The Hillsborough Recorder

NAVY OF THE U. STATES,

ITS EMPLOYMENT AND CONDITION.

Letter from the secretary of the navy to the chairman of the committee on naval affairs of the house of representatives.

Navy Department, Dec. 11th, 1820.

SIR, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, on behalf of the committee on naval affairs, and to furnish in compliance with your request, the following statement, which contains the information required.

Columbus, of 74 guns; Peacock, sloop of war, 18 guns; Shark, (brig) 14 guns; these vessels are employed for the protection of our commerce in the Mediterranean to prevent the Barbary states from committing depredations on the persons or property of the citizens of the United States. The Spark is principally employed as a despatch vessel to and from the ports of Barbary.

Ontario, sloop of war, 18 guns; in readiness to proceed to the Mediterranean, to relieve the sloop of war Peacock, ordered to the United States.

Constitution, frigate, 36 guns cruising in the Pacific ocean for the protection of trade and whale fisheries.

Macedonian, frigate, 36 guns returning to the United States from the Pacific, after being relieved by the Constitution.

Congress, frigate, 36 guns cruising in the Indian seas, and the several Straits, to afford convoy and protection to our trade to and from China, and to give security against the native pirates.

Corvette John Adams, 24 guns; corvette Cyane, 24 guns; Hornet, sloop of war, 18 guns; cruising on the coast of Africa, for the suppression of the slave trade, and capture of piratical vessels with instructions to cruize, for the same purpose, on their return to the United States, off the coast of Guinea and the west India islands.

Enterprize, (brig) 14 guns; cruising along the West Indies, Gulf of Mexico, and along the coast and occasionally, vandal the States.

Lynx, schooner, 6 guns; schooner, 8 guns; cruising as the brig Enterprize; all these vessels being employed to carry into effect the several acts of congress for the suppression of the slave trade and punishment of the crime of piracy.

Gun Boats, Nos. 158 and 168; cruising for the same objects along the coasts of Georgia, Florida, &c.

Three small vessels, mounting one gun each, are employed off the Mississippi in the protection of the trade and revenue of the United States.

The objects contemplated in the orders to the several ships and vessels of the navy are briefly explained against their names and stations.

As respects the force now employed in the Mediterranean, it is presumed to be not greater than the service and the interests of the United States require for the purposes of protection; the other ships and vessels are cruising separately, and are considered necessary for the service to which they have been assigned.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, sir, your most obedient servant,

SMITH THOMPSON.

Hon. PHILIP P. BARBOUR,

Chairman Naval Committee,

House of Representatives.