(except the sum of $5,551,674 24 furnished by the Navy Department, paid under contracts made with that Department, in pursuance of law,) by a laborous examination of the books and records for sixteen years past, aided by the memory of persons long in the public service; it is possible, therefore, that some expenditures of small amount may have escaped notice, but the total amount is believed to be substantially correct. Respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN A. J. CRESWELL, The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Cost of transportation of the mails to the Pacific coast, from 1848 to 1864. Contract with the Navy Department under the act of $2,579, 637 24 Steamships on both oceans, extra half trip, October, 1859, after expira- Paid New Granadian government, transportation over the Isthmus, Paid Panama Railroad Company, transportation between Aspinwall and Transportation between New York and San Francisco, annum Transportation between New York and San Francisco, March 8, 1861, to June 30, 1864, being letter postages $187,500 00 175,000 00 61, 249 99 113,750 00 58,725 00 Salaries and expenses of mail agents on the ships, January 5, 1850, to Compensation of resident mail agents, at Aspinwall, February 14, 1859, to June 30, 1864.... Compensation of resident mail agents at Panama, January 1, 1853, to Louisiana, Tehuantepec Company, transportation between New Orleans Compensation of consul as mail agent, at Tehuantepec. Pacific Steamship Company, transportation between San Francisco and Olympia, October 1, 1857, to December 20, 1860, under contract, at $122,500 per year.. $5,551, 674 24 13,676 71 70,585 31 635, 494 17 325,000 00 596, 224 99 19,856 92 3,500 00 9,431 61 228, 483 53 490 00 342,166 29 Route, Independence, Missouri, to Salt Lake, No. 8911: W. M. F. Magraw, F. Little, E. Hawkes, and John Kerr, July 1, Route, Salt Lake to San Pedro and Placerville, 1851 to 1860: George Chorpenning... California and Pike's Peak Express Company, October 1, 1860, to June 30, 1861.... Route, Kansas, Missouri, to Stockton, California: Barrow, Proctor & Crenshaw, October 1, 1858, to July 31, 1859.. Route, San Antonio, Texas, to San Pedro, California: J. B. Birch, July 1, to December 31, 1857... George H. Giddings, January 1, 1858, to September 30, 1861... Route, St. Louis and Memphis to San Francisco, Butter field, Southern, September 16, 1858, to June 30, 1861... $1,724, 456 75 Route, St. Joseph to Placerville, Butterfield, Central, July 1, 1861, to June 30, 1864... Total... 3,210,000 00 In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 15th instant, the instructions issued to the commander of the Tennessee on her present cruise, and a list of the vessels in the waters of the island of San Domingo sincé the commencement of the negotiations with Dominica. FEBRUARY 18, 1871.—Ordered to lie on the table and be printed. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 17, 1871. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the following resolution, adopted by the Senate on the 15th instant: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be directed to communicate to the Senate' a copy of the instructions to the commander of the ship Tennessee on her present cruise; also the names of the United States ships in the waters of the island of San · Domingo since the commencement of the recent negotiation with Dominica, together with the armament of such ships. And, by direction of the President, to respond to the same. In response to the first branch of the Senate's inquiry I have the honor to communicate herewith a copy of the instructions to the com-' mander of the Tennessee, dated Navy Department, January 13, 1871. And in response to the second branch of the inquiry to inclose herewith a list of the naval vessels, with their armaments, which have been from time to time since the commencement of the recent negotiations with the Republic of Dominica in the waters of the island of San Domingo. The ships now in those waters are, as far as is known to the Department, the Congress, the Nantasket, the Yantic, and the Tennessee. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. SCHUYLER COLFAX, GEO. M. ROBESON, Secretary of the Navy. Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate. 2 VESSELS IN WATERS OF THE ISLAND OF SAN DOMINGO, ETC. NAVY DEPARTMENT, January 13, 1871. SIR: The Congress of the United States has passed the following resolutions: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives, &c., That the President of the United States be authorized to appoint three commissioners, and also a secretary, the latter to be versed in the English and Spanish languages, to proceed to the island of San Domingo, and to such other places, if any, as such commissioners may deem necessary, and there to inquire into, ascertain, and report the political state and condition of the republic of Dominica, the probable number of inhabitants, and the desire and disposition of the people of the said republic to become annexed to and to form part of the people of the United States; the physical, mental, and moral condition of the said people, and their general condition as to material wealth and industrial capacity; the resources of the country; its mineral and agricultural products; the products of its waters and forests; the general charcter of the soil; the extent and proportion thereof capable of cultivation; the climate and health of the country; its bays, harbors, and rivers; its general meteorological character, and the existence and frequency of remarkable meteorological phenomena; the debt of the government and its obligations, whether funded and ascertained and admitted, or unadjusted and under discussion: treaties or engagements with other powers; extent of boundaries and territory; what proportion is covered by foreign claimants, or by grants or concessions, and generally what concessions or franchises have been granted, with the names of the respective grantees; the terms and conditions on which the Dominican Government may desire to be annexed to and become part of the United States, as one of the territories thereof; such other information with respect to the said government or its territories as to the said commissioners shall seem desirable or important, with reference to the future incorporation of the said Dominican Republic into the United States as one of its Territories. SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That the said commissioners shall, as soon as conveniently may be, report to the President of the United States, who shall lay the report before Congress. SEC. 3. And be it further resolved, That the said commissioners shall serve without compensation, except the payment of expenses; and the compensation of the secretary shall be determined by the Secretary of State, with the approval of the President: Provided, That nothing in these resolutions contained shall be held, understood, or construed as committing Congress to the policy of annexing the territory of said republic of Dominica. Approved, January 12, 1871. And the President having appointed the Commissioners thereunder and given orders that they be conveyed on their mission in a naval vessel, the Department expects you to be ready to proceed to sea with the Tennessee under your command on Monday next, the 16th instant, without fail. Having meanwhile, or on that day, received on board the commissioners and their suite, you will carry them with all practicable dispatch to Samana Bay, or to such other port in San Domingo as they may desire to visit. You will put the ship, her accommodations, and her movements at the disposal of the commissioners, taking her to such ports within or without San Domingo as they desire to visit, observing, however, the necessary regard to her safety which a prudent commander must always exercise. You will remain with the commissioners at their disposal as aforesaid until they desire you to return to this country, when you will make all dispatch to New York, or such other port in the United States as they may desire to be landed at, and report your arrival by telegraph and otherwise as usual to the Department. The names of the commissioners and of their suite will be furnished you as soon as practicable. The whole party will number not more than sixteen persons, of whom the commissioners and their secretary and such others as they designate will be accommodated in the cabin, to the extent of its capacity, and the others in the wardroom or other officers' mess. In this matter, as well as in others affecting the comfort or convenience of the commissioners, you will please consult these gentlemen and conform as far as possible to their wishes. All the expenses of the commissioners and of their attendants will be paid by the paymaster of the ship, on your order, and charged to the VESSELS IN WATERS OF THE ISLAND OF SAN DOMINGO, ETC. 3 appropriation for "contingent" navy. The expenses of other persons not the commissioners or belonging to their suite must be arranged by themselves. The Department wishes you an agreeable cruise, and confides in your discretion to accomplish its objects satisfactorily. Very respectfully, GEO. M. ROBESON, Secretary of the Navy. Captain WILLIAM G. TEMPLE, Commanding United States Steamer Tennessee, Navy Yard, New York. The following are the names of the vessels which have been in the waters of the island of San Domingo since the commencement of the negotiations with Dominica, with their armaments: Severn-14 9-inch and 1 60-pounder rifle. Congress 14 9-inch and 2 60-pounder rifles. Nantasket-6 32-pounders, 4,500 pounds; 1 60-pounder rifle. Swatara-6 32-pounders, 4,500 pounds; 1 11-inch. Yantic-1 11-inch and 2 9-inch. Dictator-2 15-inch. Saugus-2 15-inch. Terror-4 15-inch. Albany-14 9-inch and 1 6-pounder rifle. Nipsic-1 11-inch and 2 9-inch. Seminole-1 11-inch and 4 32-pounders of 4,200 pounds. Tennessee-On spar-deck, 2 11-inch, 2 9-inch, 2 100-pounders, and 1 60 pounder; on gun-deck, 16 9-inch. The ships now in those waters are, as far as is known to the Department, the Congress, the Nantasket, the Yantic, and the Tennessee. |