connected with their duties, I respectfully refer to the reports of the Colonels of Engineers and of the Topographical Engineers, appended to this report.

The estimates for such of the works as require additional appropriations will be submitted as soon as they can be prepared.

The expedition which I mentioned in my last annual report as having been sent, under the command of Brevet Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves, to explore the Zuni and Colorado Rivers from the source of the former to the Pacific, has completed the exploration, and returned; but the report has not yet been submitted.

Early last spring, Captain Marcy was sent with a party to explore the head-waters of the Red River. He accomplished the object, and has returned; but the report of the expedition has not yet been prepared.

It affords me pleasure to repeat my commendations of the good order and discipline which prevail at the Military Academy, and to express my conviction of the benefits which result to the service from that institution.

The reports of the Chief of the Ordnance Bureau, and of the Quarterinaster's Department, will show the operations of these important branches of the service. Several of the suggestions contained in them are deserving of attention.

The first of these 2 reports exhibits a very satisfactory view of the operations of the national armories at Springfield and Harper's Ferry; and I concur in the opinion that no benefit would be likely to result from a return to the former mode of governing these establishments.

In my last annual report, I called your attention to several points in regard to which legislation appeared to me to be necessary. I will simply renew these suggestions without repeating the reasons on which they were founded. They were:

1st. That the department be authorized to abolish such arsenals as are no longer needed, and are a source of useless expense.

2nd. That an additional number of Commissaries be authorized. 3rd. That a retired list of the Army be established, as a measure of justice both to the officers that are disabled and to those that are

not.

4th. That the distribution of arms among the Militia of the States and territories, under the Act of 1808, be made hereafter on the basis of the free white male inhabitants of age to bear arms, as shown by the latest census, instead of the official returns of the Militia, which are frequently not furnished, and, when furnished, are often inac

curate.

To these recommendations I beg leave to add a few more that further experience has suggested.

By the 5th section of the Act of September 28, 1850, it is made the duty of the Secretary of War to discharge any soldier who at the time of his enlistment was under the age of 21 years, unless such enlistment had been made with the consent of the parent or guardian of the soldier.

Young men are frequently enlisted who represent themselves to be of age, but whose discharge is afterwards applied for on the ground of minority. The consequence is, that they are frequently discharged, after they have been clothed and fed for months, without rendering any service, or after they have been sent, at great expense, to some remote station. There is reason to believe that in some instances parties have enlisted with a view to defraud the Govern

ment.

I recommend that any person, being above the age of 18 years, who shall practise such an imposition may be compelled to serve out his term of enlistment.

If further appropriations for fortifications, and for river and harbour improvements, should be made, the number of officers in the corps of Engineers and Topographical Engineers will be insufficient to supply the necessary details for these works, and for the coast and lake surveys, added to the other duties they are called upon to perform. I recommend, therefore, that, in that event, the officers of these corps be increased by an annual addition to each, for 6 years, of not more than 3 second Lieutenants, to be taken, as heretofore, from the graduates of the Military Academy.

In consequence of the great number of remote military posts at which troops are stationed, the number of medical officers has been, for some years past, entirely inadequate to the wants of the service; the consequence of which is, that a number of private physicians are necessarily employed.

I am satisfied that it would be a measure of economy to authorize an increase of the Medical Corps.

Besides the above recommendations, there are several contained in the report of the General-in-chief, hereto appended, which appear to me to deserve attention. I will mention particularly his suggestions, that the 3rd section of the Act of June 17, 1850, entitled "An Act to Increase the Rank and File of the Army, and to encourage Enlistments," be repealed; that measures be taken to distribute, for the use of the Militia of the States and territories, the books of tactical instruction used in the regular service; and that the pension laws be so amended as to place the widows and orphans of officers of the Army on an equal footing with those of naval officers.

Respectfully submitted:

The President of The United States.

C. M. CONRAD.

REPORT of the Secretary of the Navy to the President of The United States. - December 4, 1852.

SIR,

Navy Department, December 4, 1852

I HAVE the honour to submit the annual report of this department, which will make you acquainted with the present condition of the naval service, and bring to your notice the several subjects which I have thought worthy of your consideration and the attention of Congress. I would beg leave also to say, that the many valuable suggestions for the improvement of the service, made by my predecessors, in previous reports, which yet remain open to the deliberation and disposal of Congress, have, in my opinion lost nothing of their interest, and that I refer to them now as most appropriate subjects for commendation to the favour of the national Legislature. If I have presented other views on the same topics, or proposed a different method for improving the organization of any branch of the service, I hope these will be received as contributions to the common effort which this department has ever felt it a duty to make towards the perfection of our naval system, and that they may be weighed in the deliberations of Congress with a full appreciation of what is deservedly due to the experience of those who have heretofore conducted the affairs of this department.

Distribution of Squadrons.

During the year now about to close, the vessels of the navy in commission have been assigned to the various employment deemed necessary for the protection of our commerce, according to the system of distribution heretofore adopted and found most convenient to the exigencies of the service.

This distribution has been made in a provision for 6 squadrons, each of which is required to serve on a cruise of 3 years, with the exception of that allotted to the coast of Africa, where, from a consideration of the peculiar character of the service, it is limited to 2 years.

The duration of the cruise is subject only to an occasional prolongation, when the public interest may render it necessary. Suitable provision is made in the enlistments for this incident, whenever it may occur.

The 6 squadrons are assigned to the East Indies, the Pacific Ocean, the coast of Africa, the coast of Brazil, the Mediterranean, and the coast of The United States.

In addition to these, a steamship is appropriated to the lakes upon our northern border; and a few vessels are kept for detached service.

The East India squadron has continued during the past year under the command of Commodore John H. Aulick, and has consisted of the steam-frigate Susquehanna, being the flag-ship of the squadron; the sloops-of-war Plymouth, Commander Kelly; Saratoga, Commander Walker; and Marion, Commander Glendy. This vessel (the Marion) has recently returned to The United States, and is now assigned to the African squadron, and being ready for sea, will very soon proceed to her destination.

The squadron has been lately re-organized and placed under the command of Commodore M. C. Perry, and Commodore Aulick only waits the arrival in the East Indies of an officer to command the Susquehanna, to return to The United States, which he will do in advance of his ship. Commodore Perry's command will consist of the line-of-battle ship Vermont, which is now in a course of rapid preparation for service, and it is expected will be ready to sail about the 1st of March. The Commodore himself has just sailed from the port of Norfolk in his flag-ship, the steam-frigate Mississippi.

He will be followed in a few days by the steam-frigate Powhatan, Captain McCluney, which vessel has been recently added to the squadron, in place of the steamer Princeton, originally detailed for it, but which, from some imperfection discovered in her machinery, after she had undergone a thorough repair, has been compelled to remain in port. This imperfection I have reason to hope will prove to be less serious than was at first apprehended, and that she may soon be in condition for service, when she will be assigned to other employment.

In addition to these 2 ships, the corvette Macedonian, Captain Abbot, the sloop-of-war Vandalia, Commander Pope, and the steamer Alleghany, Commander Sands, constitute the remaining force assigned to Commodore Perry. The two first of these, the Macedonian and the Vandalia, are now nearly ready for sea, and may be expected to take their departure during the month of December. The Alleghany is waiting only for the completion of her engine, and will be despatched as soon as it is finished.

The storeships Supply, Lieut. Sinclair, and Southampton, Lieut. Boyle, are also attached to the squadron, and are already on their way to their appointed stations.

The Pacific squadron, under the command of Commodore Charles S. McCauley, has been composed of the frigate Raritan, commanded by Commander McKean, as flag-ship of the squadron; the frigate St. Lawrence, Captain Dulaney; the sloops-of-war St. Mary's, Commander Magruder, Portsmouth, Commander Dornin, Falmouth, Commander Petigru, Vandalia, Commander Gardner, and Vincennes, Commander Hudson. The Falmouth, Vandalia, and Vincennes, and the 2 store-ships, Lexington and the Southampton, also attached to the squadron, have returned home within the last 2 or 3 months. The Raritan, with Commodore McCauley on board, is now also on her homeward voyage, and may be looked for in the course of the month of January.

This squadron has been actively employed in cruizing near the Sandwich Islands, from the Straits of Fuca and Puget's Sound, in Oregon, to Panama, on the North American coast, and along the whole line of South America on the Pacific. It has also visited the Gallipagos islands and the adjacent seas, whilst one or more of its vessels have been kept in constant intercourse with every port, familiar to our commerce, from California to Valparaiso.

In the new arrangement of this squadron, it will be put under the command of Captain Dulany; and the razee Independence, the sloops-of-war Falmouth and St. Mary's, will be despatched with no more delay than may be necessary for their equipment. The storeship Fredonia having performed her service in this squadron, has lately been sent on a voyage to California as a transport of troops, and will, when released from that duty, be established at Valparaiso in charge of the public stores at that port.

The African squadron is under the command of Commodore Lavalette, whose flag-ship is the sloop-of-war Germantown, Commander Nicholas. Besides this vessel, it is composed of the sloopsof-war John Adams, Commander Barron, and Dale, Commander Lardner, and the brigs Bainbridge, Lieutenant Manning, and Perry, Lieutenant Page.

Commodore Lavallette having nearly completed the period of his cruize, will return to The United States in the Germantown as soon as he can be relieved by Commodore Mayo, who will sail in the month of December, in the frigate Constitution, with Commander Rudd in command. The Dale will be replaced by the Marion, Commander Howard, which is now ready to sail.

The steamer Vixen will be added to this command, for such rapid communication with the coast and the trading points on the rivers as the duties assigned to the squadron constantly require.

The service on this station is arduous, and attended with many incidents to render it far from being acceptable to those employed upon it. Constant vigilance and frequent intercourse with a barbarous people on the coast, are the least of its discomforts. To these are added exposure to disease and the irksome seclusion of a long voyage, which finds but small relief in visits to a shore without attraction, and always dangerous to the stranger. The health of our ships on that station, I am happy to report, has in general been well guarded by the useful sanitary discipline which the experience of the service has, of late years, been able to suggest and