Year: 1870

In
now most urgent the allowance OF outfit
OF Clothing TO each sailor enlistment after the manner
| army and the department in this reeOmmenda-
tion as an OF justice and means Of relieving te
men rOm the necessity OF entering tho service IN ueb
the Government and removing this inducement 20 as
content aud assertion. beg also IN thls connec.SSn'
length n my last reporPCnn my dhe Sect b9r 9L eR
try and organization IA part OF tho available oroo"
| tho country. v,nne


Thu condition OF our Nayy-Yards in various parts OF
| the country demands attention Very little has been
done toward their improvement at any time since tDe
commencement OF the war; and Last year n0thipY Was
appropriated for that purpose except small anoN TOT
'T The late Secretary Mr. wees frequently called the
attention Congress the condition 10 which our buhd
and In my report felt called upon TO speak at some
length on tho subject Each year that they are post
atlve and the cost OF making them larger while the want
OF them each year and severely felt In the
increased 20 the Government OF the work which we
obliged 10 do entailed by the want OF the ordinary
appliances for rapid and economical labor Ihs want
severely felt at Mare Island where is situated our
only naval establishment on the Pacific coast Our YES
sells for the Pacific fleet should be built az iar az in Ue'
should be repaired at this yard The passage r0ud Cape
Horn difficult aud dangerous, and consumes 100
much time to be thought Of when other means OF re |
fitting and repair are possible 10 the GOFerhmen yo
for the want OF appropriations for the proper buildings
tools and machinery for this yard the Paclhc, our
ships Obliged make long and dangerous passages 70
the Atlantic coast with great detriment to the service
and loss 10 the Government and expensive and cunDer
some machinery built at the East must be transported
across the Continent at Al expense oteh equal u Ito
would also again press the suggestions made last year
in regard the importance OF removing our large w4fn
ing yards from their present situation IN the usn 81
ROpulous and growing cities ana tad & obiatopof the
Government in regard to the League lsahd poruon VI
the Philadelphia station aud to that al NC" h"uo"'
.. THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO
The mportance OF the submarine torpedo as weapon
OF naval warfare is every day apparent AZ our
experiments and improvements progress the terroie
power Of this engine and the certainty ana ehso WIN
which it may be applied are more clearly denensuaeu
and promises to be the most efheent az wen aS 'o
least EXPENSIVE means Of defense and attack known 70
tine service Recent events in Europe nave SHOWN ioS
value important part OF the syste Ot , S4aS. @ tS
ense. We progressing In THIS direction ~ st s the
appropriation VIII permit and II the suggesuons oi en9
officers in charge Of this branch are carried o We s t


think, be as well armed In this respect as any other


The reports Of the several Bureaus OF the Department
and that OF the Admiral upon the CONDITION Oh %
will be found In the appendix to this report Ihey con
tain much that il instructive and valuable snail NOT
pause repeat them in detail, but, recommending them
for the study OF all who, from duty OF ncnatlon' are In
erested In the service, shall REFER specially 70 10"
things which impress me as OF the most urgent import
| ance.


The necessity of an American photographic establish
ment furnishing charts, books and sailing direc-
tons at own commerce. not to the outside
world performing t portion OF the work OF surveys
and discovery must be apparent to one even slightly
acquainted with the wants OF commerce and the duties
| OF a commercial nation Under all European govern
ment any note such establishments have long been in
operation furnishing their quota for the general advance
the photographic office OF England takes the Lead and
furnishing its charts ana publications 10 great part OF
the commercial world, eXaets tribute which pays az


Th @ nt ~ the snryeys constantly carried on
every quarter of the globe Our country with perhaps
greater advantages has DONE and IL doing but tte IN
eStabshed by CongTess under the Bureau OF Nayiga-
ton no steps been taken toward it's Advancement
and gradual increase and it at present scarcely more more
than depot OF charts the greater part OF when WIN
the sailing directions &c. used by our naval ana CON t
mercial marine, are purchased rom ABROAD anu IN to
event rupture Of relations with Great Britain
is not In this country a private firm of hydrography
The Government, by establishing It's own once, l Ie
sroyed private enterprise in this direction and taken
upon Itself the supplying OF an the neeue 6nd
and most properly for private firms can nelther n
nor can they readily obtain the necessary information
which comes largely from the offices OF foreign govern
ments and from original surveys entirely Deyohd ther
| 10 place our Office on a proper basis and make
gradual advancement from year to year, fair apprOpn
alton is required To procure and arrange proper Du
ing the prosecution and extension Of the work. and
yearly allowance to enable the office to increase gradual
ly its engraved chart plates &C. until such time as py
| office would pay Itself small yearly appropriation
should also De MADE 3r prosecuting g surveys aa9 Witch
may most immediately benefit our own commerce.
/ MAGAZINE AT NORFOLK.


beg leave, also to call your attention to the unsafe
condition of the magazine at Norfolk Va and TO ask
that sufficient appropriation be made for the purchase
Of new site safer position, and for the erection OF
the necessary buildings. smelling furnace has been
erected and is in full operation within 200 feet of the
OF wood and the town is fast extending to dreet
contact with their walls


STRE DEPOT.
The subject Of ntre depot for the storage OF ntre at
some inland point near railroad canal communication
with the coast also presses for action This subject
fully presented by the Chief of the Bureau Of Ord
nance, note to the estimates for the Bureau for
fs697O This believed be very important and it is
hoped that Will the prOpElety Ii
the matter -


In ordnance there IS to believe we are yet
behind other nations but large now being eK-
pended by them in experiments with cannon and guns
of all oabes and the inventive genius Of our country
is much engaged in the improvement OF arms, and new
suggestions some OF much apparent merit, are con.
santy offered it is hoped that suitable sum may he
allowed for testing them, particularly as most or the
inventors are without the means Tor doing this them


THE LOSS OF THE ONEIDA.


On the afternoon the oath of January last the steam
soOpowar Oneida carrying six guns and crew Of l7e
officers and men, steamed out of the harbor OF Yoko-
hama her return to this country after cruise OF three
years the Asatic station. At o'clock on the same
evening in the Bay OF Yeddo about IS miles from Yoko
hama she run inO'by the English steamer Bombay,
carrying the mails and passengers for the astnaned
| port. After cutting down the Oneida, and carrying
away entirely large portion OF her stern the Bombay
proceeded on her way leaving behind her. In the dark
ness the unfortunate ship and her gallant crew In less
Oneida had sunk beneath the waves and OF a officers
men, but OF the former and 81 OF the latter
| escaped watery grave.


have already had the honor response To resolutions
Of Congress to communicate all the Information ON this
subject which I'm the possession Of the Department
and 10 my opinion OF the of the disaster
and the conduct Of the actors. have not since that
time tO change these views, and, still be-
eyng that loss caused by the reckessness and
bad navigation OF the persons in charge OF the Bombay


recommend that the Department be authorized TO take
such means may be available 10 obtain redress from
her owners Tor pecuniary loss. The lives OF those
who pershcd cannot be restored their loss repaid to
their families or their country