Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

Chancery, from the House of Appeal, age registers, condemnations, commutations of banishments, &c.

15,198

[ocr errors]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Do. for Her Majesty the Empress Queen.....

36,000

Do. for the Infant Don Miguel £ 800. a month.

Computed annually at

40,000

....

605,759

[blocks in formation]

Kingdom ...

484,998

Estimate of the Ministry of the Affairs of Justice 322,099
Do. of War (calculated for time of Peace)..... 4,204,789

[blocks in formation]

Pensions and ordinary allowances... 243,785

Cattle of Riba-Téjo....

2,280

[blocks in formation]

N. B. A deficit appears of 2,446,782 milreis, in addition to 24,000 for the continuation of the second year of the undertaking of the Theatre of San Carlos: an expence which, notwithstanding it is not contemplated in the partial Estimate, ought to be mentioned, in order that the Chamber may take it into consideration if it thinks proper. HERMANO.

REPORT of the Minister of Finance of Brazil, to the
Chamber of Deputies.—13th May, 1827.
(Extract.)
STATEMENT of the Finances of the Empire of Brazil.-1826, 1828.

(Translation.)

Ordinary Receipts of the Year 1826.............. 4,643,196
Extraordinary do.......................do...................

Milreis.

2,935,276

7,578,473

Ordinary Expenses of the Year 1826... 5,609,363
Extraordinary do.........do..........

1,817,849

7,427,213

Surplus Income 1826.....................Milreis

151,259

Milreis.

Estimate of Expenses of the Year 1828................

11,219,088

Do........of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Receipts of 1828 6,300,000

Estimated Deficit 1828.......

Passive Debt of 1826.............................

.Milreis... 4,919,088

.....

33,228,183

2,005,590

..Milreis... 31,222,593

Active do. exclusive of balance in the Treasury at the end

of the Year........

Total.........

REPORT of the Secretary of the Navy to the President of The United States.-2d December, 1826.

THE following Report is respectfully submitted to the President of The United States by the Secretary of the Navy :

On the 2d January, 1813, the Law, entitled "An Act to increase the Navy of The United States," authorized the building of 4 Ships, to rate not less than 74 guns each, and 6 Ships to rate 44 guns each.

On the 29th April, 1816, the Law entitled " An Act for the gradual increase of the Navy of The United States," was passed, and authorized the building of 9 Ships, to rate not less than 74 guns each, and 12 Ships, to rate not less than 44 guns each, including within these numbers one 74 and three 44 gun Ships, authorized by the preceding Act. By these two Laws, therefore, 12 Ships of not less than 74 guns, and 15 Ships of not less than 44 guns, were directed to be built.

Of the twelve 74's, 7 have been launched, and 5 are in various stages of forwardness; of the fifteen 44's, I was burnt on the stocks in the NavyYard at Washington, in the Year 1814, and may be considered as replaced by the 1 lately purchased; 4 have been launched, 7 are on the stocks; and the frames of the remaining 3 have been contracted for. See Paper I. (accompanying the Report of the Navy Commissioners.)

By the Law of 2d January, 1813, 2,500,000 dollars were appropriated; by that of 29th April, 1816, and a subsequent Law of 3d March, 1821, 8,000,000 dollars were appropriated, to carry the objects of those Laws into execution, amounting in all to 10,500,000 dollars. The Appropriation of 8,000,000 dollars included a previous sum of 600,000 dollars, for the purchase" and supply of a stock of every description of timber, required for Ship-building and other Naval purposes." This Appropriation expires with the present Year. It was not founded on any specifick estimate of the cost of building and

equipping the number of Vessels authorized, and is not sufficient to accomplish the object. What addition may be necessary, there are not competent means within the reach of the Department, at this time, to ascertain with accuracy. Nothing more, however, will be required, during the next year, as there remain, of the former Appropriations, about 800,000 dollars, which is more than can be usefully expended.

At the time of the passage of the Law of 1816, there were 3 Ships of the line, the Independence, Washington, and Franklin; 4 Frigates of the 1st class-the Constitution, United States, Guerriere, and Jara; and 3 of the 2d class-the Congress, Constellation, and Macedonian. These, added to the number authorized by the Law before mentioned, and the Frigate purchased in August last, under the authority of the Law of 17th May, 1826, will give, when they are all completed, 12 Ships of the line, 17 Frigates of the 1st class, and 3 Frigates of the 2d class; to which may be added the Fulton, which is at present used as a receiving Ship at New York.

There are also in our Navy 2 Ships of 24 guns each: the Cyane, captured in 1815, and the John Adams; and 4 Sloops of 18 guns; to these were added, by the Law of 3d March, 1825, 10 Sloops of War, to carry not less than 20 guns; making, when complete, 16 Vessels of nearly the same class, and which may be ranked under the denomination of Sloops of War. There are also 4 Schooners of 12 guns, and 3 other Vessels used as Receiving Ships.

In the Report from this Department, of 2d December, 1825, it was stated that 3 of the Sloops of War, authorized by the Act of 3d March, 1825, would be completed within the Year. Since that time those 3 have been finished, and are now at Sea. One has been recently launched, and will be immediately put in commission; the others are far advanced, and the whole would have been entirely completed, if the Contractors for certain portions of the materials had not produced dis appointment by failing to comply with their Contracts within the time. specified. They will all be launched, during the next Year, and may be ready for Sea in 6 weeks after launching, if no difficulty should be experienced in procuring Seamen. See Paper I.

From this Statement it will appear that the whole Naval Force, authorized by Law, consists of

12 Ships of the line, (exclusive of 2 on Lake Ontario.)

17 Frigates of the 1st class.

3 Frigates of the 2d class.

16 Sloops of War.

4 Schooners of 12 guns, and 3 other Vessels.

The whole of these, with the exception of 3 of the Frigates, could be prepared for active service at Sea, in a few months, should the situation and interests of the Nation demand their employment. For

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 indispensable 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

« PreviousContinue »