the Department has not felt itself authorised to make the allowances which the plainest evidence proves to be just. They thus stand as Debtors on the books, and have been, I believe, in some instances published as defaulters. The Records are, in this mode, encumbered, accounts remain unsettled, and inconvenience is created. Congress have passed Acts declaring that Salaries or Compensations should not be withheld, where the balances against Individuals were caused solely by the depreciation of Treasury Notes; which has enabled those so situated, to receive their salaries or compensations; and thus far, afford relief to them; but it does not relieve the Accompting Officer from the difficulty created by this circumstance. Could authority be given in some form to adjust these claims, much benefit would result.

The organization of the Disbursing Department may be considered good, except, perhaps, in some matters relating to the Pursers, in which a change would be useful. These, depending principally on the Rules and Regulations of the Navy, ought to be remedied when they are revised.

In the active operations of the Naval Force during the year, there has been much to applaud, and but little to give pain. Health has prevailed, with few exceptions, and these not of an uncommon character. On this point, there is very slight, if any, difference in the several Stations on which our Vessels are employed.

Our Squadrons have been kept on the footing indicated in the last Annual Report. A condensed view of them, both for the past and ensuing year, will be found in Paper B. They have all accomplished the purposes for which they have been maintained.

In the Mediterranean, Piracy, which excited the fears of our Mercantile Fellow-Citizens, and induced Congress, at their last Session, to increase our Force, has been diminished by various causes. The activity of our Vessels-the presence of Fleets belonging to several of the principal Powers of Europe-the restraints of the existing Authorities in Greece-and the system of Convoy which has been pursued, have all operated to this desirable result. Still, there is danger to be apprehended, and our Squadron cannot be diminished. This danger does not arise so much from piratical Cruizers, as from Vessels being becalmed in the night near the shores of some of the small Islands, from which attacks are made in Boats by the lawless Inhabitants. Against this species of attack, it is impracticable, always, to guard by any assiduity in our Naval Officers. There is for it but one remedy, that of Convoy, which cannot, in every instance, be afforded; and is not always sought by our Merchant Vessels, on account of the delay which it sometimes occasions. In other respects, our relations in that Sea have called for no exercise of force.

Peace has generally prevailed among the Nations on the western Coast of South America; and no incident has occurred there worthy of particular notice. Our Commerce is not molested on the Ocean.

There are no Public Ships to interrupt or annoy it. Should this state of things continue, our Vessels will have an opportunity to extend their Cruizes to those portions of the Pacific most occupied by our Merchant Ships, and be useful to them in their pursuits. A Relief Squadron is now in preparation for that Station, and orders will be sent to one of our Vessels to return by the Society and Sandwich Islands, and the Cape of Good Hope. Objects of much interest, connected with our Seamen and Commerce at those Islands, call for the frequent presence of a portion of our armed force.

In the West Indies, no Piracies have been committed. That scourge of our Commerce has been entirely repressed. Occasional rumours of renewed acts of Piracy have created uneasiness: but in almost, if not entirely, all the cases, these rumours were founded on misrepresentation. The Reports from the Commanding Officer, mention some cases of this kind.* The only unpleasant occurrences have arisen from the condition of things on the land, and from Vessels wearing an acknowledged and authorised Flag. The Commanders of 2 Vessels, under Mexican Colours, and belonging to the Mexican Navy, have used the Port of Key West as a place of rendezvous, from which to carry on their belligerent operations, and, in other respects. so conducted, that they were ordered to depart, and a call was made on one of our Vessels to enforce the order. Subsequent obedience rendered actual force unnecessary.

Another incident created some apprehension of injury to our Commerce. In November, 1827, the Commander of the Mexican Naval Forces issued a Proclamation, inviting those who were disposed to fit out Privateers to cruize against the Enemies of Mexico, to apply to him for Commissions; and that every Vessel on board of which might be found effects of the Enemy, should be conducted to Vera Cruz for condemnation or acquittal. Our Commanding Officer promptly communicated with this Government, and with our Minister in Mexico, and adopted efficient means to avoid the evil likely to result from this cause. Fortunately, very few Commissions were issued; and the Treaty subsequently formed with Mexico, by adopting more liberal principles, relieved us from apprehended inconveniences.

The Commanding Officer of that Squadron has expressed an opinion, that the reduction of the Spanish Naval Force at Havana, which was said to be in contemplation, would discharge so many Seamen who had been taken into service by impressment, and whose previous occupations had been, in many instances, those of depredation on the water, that there would be danger of the revival of Piracy. Should this reduction be made, renewed zeal must be exercised, and thereby serious calamities prevented.

The Case of the Carraboo, of which reports have been recently received, may form an exception to these remarks.

The convulsions, also, in several of the Countries bordering on the Gulf, and the want of regularly organized Governments in many of the Ports, offer so many causes of apprehension for the safety of our Commerce and the property of our Citizens, as to forbid any diminution of our force or relaxation in their exertions.

The continuance of the War, until very recently, between Brazil and Buenos Ayres, and the system adopted by the former in sustaining their Blockades, by a force, at times, inadequate to the object; and requiring bonds of those who entered their Ports, that they would not afterwards enter the Ports of their Enemy, have given unceasing employment to our Naval Force in the neighbourhood of those Nations. The Commanding Officer has been in almost daily correspondence with the existing Powers, respecting our Vessels and Seamen. A faithful view of this Correspondence could not be presented, without transmitting voluminous copies of Letters. It is believed to embrace every instance of injustice, oppression, and wrong to our Citizens, which was brought to his notice; and to have been productive of relief in almost every case which was not submitted to the organized Tribunals of the Country. Upon the Ratification of Peace between those Governments, he returned home; a Relief Squadron being in preparation for that Station. The continuance of our small Force there will be necessary; for, although interruptions to our Commerce will not arise from a state of war, the numbers who will be thrown out of employment, both on the land and on the water, will probably create injuries of a different character.

The distance from The United States at which all our Vessels, (except those in the West Indies,) cruize, and the difficulty in transmitting money to them, induced the Department to establish a credit in London, so as to enable the Commanding Officers to draw either on that City, or on the Department, as should be found most advantageous. This provision has, during the present year, prevented any inconvenience to our Squadrons on this point, and produced some saving of public money.

Both in enlisting and discharging Seamen, the usual difficulties have been found. The ordinary length of our cruizes is 3 years; but, in consequence of the slow manner in which they are enlisted, it is impracticable to send a Vessel, especially a large one, to sea, manned with those who all have 3 years to serve. About one-fourth of all our Crews, when they leave The United States, are bound to serve from 3 months to a year less than that period. The Vessel must therefore be recalled before that time expires, or a portion of them be entitled to their discharge before its return. It is unpleasant, both to themselves and the Government, to give them a discharge in a Foreign Country; but when they are entitled to it, our Officers have been instructed to give it, if demanded, and there is an unwillingness to enter for the remainder of the cruize. Some are always so discharged, and others enlisted in their

places. The only remedies are, either enlisting for a longer, or recalling our Vessels in a shorter, period. The former would violate the Law-the latter would create a large expence to the Government. It is gratifying to state that no serious evil has, as yet, resulted from this cause, although it has sometimes placed our Officers in an unpleasant situation, and should, as far as practicable, be avoided.

When Seamen demand their discharge abroad, and their places are to be supplied, Foreigners of every Nation are taken; and from the manner in which our ordinary enlistments are made, many such are found among our Crews at all times. They are a distinct class of People from those useful Citizens who have sought protection under our Institutions, and made our Country their home. Very few of them have their interests located here, or are bound to us by one and all the ties which connect Man with his Country. They produce a large proportion of the offences and insubordination of which we have to complain, and when their time expires abroad, seldom return; for their home is not here. Instructions have been given to avoid them in enlistments: and it is hoped that the time is not distant when wise legislative Enactments will raise up an abundance of Seamen, acquainted with, and attached to the service, whose interests and hopes are centered in our own Country. I have heretofore submitted my ideas on this subject, and respectfully refer to them. Legislative action upon it is demanded by high and imposing considerations.

The situation of all South America, for several years past, has offered temptations to some of our Seamen to leave their Country for a time, and adventure in the service of another. They have uniformly had cause to regret the folly of their course. A part of them have been found by our Vessels in want and distress. An uniform course has been prescribed to, and exercised by our Officers: and many have been restored to the Country, and will not be likely again to desert it.

A few years since, many complaints, some of them very unjust, found their way to the Public, respecting the carrying of specie in our Public Vessels. The subject attracted the attention of the Department, and Instructions were given, in 1824, designed to correct any error or misconduct which might exist in the exercise of the right admitted, and of the duty imposed, by Law, in that matter. It is gratifying to state, that, during the past year, no complaint on this point has reached the Department; and it is believed, that, in the few instances in which specie is now carried in our Public Ships, it is equally beneficial to the Country, and fair and legal in our Officers.

The Marine Corps remains in the condition in which former Reports represented it; and no new suggestions respecting its organization and interests will now be offered. The number of our Navy Yards and Vessels in Commission is so great, that the Corps cannot supply full Guards for them. An order was therefore prepared to withdraw those

from the Navy Yards at Philadelphia and Portsmouth, and substitute Watchmen. This order has been suspended for the present, but it will probably be found necessary to issue it after a short time.

The usual Estimates for the Navy and Marine Corps are enclosed.

They embrace the same number of Yards, Stations, Vessels, Officers, and Men, as those of last year, and vary from them in very few particulars. Explanatory remarks on some of the items are added. In addition to those on the item of Arrearages, it may be proper to suggest, that the original estimates, for the number of Vessels named in the Law for the gradual increase of the Navy, were made at a time when less accurate knowledge was possessed of the actual cost of the Vessels, than subsequent experience has afforded; that from the manner in which our Navy Yards were arranged, it was not practicable to keep separate the materials procured for different objects, so as always to prevent the incorrect use of them; that the wants of the service often demanded the use of materials on hand, (for whatever purpose procured,) to fit Vessels for sea, and avoid an extravagant waste of public money by their detention; and that these materials could not always be promptly and accurately replaced. These inconveniences, it is confidently believed, may hereafter be entirely avoided, under the plans now in existence, and the system which is in operation.

The amount of pay estimated is greater than it was last year, which arises from the Laws increasing the pay of Lieutenants, Surgeons, and Surgeons' Mates; and from the number of passed Midshipmen. These classes of Officers are the most numerous, and a small addition to their pay necessarily swells the estimate, more than a like increase to the other grades would do. I would respectfully suggest that these Laws, just in themselves, and meeting, as they did, the approbation of a large majority of Congress, have created an inequality which ought to be remedied. The pay of the oldest Captain in the service, while in command of the largest Squadron, is but 2,660 dollars; of a Captain in command of a Frigate, but 1,930 dollars; while the Surgeon of a Squadron, of 20 years standing, receives 2,420 dollars; and of 10 years, 2,300 dollars. The youngest Lieutenant receives within a few dollars as much as a Master Commandant; a Surgeon often more. Other inequalities, not less striking, will be perceived on an examination of the Law. This advanced pay of the inferior ranks, though not complained of by others, cannot fail to produce unpleasant and painful feelings. It violates the only true principles, upon which compensation is made to public Officers-that it should be graduated by length of service, rank, and responsibility. A proportionate addition to the pay of the other grades would increase the amount of the appropriations much less than it was increased by these Laws, and is called for by