New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-01
THE NAVY.
REPORT OF SECRETARY robson.
CONDITION or OUR SHIPS AND YARDs-THE wEs'
INDIA SQUADRON

SIR: The following report Oh Jhe Navy De-
parnent and the naval service for the past year TO
spectfuly submitted:
There are now In the Navy 1866 vessels carrying excu
sive OF bowitzers 1869 guns which a reduction since
nv last annual report, by sale and otherwise, OF u
vessels. general enumeration OF these vessels pre-
sents: 63 steamers, other than ironclads ana t'P'
carrying S26 guns; % sailing vessels, SR gnnsi ~
roncad vessels, guns; and 5 tugs, used Tor navy
yard and freight purposes. or this number there are
at present commission for service, distributed o"
the several foreign stations and our own coast "
vessels carrying lo7 guns The cruising or active orce
OF the Navy as may be called, and which "a con
trolled by the appropriations made and the seamen
authorized by law. is about the same a. last
year, the places of those vessels which have been
put out OF commission within the past Twelve
months from expiration OF the cruises or for other
causes having been supplied by commissioning aud
sending a corresponding number Of others
The list will slightly decreased In numbers
by the sale OF useless vessels. which were while We
retained them, only OF expense, and II IL some
what weakened also in strength by the condemnation
laying up OF several Of white oak cruisers which
have reached the limit OF their cruising fe and
longer be used with safety the seas. Many OF the
ships the Navy lst, and which serve to swell
the number TO the figures above ven far from be-
ing such really needed and their true condition,
which often officially represented 10 Congress,
be fully understood and appreciated by reference 10
the reports OF the Bureaus which herewith sub
mitted.
In the meanwhile however. have been engaged in
completely rep airing six Of our yeoak cruising ships
which in various stages OF forwardness at the
several navy yards These all OF moderate size aud
none OF them sufficiently advanced to be OF present
! use but they are adapted 10 the wants Of
| our cruising navy, and will In few
months add materially TO its strength and ehciency
| The eight new sloops Of authorized BY the last
Congress all in process OF buildngonehab at the
various navyyards, three under contract IN prlVai"
yards and the remaining under private contract ia
the Nayy-Yard at Ktery. The building Of these ship
| with their engines and machinery, IS progressing
rapidly aud the work. widely distributed at more than
dozen naval stations and private establishments, D,
contributing the remuneraiVe employment OF several
thousands of workmeu aud to the maintenance OF tie
very large number Of persons dependent upon their
labor for support and education. II is not without
qualification that am able to report that besides l'
great value and Importance OF tnls work 70 .e f Co..
gress contribute materially 10 the business lnei
ess OF the country ana 10 ths nsd% anu
The valuable work thus begun should NOT DC GlsSoh'
moderate amount OF funds and authorized to commence
to build certain number Oh ton-. 20 suppl
regularly the regular yearly expenditure oi nAN Ioie"
| which will of necessity occur.
mosCLkDs.
The work Of putting lroucad force in efficient con
dtion referred In my last report has been proceeded
| with as fast as the means necessary for the ex-
|
| appropriations for the support Of the Navy The
| wisdom Of this action needs illustration from
mo at this time: without IL we would nave
9t almost defonseess against arrogance aggression
but the expenditure required has crippled our wo rkhg
Bureaus in their general work. and t Is necessary s
this should be reimbursed to them II they are to proceed
| steadily aud efficiently.
| CRUISING STATIONS.
| The stations have been unchanged during the year.
As now established they designated the European
cha Agfat thaN Mort
North Pacific and the South Pacific. over these, en-
braeng the frequented waters of the globe are scat
tered cruising force Of less than forty vessels, which
zSus and If required to protect them and their prop
erty in all lands to which by their inclination OF interests
Tie Emopeam station-Rear Admiral A. Ludlow Case
having succeeded Rear-Admirai James Alden at
vlleiranche' June 2 when tnG la'teE t Ian
lyn and returned home, arriving at Nev-York July To-
The vessels been actively cruising during the year
many France Portugal Spain Italy, Austria, Greece,
Turkey, Syria, E-ypt, Tunis, TrpolL AIS iers. and
turbances in Spain which called part Of THIS force To
that coast 10 July last nave eontlnael TO require the
tcuar attention TO the ports where there we're Amor
structlons TO give full protection TO such, and Ia
fully abstain from interfering IN any way win the At
ton Of our czens anu their property The position
our commanding officers in that quarter has al times
| discretion and intelligent action In the appendix
| which accompanies this report will be- found summary
the movements OF the vessels on TINS station ana on
me Asiatic Siafion-R ar. Admiral Thornton A. Jen-
klns who the date of the last report and L. STILL in
command the force this station will soon b. relieved
by Rear-Admral E. G. P9rrott who sailed ~ me mail
Undi.rbed friendly relations between our country AMI
the great empires OF the East have made the duues and
services OF our officers aud vessels the Asatr station
| peaceful and agreeable AT the same tlme AN
avenues of trade, the surveying Of uncertain
and intricate channels, and the determining and
| ayfp of ID
ful employment, and give Importance anu interest To
the station surpassed by no other. The vessels nave r
peatedly visited the ports OF China and Japan pene
tated their rivers far treaty stpdatons and nav
igstion would permit and with scarcely exception,
We're received every where with good feeling. They
also extended their visits TO Singapore Bankok
York in March and the Alaska IN February from this
station and their places were taken by the Hartford and
The North Atlantic Station.Resr Admiral g. II. Scott
who present in command Of the force on the North
Atlantic Station relieved Rear Admiral Joseph F. Green
al Key West May l5 and the latter returned 10 Boston
in the Powhatan, arriving May a. and hauled down b..
spring and Summer by ordering north, necessity.
some of the vessels which were much IN need OF re-
| pairs, and whose crews needed change having been
long in the tropics The shswmut aud Nipsic two OF
the smaller but active class OF vessels came north IN
June aud the Richmond about the same time trans
ferred the North Pacific Station. The Kansas was
until July cooperating with the Nicaragua Surveying
Expedition but at the time, repeated visits
Aspnwa enabled her to give full protection to onr in
Observation-Disclosures this reduction important and useful
cruises made and our flag has been shown at
almost the
| American interests In the Guf and on the Caribbean
sea; many OF them have been visited repeatedly, viz
ST. Thomas, Santa Barbara, Santo Domingo, Port-su-
Prince, JacQuemel. st. Nicholas Mole Cape Hayueus
Con aiyes, Aux Cages, San Juan porto Rco), Gaude-
loupe st. Pierre, ia Guayra, Puerto Cabeio Curacoa
| Santa Martha, Cartagena, Aspinwall Greytown Vera
Cruz Kingston, Havana, Natanzas, Nueyitas Santiago
| de Cuba Guantanamo, and Bermuda Assistance has
been offered. and extended when required, 10 orr com
merce and ciuzens the commanding officers have been
in constant communication with ministers and con
sua represe Natives interests the Isthmus have
been watched, and vessel almost constantly stationed
either side has been in readiness 10 protect the rail-
road N occasion should demand. Convoy has been az
| foried to the merchant service when menaced and
threatened with unlawful seizure and violence In adj