their names and other particulars, I refer to Paper I. and Naval Register of 1827.

By the Law of the 9th March, 1814, the sum of 500,000 dollars was appropriated" for the purpose of building, equipping, and putting into service, one or more Floating Batteries, adapted to attack, repel, or destroy, Ships of the Enemy, which might approach the shores or enter the waters of The United States.

This Law was executed in part, by the purchase of 1 Steam Engine and the building of 1 Vessel, the Fulton; in other respects, it has been unexecuted, in consequence, it is presumed, of the Peace which soon succeeded its enactment. By the 3d Section of the Law for the gradual increase of the Navy, passed in April, 1816, the President was authorized to cause to be procured, the Steam Engines, and all the imperishable materials necessary for building and equipping 3 Steam Batteries, on the most approved plan, and best calculated for the defence of the Ports and Harbours of The United States. The frames of the 3 Vessels have been procured; 2 of the Engines, with all their appurtenances, and part of the third engine, purchased. The Steam Engines and Vessels procured, were of the best construction known at the time; it is probable that others of more approved form, both for economy and power, might now be obtained. This is a subject to which it is presumed Legislative attention will, before long, be directed. By the Law just referred to, it is manifest that Congress, at the time of its passage, looked to this species of Vessels as an efficient means of protection for our Ports and Harbours, and subsequent experience and improvements have justified the opinion.

The powerful agency of steam has been constantly yielding, both in point of economy and skill, to the improvements of the age, and there can now be little hazard in anticipating, that, at no very distant period, it will be employed in propelling a large number of the Vessels used for the protection of the Maritime Frontiers of all Countries. And in none can they be used with more advantage than in this. The peculiar formation of our Coast, Harbours, and Estuaries, renders them an in. dispensable addition to the line of fortifications and defences which the Nation is constructing with such prudent forecast.

A minute detail of the employments and services of our armed Vessels at Sea does not seem to be required. The Year has presented few incidents which are uncommon, of deep interest, or requiring Legislative action. It may be truly said of all our Squadrons, that they have enjoyed good health, have faithfully performed the duties entrusted to them, doing credit to the skill and patriotism of our Officers, and justifying the expense to which the Nation is subjected in supporting them.

The paper M. furnishes a list of the Vessels in Commission, with their Stations. It will be perceived that few changes have been made

in the Vessels employed in active service. The frigate Brandywine and Sloop of War Erie have returned from the Mediterranean: the former to relieve the frigate United States; the latter is in ordinary, and her place will in a few days be supplied by the new sloop of War Warren, Master Commandant L. Kearney.

The West India Squadron has been diminished: 1st, By the sale of the Brig Spark, she being so far decayed, that it "was not for the interest of The United States to repair her." 2d. By placing the Schooner For at Baltimore, as a receiving Vessel. She was in such a state that she could not any longer be profitably employed as a cruising Vessel. And 3dly. The Store Ship Decoy has been sold, such arrangements having been made as rendered her no longer useful. The Brazilian Squadron remains the same as at the close of the last Session of Congress, consisting of the Macedonian, Cyane and Boston.

The Pacifick Squad on has not in any respect been changed, but the Brandywine and Vincennes are on their passage to relieve the Frigate United States and Sloop of War Peacock. It was the purpose of the Department to add, to the relief Squadron, the Sloop of War Lexington, but other employment became necessary for her, under the Resolutions of Congress. That Vessel has been employed in a Cruize among the fisheries, and in the melancholy, yet grateful duty, of removing the remains of Commodore Perry, and will now be sent for a time to the West Indies.

In obedience to the Resolution of the House of Representatives of the 18th of May last, directing" that the Secretary of the Navy be instructed to cause the remains of Commodore O. H. Perry to be removed from the Island of Trinidad, in a publick Vessel of The United States, and to have the same conveyed to Newport, State of Rhode Island," the Secretary of the Navy, as soon as a Vessel could be commissioned for that purpose, and at as early a day as the safety of those employed would permit, despatched the Sloop of War Lexington, under the command of Master Commandant William B. Shubrick, with such instructions as were supposed proper on an occasion so interesting to the national feeling, and with a Letter from Mr. Vaughan, the British Minister in this Country, to the Governor of Trinidad, to both of whom the thanks of the Department are due for the facilities afforded in accomplishing the object. Master Commandant Turner, who was with Commodore Perry at the moment of his death, and attended his funeral, was directed to accompany Master Commandant Shubrick. Information was also given to the relatives and friends of Commodore Perry, in Rhode Island, that they might be enabled to make suitable preparations for receiving and paying funeral honours to his remains. The Lexington sailed from New York on the 12th October, and I am this moment apprised that she reached Newport on the 27th November.

The Instructions and Correspondence of the Department on this subject, with the Report of M. C. Shubrick, are annexed, marked N.

The Squadron in the Mediterranean has remained under the command of Commodore Rodgers, and been actively and usefully employed in cultivating the friendship of the powers bordering on that Sea, and in affording protection to our Commerce and Interests. Some extracts from his Correspondence, marked O, will explain the nature of the Services of the Squadron, and the manner in which they have been performed.

The presence of a respectable Naval Force in that quarter is demanded by our growing Commerce, and by the continued and perhaps increasing dangers to which it is subjected by the present state of the contest between Greece and Turkey. Several of the Vessels will return home in the course of the Year, but their places will be supplied by others. Private Letters, just received, prove that Piracies of the worst kind are daily increasing, and that our Force cannot safely be diminished.

The Squadron in the Pacifick has continued to be useful to the interests of the Nation. The termination of active War between Spain and the South American Governments bordering on that Ocean, has relieved our Commerce from some of the evils under which it suffered; but the unsettled state of the Governments and People, with the mass of Individuals who have been thrown out of employment on the land and the water, exposes it to others which require the presence and active exertions of a competent Naval Force on the whole Coast, from California to Cape Horn.

Commodore Jones, one of our most experienced and prudent Officers, has been ordered to succeed Commodore Hull in the command of the Squadron, and should the force already sent not be sufficient to protect our interests, an addition to it will be made if practicable.

Our extensive interests in every part of the Pacifick, and the difficulties which not unfrequently occur in the neighbourhood of many of the Islands, render the occasional presence of a publick force among them very important. It was the intention of the Department that Commodore Hull should, previous to his return, visit the Society and Sandwich Islands; look to the interests of our Commerce there, acquire a better knowledge than is now possessed both of its extent and necessities, and of the best means and mode of defending aud promoting it. But his duties on the Coast have forbidden him to be absent; he has, however, under the orders of the Department despatched, at different times, the Dolphin and Peacock, to accomplish those objects as far as practicable. The Report of their Cruizes has not yet reached the Department. See Paper marked P.

Information was received of the War between Brazil and Buenos Ayres soon after the Cyane sailed in December last, which rendered an additional number of Vessels there necessary. These were provided

under the Act of appropriation of 5th April, 1826; and the new Sloop of War Boston, Master Commandant B. V. Hoffman, sailed on the 11th April; the Frigate Macedonian, Commodore Biddle, on the 13th June. The presence of this Force in that quarter has been essentially useful, by the relief which it has afforded to our Vessels and fellow Citizens, în many cases, and by the impression which it has produced, that, if assailed, protection was at hand.

The Emperor of Brazil established a Blockade of an extensive Coast, resting solely upon principles which have been uniformly resisted by our Government; its operation has, to a great degree, been counteracted by the interposition of our Officers, as will be seen by the accompanying Correspondence, marked Q and R.

The view of our interests in the West Indies, so far as they aré connected with the services of the Navy, is more gratifying than at any time during the last 4 Years. The zeal, enterprise and skill of our Officers which received commendation in the last Annual Report, have continued to merit it; and it is satisfactory to add, that not one case of Piracy, within the range of the Cruising ground of our Squadron, has been brought to the knowledge of the Department. The health of the Officers and Men has also received strict attention, and has been preserved to as great an extent as on any other Station. See Paper S. Commodore Warrington has been invited to the Navy Board, and Captain Ridgely appointed to succeed him.

The benefits resulting from the Cruize of the Schooner Porpoise over the fishing grounds at the northward, during the last Year, confirmed the propriety of sending a Vessel, during the late fishing season, to perform a like service. Master Commandant Shubrick sailed in the Lexington, for that purpose, from New York, on the 12th June, and returned on the 4th September, having, in the mean time, examined the greater part of the Coasts aud Shores frequented by our FisherHis Reports, a Copy of some of which accompany this com munication, show that much good has resulted from the attention of Government to this important interest of the Nation, and that it will be well not to relax on this subject. More diversified and extensive benefits are not produced by the employment of any one of our Publick Vessels. See Paper T.

men.

A Law of 3d March, 1825, appropriated 100,000 dollars for the establishment of a Navy Yard and Depôt on the Coast of Florida. By the Report from this Department of the 2d December, 1825, Congress was informed of the measures which had been taken to execute the Law, and of the selection which had been made. Since that time the Yard has been laid out, the Wharves, Buildings, &c. located, and the whole are satisfactorily progressing under the superintendence of the Commissioners of the Navy. There still remain unexpended about 60,000 dollars, which will be insufficient to complete the whole

as the erection of works in that portion of the Union is very expensive.

On the 10th of May last, a Letter was directed by the Chairman of the Naval Committee of the House of Representatives, to the Secretary of the Navy, inquiring, "whether the arrangements made by the Department for executing the Act of the 29th April, 1816, for the gradual increase of the Navy, would be injuriously interfered with, if the building of one of the Frigates authorised by that Act should be suspended for the present, and the timber for her frame secured, and the Government be authorised to purchase, in lieu of such Frigate, for the Naval Service, a Ship of equal, or rather superior force, if the same can be procured for the United States on advantageous terms." This Letter was received and answered on the 12th of that month. On the 17th May, a Law was passed, authorizing the President "to cause the building of one of the Ships to be suspended, and to cause to be purchased a Ship of not less than the smallest class authorized to be built."

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In the execution of this Law, the Secretary of the Navy, on the 29th May, appointed Commodores Bainbridge, Chauncey, and Jones, to examine two Vessels then lying at New York, with as little delay as practicable, and furnish a full Report of their state and qualities, with an estimate of their value. On the 21st June they reported, that they had examined the two Ships, and thought the one called the Liberator, the best adapted for the publick service of The United States; that from her form and dimensions, they should judge favourably of her qualities, and estimating her value at 230,570 97 dollars. Controversies having arisen between the Persons interested in the Vessel, which were submitted to arbitration, some delay took place in making the purchase: but instructions were eventually given to the Navy Agent at New York, to lay the Papers before the District Attorney, and obtain from him an opinion, as to the right and power of the Arbitrators to transfer the title to The United States. In obedience to instructions, and with the approbation of all Persons concerned and interested in it, he made the purchase for the sum estimated as the value, and the Vessel is now at the Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York. She is a valuable Ship, calculated to perform much service, and will be fitted for sea in a short time.

The Papers relating to the execution of this Law, will be found annexed, and marked U.

In compliance with the joint Resolution of the 22d of May, requesting the President to cause an Examination and accurate Survey to be made by a skilful Engineer, of a site for a dry dock at the Navy Yard at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Charlestown, Mass. Brooklyn, New York, and Gosport, Va. Loami Baldwin, Esq. was employed to make the necessary Surveys and Examinations.