NAVY UNITED STATES.

LETTER

FROM

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY,

Transmitting the information required by a resolution of the House of Representatives, of the 15th of March last, in relation to the number of vessels of war which have arrived at each naval depot, the number of men recruited at each, the number of vessels built and repaired at each, the length of time a rendezvous has been kept open at each, &c.

MAY 4, 1832.

Read, and laid upon the table.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, May 3d, 1832.

SIR: In conformity to a resolution of the House of Representatives, passed March 15th, 1832, I have the honor to report as follows:

Some of the information desired, could be obtained only by opening a correspondence with the commanders of all our navy-yards; and part of it has required long and careful examination, in the office of the Fourth Auditor. But the results have been condensed, and are now submitted, under each distinct head, with all the correctness practicable; though, without doubt, subject to some unintentional mistakes.

1. "A statement of the number and description of vessels of war which have arrived at, and departed from, each of our naval depots, from 1st January, 1815, to the 1st January, 1832," is annexed, marked A.

2. A statement of "the number of seamen recruited in the same term at each station, for the naval service, with the annual expense of transporting the same," is annexed, marked B.

3. A statement of "the number and description of vessels of war built and repaired since the late war, at each navy yard in the United States," is annexed, marked C.

4. A statement of such "of said vessels, during the periods above mentioned, as have arrived at any naval depots, and other ports, to which they were not ordered, and the reasons thereof," is annexed, marked D.

5. A statement of "the length of time a rendezvous has been kept open, for the recruiting of seamen, at each of the said naval depots," is annexed, marked E.

6. A statement of "the difference in the expenses, (if any) which has attended the building and repairing vessels of war, at the several naval depots, during the periods mentioned," is annexed, marked F.

A more detailed, and very full report, bearing on this last statement, (as well as other subjects,) up to A. D. 1826, was made by this department,

February 9th, 1827, to the Senate of the United States. Those parts particularly applicable to this last statement, will be found in tables A, B, and C, annexed to that report, printed by order of the Senate, February 12th, 1827, (Document No. 54.)

All which is respectfully submitted.

The Hon. ANDREW STEVENSON,

Speaker of the House of Reps.

A.

LEVI WOODBURY.

A STATEMENT of the number and description of vessels of war which have arrived at, and departed from, each of our naval depots, from the 1st January, 1815, to the 1st January, 1832.

* No returns received. Expected daily, and will then be forwarded to the House of Representatives.

Note.-In the arrivals and departures, although the same vessels arrived and departed several times within the period mentioned, each arrival and departure is put down as if it were of a separate and distinct vessel, with the view to meet the call.

B.

TREASURY Department,

Fourth Auditor's Office, 27th April, 1832.

SIR: In compliance with your letters of the 5th and 16th ult., and the resolution of the House of Representatives, adopted on the 15th, accompa nying the latter, I have the honor to report the number of seamen recruited

the 1st January, 1832, with the annual expense of transporting the same, so far as I have been able to collect the information, from the files of this office. The numbers ascertained to have been recruited, are as follows, viz.

The annual expense of transporting the same, has been as follows, viz.

The accompanying statement will give this information more in detail. This office was established in March, 1817, and its files do not, in general, extend back beyond the 1st January of that year. Consequently, these statements do not embrace the years 1815 and 1816.

Nor do I vouch for the entire accuracy of this information. It is necessarily collected from vouchers filed in agents', pursers', and other officers' accounts, and it is probable some items may have been overlooked.

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Hon. LEVI WOODBURY, Sec'ry Navy.

AMOS KENDALL.

Note. Since this letter was written, I have seen a report of Commodore Chauncey, embracing the years 1815 and 1816, which represents the number of seamen recruited at New York, within the time specified in the resolution, to have been 14,274; which, I have no doubt, is very near the true number.