BY THE SOUTHERN MAIL.


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Navy DEPARTMENT, Nov. 25, 1874.


SiR;-i have the honor TO present 10 you the an
nual report OF the condition and operations oi this
Department vi the public service.


The Navy OF the United States consists Of six
ships o The lne one razee, fourteen frgates, twen-
ty-oGe sloops of war, sixteen bries and schooneIs
three store-shlps, and eight steamers afoat.


There are on the stocks in an unfinished state,
four ships OF the llne three rgates one soreshlp,
an iron steamer at Pittsburgh, and one at the Navy
Yard al Washington to be used as a water tank
Since the last Annual Report. after careful survey
and inspection, it was fornd most conducive 10 the
public interests TO sell the fTgate Hudson, and the
store-shps Consort and .ChiPola, and orders have
been recently givenfor the sale OF the Pioneer. In
each case the Navy Agent conducting the sale was
limited as TO price, and the sales are satisfactory
The Hudson was originally built by contract for q
foreign government, was found to be unworthy OF
repair, and il was believed TO be more advantage
Gus to sell than 10 break her up.


The vessels In commission have been employed
as follows-


In the Home Squadron, the frigate Potomac, the
sloops Vincennss, Vandalia and Falmouth, the
hbrigs Somers and Lawrence, and the steamer
Union, under the command Of Gem. Conner. In
ne month of August the Vncennes returned north
rom the Cult OF Mexico, was put IN ordinary, and
her crew discharged


In the Mediterranean sea the squadron wasunder
command Of Commodore Morris, until he left that
station in the Delaware "a in February, when the
command dev0lved on Com Jos. Spith. Our Ma
val forces In that sea consist OF the frigates Cum
6eiland aud Columbia, sloors Plymouth and Fair
held, and store ship Lexington. The new sloop ST.
Mary's IS under orders, and will proceed, as soon
as she is ready Tor sea, to relieve the Fairfield.


On the coast OF Brazil, the squadron has consist
ed OF the Columbus "A, frigates Raritan and Con-
sress, sloops John Adams and Boston, brig Balm
bridge, and schooner Enterprize.


Ihe Columbus, john Adams and Enterprlze
nave returned home, been put Ia ordinary, and
their crews dlschaiged. The squadron Is under the
command oi Com. Daniel Turner.


In the Pacific Ocean there have been employed
me inga,es United States and Savannah, soops
Cyane, Leyant and Warren, schooner Shark, and
store ship Relief. The United States and Cyane
have returned home, been put in ordinary. and
their crews discharged. The new sloop Ports
mouth has been fied tor sea, and is under orders
relieved from the command by Com. Alexander ].
Dallas, by whose lamented death in the month OF
June last, the command devolved on Capt James
Armstrong. the second IN command: CON- John
D. Sloat has been ordered 10 the Pacihc 10 assume
command on that station.


No change has been made in the vessels COM
posing the East India Squadron since the last an
nual report The fIigale Brandywine arrived at
Macao, with the Hon. Caleb Cushing on board, in
February last. The siCop 81. Louis and the brig
Perry have since arrived at the same port. Both
passage by The illness of Comr. Cooke, OF the ST.
Louis, and OF Comr. Dupont, Of the Perry. To
the modification Of both these officers, and TO the
regret of the Department, each was compelled, by
the state OF his health, TO renquish his command
and return to the United States Captain Mckeever
and Comr. John Stone Paine Were sent out TO sup
ply their places. The squadron is commanded by
Commodore Foxhall A. Parker. The frigate Con
stellaton, bearing the pendant of Commodore
Kearney, returned home in April last, after crute
Of nearly four years. She has been laid up and
her crew discharged.


The squadron on the coast Of Africa, under CON-
mand OF Com M. 9. Perry, consists OF the rlgatcc
Macedonian, sloops Saratoga and Decatur, and
brig P0rpoise, mounting nlnety-three guns. The
sloops Preble and Yorktown, and brig TruxtoR,
have been sent out 10 relieve the Saratoga, Deca-
tur and Porpoise The new sloop Jamestown has
been launched and is in active preparations TO 90
70 sea to relieve the Macedonian. Com. Charles
w. Skinner has been ordered to proceed in her to
the station and relieve Com. Perry Another sloop
will be ordered to the station with all practicable
Dispatch The squadron, as thus constituted, VIII
mount eighly-Ihree guns. 1t is found that single
decked vessels best suited 10 this service, and
thatn them the health Of the ofhcersand crew will
be more secure than IN those OF larger class ana
more difficult of ventilation. Ii affords me pleasure
20 state that the apprehensions which were enter


tanned for the health OF the squadron have not been
realized. While al sea il is found that their health
| is only felt BY those on shore The operations Of
the squadron have. 1t Is believed, exercised ia
yorabie influence In preventing the slave trade
With the provision OF our law denounclng II as pl
| racy, and the presence Of our own naval forces,
with authority to visit ali vessels under the Amerl
can flag, Is not probable that our citizens will en-
rage In this disgraceu and perious traffic, or our
| flag be used by others TO any great extent.
Ii other Christian nations would nfict the same
punishment on the offenders, 1t is not improbable
that the trade would cease.


The store ship Erie is about to sail from New
York with stores for this squadron. The unhealthi
oess OF a residence on shore, the influence OF the
climate In deterlorating provisions when In sore
desirable 10 have large and well found store ship
permanently attached to the station. .
| No alteration has been made in the cruising
grounds Of the several squadrons since the last an-
aual report.


Tae following vessels have been employed on
special service: The irigaie Constitution, Capt.
| Percval, sailed from New York on the 29lh May


last, q cruise to the Indian Ocean. The Hon


Hesry A Wise took passage in this ship, and was
| landed AT Rio de Janeiro on the 9th August, when
she proceeded on her cruise.


The steamer Princeton, Capt. Stockton, has
| been employed in gun practice and experiments.
She ls under orders TO be prepared Tor cruise Ia
test her qualities, as well under her sails as her
| steam, and to determine the advantages OF her
mode OF propulsion.


The steamer Poinsett, Lieut. Semmes, has been
employed In making surveys between Apalachicoa
bay and the Ballze. The work ls finished, and she


will be laid up for the winter.
Consantlnople in January last, with the remain
OF Com. David Porter, and in June, sailed to join
| The squadron on the coast OF Africa, under cem
mand OF Com. Bruce.


The steamers Col. Harney and Gen. Taylor were
transferred from the War Department for the use
Cf the Navy. The former has been employed il


the transportation OF recruits and supplies tor the


Navy, and Is now under orders TO sail without de.
lay under command OF Lieut.. Lynch, TO prevent
uespasses the live oak and other timber on the
public ands between Cape Sable and the Ballze


with Instructions TO give aid TO merchant vessels II


distress during the coming winter. The Gen
4 Taylor, Lieut. Fauand, has been employed tor llks
purposes during the past season.


The schooner PhGnix, and brig Oregon, have


been succcssvely employed under the command o


Lieut.. Arthur Sinclair, as a packet between thin


country and the lsthmus Of Darlen The mails 10


the squadron and for such Of our citizens as choose


to adopt this mode Of conveyance, ale regularly


forwarded by this route. The schooner Fhrt, 1t


Davis, will be employed on the same duly. II il


believed that great advantage to the service and e
the public will result from this mode OF communi
cation with the Pacific Ocean.


The Pennsylvania, al Norfolk the North Caro-
lima, at New York the Ohio, al Boston; the Ex


pertinent, at Philadelphia; the Ouka-hy.e, a


Charleston; and the Ontario, at Baltimore, arr


employed as receiving vessels.


The force estimated for and proposed TO be EN-


ployed during the year, commencing on the lst DAY
| 4 o. - kx,u eli. n