Year: 1863

NNRb o'ANii sNN NOhlAt bN w NNhClAlCNi wi
this place, and hence | content my
self in referring your attention to the
report itself.


THE NAVY.


The duties dcvolving on the naval
branch of tho service during the year,
and throughout the whole of this TN
happy contest, have been discharged
with fidelity and eminent success. -
The extensive blockade has been con.
stantly increasing in efficiency rs the
Navy has expanded, yet on So long a
line it has SO far been impossible To
entirely suppress illicit tlade. From
the returns received at the Navy De
partment it appears that more than
one thousand vessels have been cap
tnred since the blockade was institn-
ted, and that the value OF the prizes
already sent in for adjudication a.
mounts to over thirteen million dol
lars. The naval force Of the United
States consists at this time of 5S6 YES.
sells, completed and in the course OF
completion, and Of these seventy five
are iron clad armorcd steamers.


The events of the war give m in
creased interest and Importance TO
the Navy which will probably extend
beyond the war itself.


The armorcd vessels in our Navy,
completed and in service. or which
are under contract and approaching
completion, are believed to exceed in
number those of any other power, but,
while these may be relied upon for
harbor defense and sea cost service,
others of greater strength and capac-
ity will be necessary for cruising rur-
poses and to maintain our rightlul
position on the ocean.


The change that has taken place in
naval vessels and naval warfare. since
the introduction of steam ~ motive
power for ships of war demands ell
ther corresponding change in some
of our existing navy yards, or the
establishment of new ones for the
construction and necessary repair of
modern war vessels No inconsid-
cradle embarrassment, delay and pub
lie injury have been experienced from
the want of such Government estab-
lishmeutq. The necessity of such
Il navy yard, so furnished. at some
suitable place upon the Atlantic sea
board, has. on repeated occasions,
leen brought to the attention of Con
gress by the Navy Department, and
is again presented in the report OF
the Secretary which accompanies this
communication


| think it my duty to invite your
special attention to this subject, and
also that OF estaDllSnlng yarl and
depot for naval purposes upon one
of the Western rivers. A Anaval force
has been created on these interior wa
ters. and under many disadvantages,
within little more than two years. ex-
cccdiug in numbers the whole naval
force of the country at the commence.
ment Of the present Administration.
Satisfactory and important rs have
been the performances Of the heroic
men of the navy ut this period, they
are scarcel more wonderful than the
services of our mechanics and arti-
sans in the production of war vessels
which have created new form OF
naval power. Our country has adj
vantages superior to any other nation
in our resources Of non and timber,
with inexhaustible quantities OF fuel
in the immediate vicinity of both
and all accessible and in close prox.
unity to navigable waters without the
disadvantage of public risks. The
resources of the nation have been de
veloped and its power displayed in
the construction of a navy of such
magnitude which has at the very pc
Rod of it's creation rendered signal
service to the Union.


The increase Of the number of sea
men in the public service, from 1000
men in the spring Of 1851 to about
II 900 at the present time, has been
accomplished without especial legs-
lation, or extraordinary bounties to
promote that increase 1t has been
found however, that the operations
of the draft, with the high bounties
paid for army recruits, is beginning
to affect injuriously the naval service,
and will, if not corrected, be likely to
impair its efficiency, by detaching
seamen from their proper vocation,
and inducing them to enter the army.
therefore respectfully suggest that
Congress might aid both the army
and naval service by adequate pro
vision on this subject,and which would
at the same time be equitable to the
communities more especially interest
ed. ] commend to your considera
ton the suggestions Of the Secretary
of the Navy in regard to the policy
Of fostering and training snamcn fol
naval service. The Naval Academy
is rendering signal service in prepar
ing midshipmen for the highly res
ponsible duties, which, in after life
they will be required to perform. Ir
order that the country should not be
deprived of the proper quota of edu,
Gated officers, for which legal provis
ion has been made at the naval school
the vacancies caused by the neglect
or omission to make nominations from
the States in insurrection, have beer
filed by the Secretary of the Navy
The SCHOOL, is now more full and com
plete than at any previous period
and in every respect entitled to th'
favorable consideration OF Congress