Pre-. a nj, says there are now in the Navy
IC5 vessels, carrying, exclusive of hOwitzers,
I .,s9 guns, which il reduction since his last
annual report. by sale ami otherwise, of 10 YES
sells. general enumeration of these We sses
presents Is steamers, other than Iron-clsds and
tugs, carrying s3S guns; - sailing vessels, 322
guns, T. ron clad vessels, I2l guns, and 25 tugs,
used for navy-yaTd and freight purposes Of
this number there are at present IN commission
for sea service, distributed on the several for
eign stations and our own coast, II vessels, car
ming 4G guns.
list, and which serve to swell the number to
tie figures above given, are far from being
such - are really needed, and their true cOndi-
ton, which bias often beeE officially repr scented
to Cor gTess, can be fully understood and appre-
cisttd by reference to the reports of the bu-
Tesu.s
ADDITIONS TO THE PoRCE
In the mcaHSh lir, however, have been
engaged in completely repairing six OF our live
Oak cruising ships, when are now in various
stages iCIsaTdnvss at the several nayv yards.
These are all OF moderate size, and none OF them
SEtfCieLJy advanced IL be of present use. bu
they are adapted to the wants Of our cruising
navy. ara viii in "A f., W months ada to il
stthEt1 Ahd sthcihcy- me eight sioopsof-
war su'kOriztd by tie last Congress are all in
process OF 6uI!dif - one hall At the various navy
yards, three UuicT contract in private yards ana
q e Tt naming one under private contract in
the navy yafd at Rittory. The building
these ships, with thrir engines and machinery,
H. progressing rap.diy, and the WORK, widely
distributed az move Than dozen naval stations
and private establishments, is contributing to
the IcmuueTat.ye employ ment Of several thou
sand VOgk men
Tue Br,arrman. should be provided With A
moderate amount o. tliuds ADD authorized TO
G. mtgCuce each year 10 build a certain number
@ tons 20 supply regularly the regular yearly
expenditure 81 naval fore which will Of necessi-
~ occur The work OF putting our IrOn-clad
force in et.fcI-nt COrdifIOu. referred TO in the
Secretary lat report. has been proceeded with
a. fast a. The means Necessary for the eXtTaOr-
binary wors Could be spared from the current
81. 80 "a.
wisdom OF this action needs no illustration from
him. At this time wifhcut IL we would have
been leit rot only r9werless to assert our own
or aggression. But the expenditure required
has crippled our working bureaus in their gem
eral work. ard il i necessary that this should
be reimbursed TO them if they are to proceed
steadily and efficiently.
NAVAL STATIONS.
The stations have been changed during the
wear. As low established they are designated
n the European, the Asiatic. the North Attain
tie. the south Atlantic, the North Pacific and
tie South Pacific. over these, embracing the
frequented waters sf the globe, are scattered a
cruising force Ofless than forty vessels, which,
by their presence, are relied on to encourage
our citizens and, if required, to protect them
and our property IN all lands ia which, by their
Inclination or interest, they are drawn.
Important and useful cruises have been made
and cur Tag has been shown at almost all COM
nieTCial ports, or where there were American
interests. In the Gulf on the Caribbean sea,
and other places, assistance has been offered
and extended when required to our commerce
and citizens. The commanding officers have
been in constant communication with our
ministers and consular representatives.. Our
interests on the Isthmus have been watched and
a vessel almost constantly stationed on either
side has been in readiness to protect the rail-
road n occasion should demand. Convoy has
been afforded the merchant service when me-
Haced and threatened with unlawful seizure
and violence
orr INTERVENTION AT PANAMA.
The Secretary says: within the limits OF the
South Pacific station only two occasions have
arisen where 1t has been necessary TO land
force from some Of our vessels for protection
OF American citizens and property, and on each
Of these occasions the landings we're made on
the same territory at the request or with the
permission of the authorities, or under an adj
mission on their part OF their inability TO
promise the security and protection due them.
The landing of attachments az Panama during
two emergencies, while guieting the fears OF
foreign residents, secured the safe transit Of the
passengers and their effects, and of the freight
and specie of four lines Of steamers two of
which were not OF our nationality depending
on this road Tor prompt transportation. The
officers aud men who composed these landing
parties received the commentator OF their
respective commandments chief for the credit
able and admirable manner in which they dis
charged their duty.
THE IsTKE-6CEAx CANAL SURVEYS.
The expeditions organized under the author
lty Of Congress for the survey of the Daren and
Nicaragua routes. with the view TO the con
stTuCt,On Of an inter oceanic canal, have com
pIeted the duties entrusted them and the re
ports Of Commander Thomas o. Selfridge and
Commander f. P. Lull, who respectively con-
states that the route selected bv Commando
Selfridge includes one hundred miles of rive
navigation Of the AtratO, which has been care
fully sounded and found TO be fully capable O
being nayigated by the largest class of ocean
steamers. Between AtratO and the Pacific an
artificial cut Is made, but twenty-e eight miles in
length. The canal for twenty-tyo miles of thi,
distance passes through plain, with a gradual
rise Of 20 feet. There will then remain six mile
TO the Pacific, of which there are a moderate
open cut and three miles of tunneling n il
estimated the work will cost between sjO,-
10000 and s6o. goo coo. and that it can be COM
pleted within ten years.
The Secretary, speaking OF the Nicar aqua
survey, says: The results OF the labors of the
expedition prove the existence of a practicable
route for an inter-Oceanic canal, leaving Lake
Nicaragua at its summit level. It is proposed
&c connect the lake with the Pacific by a canal
10 %i-lOO miles in length, beginning at the
mouth of the Rio del Medic, and the termina-
ton at BTtte. The first seven miles and half
Will require an excavation averaging 81 feet in
depth, and will be the most expensive part of
the whole work. The total length of the pro-
posed canal Il 81 !4-l00 miles, of which more
than y miles are in excavation and embank-
tnent- The average depth of the excavation
throughout is only feet above the prism of the
canal No tunnel IL TeCu ired.
TIE POLARIs EXPEDITION.
Inc secretary, IN speaking OF the POlaris,
saws her cruise has been decidedly the most sue
cesSful of the Attic expeditions. The geo
graphical knowledge OF the Artic regions has
been largely advanced. very particular cues
Doning OF every one OF the officers and crew of
the POlaris, and OF the scientific corps Gexcept
the PERSONS as vet unexsmined) has COMPLETELY
ratisneu MS associates and himself that Captain
halis death occurred from purely natural
causes; that his medical treatment was judcI-
Dusty sdapted TO his case, and that he was ten
derry nursed and cared for to the last
Ihe evidence has also made il manifest that
captain HAN was always faithful 20 the trust re-
posed In him, in assigning him TO the command
o. the expedition That he was firm and humane
IN the execution OF his authority; that he was
earnest in his desire and in his sttempts 10 reach
ahigher northern latitude. and IL practicable
Ihe Iole itself and that his death was an ire
Eaole loss 20 the expedition. 1t is also apparent
Lat Oaptain BuddingtOn, who succeeded to the
chlei command after the death OF Captain Hall,
proved hinsef good seaman, and that In
dangerous positions in which the Polaris was
paced rs conduct as commander was skiIlful
ahu Jucieious, the natural result Of good judg-
ment and long experience at sea, and in com
mand In northern ATTITUDES
TIE NAVY YARDS.
ne secretary Says--l beg TO renew the rec
concentrations made in nv annual reports of
FORMER years in reference 10 our navy yards
and 10 urge that their resources NAV be in