The New York herald., 1875-12-07
THE NAVY.
Annual Report Of Sec
retary Robson.
THE VESSELS NOW AVAILABLE.
Operations at Home and
Abroad.
wAsurraron. D. Z. nnc. q. 1srh

WASHINGTON D. c. Dec 9, 1875
Secretary Robesons report ofthe service for the
year shows that the number OF every class and
description borne the navy register is l47 These
carry all told 1895 guns and Of 1872 492 tons
urement or these 26, carrying nomnaly 266 guns,
are sailing vessels without steam power.
STEAM VESSELS
The steam vessels OF the navy as distinguished from
iron-clads and torpedo ships, number the whole
ninety five, Of which, however twenty-five are tugs
employed as towing, ferry torpedo boats at the
rious navy yards or stations or in use as surveying
vessels in the service of the Fish Commission, in
accordance with the law directing the same
Twenty nine of all classes are In ordinary
at the yards the Atlantic at Mare Island. Three
namely, the Gettysburg the Despatch and the Taa-
poosa-are used as freight and despatch vessels
Three in commission as training and receiv-
ing ships, at all times ready for service and the
mainder in commission on the several stations or
at the various navy yards, ready for use
when required or these wooden ships eighteen
are, in fact new-the Trenton Adams, Essex,
Enterprise, Alliance, Alert Huron and Ranger
being the eight new sloops built under special
appropriation, and others-the Monongahela, Ten
nessee, Mohcan, Swatara, vandalia, Marion, Quinne-
baug, Galena Npsc and TaIapoosa-have been rebuilt
with live oak timber and supplied with substantially
new machinery during tho two three years past
Besides such of these ships in commission,
thirty-two others, including the largest and most
efficient ships OF the navy, in actual
service cruisers training ships and twelve OF tho
remainder, though requiring less repairs to
their boilers and machinery could II needed be put
into condition for service sailors could
listed to man them.
THE rRoN-cLAD FLEET.
classed follows Three the Massachusetts, Oregon
and Colossus which of class and in condition
of service whatever, having been designed during
the large seagoing iron-clads, but were
launched, and though their names still appear on the
navy list they consist only Of their wooden frames
with single exception, much deterorated by time
and their unfinished armor and machinery stored in
the navy yards The remaining twentythree consist
ing OF twentyone vessels of the monitor type and two
iron torpedo ships, are all efficient vessels OF
their class and very powerful in both defensive and
offensive operations near our shore Five of them
namely, the doube-turreted monitors Amphitrite,
Monadnock Miantonomah Puritan and Terror-are in
process of complete repair, requiring from four to six
months TO finish pushed, while the remaining eighteen,
consisting of the Roanoke the two torpedo ships Alarm
and Intrepid, and fifteen singe-turreted monitors
namely, the Ajax, Canonicus, Camsuche, Caskill Die
tator, Jason, Lehgh, Mahopac, Manhattan Nahant,
Nantucket, Passaic, Saugus and Wyandolte-are all in
good condition and ready for any service at any time,
This makes eighty available ships, including sixteen
Ton-cladS and TWO torpedo boats
CRUISING STATIONS
Our cruising stations remain the last re-
ported in number and designation being six separate
stations, each commanded by admiral and
designated respectively the European the Asatic the
South Pacific, the North Pacific the South Atlantic and
the North Atlantic stations These comprise within
their the whole field Of naval operations in every
part of the world. Details given OF The operations
of the feet each station and the following allusion
August last-
THE TROUBLE AT TRIpoLL
Only one circumstance has arisen within the limits
OF the command TO mar the pleasant and usually
ting intercourse. Ii became necessary in August hast
to order two vessels to Trpol to inquire into insults
offered to the Consul OF the United States by sailors OF
the Tripoan squadron. The Hartford, then just out
OF the canal on her home from the Asatc station
was telegraphed 10 touch at Tripo and Rear Admiral
Worden received orders 10 send vessels of
his command If necessary, 70 that point for the pur-
pose stated and he accordingly despatched
the Congress Both vessels arrived about the same
time the nth of August, and the senior in command
entered upon the duty to which he assigned They
were not well received by irresponsible parties on
shore, who made some rude demonstrations but the
matter was soon satisfactorily settled suitable atone
ment being made by the rripotan government and
the two vessels took their departure the 2sth of
August
IsTHMUs PANAMA TROUBLES
During the political disturbances on the Isthmus OF
Panama in August and September on account of which
some apprehension felt lest lawiess parties might
interrupt the transit the railroads. moost our
citizens inure their property, cruisers of this
station we're ordered to remain in the Bay of Panama
prepared render assistance hong as their presence
Interference on the part Of our force
OUR INTERESTS AND CHINA
The commercial ports in Japan and China oper to
our vessels have been frequently visited and the
ing has also been extended TO Sumatra Batavia Bor-
neo, Manila, Singapore and other settlements the
Straits Neither citizens their property or
interests this vast field of commerce and resort
have been intefered with appeal for naval pro-
lection, and the most cordial relations have continued
70 prevail between our forces and the authorities OF all
the Eastern Powers.
LOSS OF THE sARANAc
The loss of the Saranac OF the most useful ves
sells on the station in Seymour Narrows last June,
mentioned The department although having duly ac-
knowledged and expressed appreciation OF the kind
acts OF Rear Admiral Cochrane of the British NAVY
and the officers of Her British Maesy's ship Myrmidon
and the Hudson Bay Company's steamer Otter,
desires publicly to express the same
The saranac in the early part of tho year
places in the Gulf of California whittier she was sent
in consequence OF disturbances affecting the lives,
property and interests of American citizens. Ali
proper steps under the circumstances were taken by
her commanding officer looking to the protection and
encouragement OF our people engaged in mining and
other lawful pursuits in that quarter Her loss inter-
rupted cruise which promised TO be both useful and
interesting, commercially and scientifically.
THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.
The return home of HIS Majesty the King OF the Ha-
waian Islands, the Pensacola and the engagement OF
the uscarora in deep soundngs and other duties in
Guiding visit 10 the Samoan group Of islands for the
purpose OF conducting at the instance OF the State De-
partment, an inquiry into the claims complaints of
Is spoken Of
Regarding the Tuscarora.s visit to the Samoan group
the Secretary says:-This duty was performed in 4
highly satisfactory and prudent manner the
OF her commanding officer, and those associated with
him. was such as to inspire feeling Of friendship and
good will between the rulers of tho Samoan Islands,
and the citizens Of the United States Mr. Stenbergcr
special United States Commissioner avaed bimsef or
passage on the Tuscarora TO Samoa this occasion
Returning from this service the Tuscarora rehted and
sailed again from San Francisco the 3st of October
for Honolulu and will run line of deep soundings'
from that point TO Australia This Is important
cruise, and she will bc absent some months
THE HOME SQUADRON.
cNa affo ta nantk ID NJ
Mulany or the vessels which composed the force on
this station one year ago the Canandagua Kansas and
Wachusett have been Withdrawn and put of CON-
mission. The Brooklyn has been transferred TO the,
South Atlantic station and the Colorado New
York as receiving ship The Plymouth, the Hartford
the Swatara, the Alert the Huron the Powhattan tho
kio Bravo and the Dispatch have been added II
the meantime that IL consissof the Hartford
Worcester, Powhattan Plymouth swatara, ossipee
Alert Huron Shawmut Rio Bravo, Dispatch, Dictator,
Canonicus tug Pinta anSstoreship Pawnee.