526 



NAVY, UNITED STATES. 



and Fuhkien. The reception was cordial and 

 gratifying ; and, to check in some measure the 

 frequent piracies, the viceroy promised to 

 issue a proclamation prohibiting fishing-junks 

 from carrying an extra number of men, or arms, 

 or munitions of war. 



In April the Shenandoah was sent to Oorea 

 to make another attempt to rescue the crew of 

 the schooner General Sherman, which had 

 been destroyed by the Coreans some eighteen 

 months previously, it having been stated upon 

 apparently good authority that some of them 

 were still alive and in captivity. From all the 

 information that Commander Febiger could 

 gather, he concluded that none of the crew or 

 passengers of the schooner were living. 



The Aroostook, Lieutenant - Commander 

 Beardslee, conveyed the consuls for Amoy and 

 Foo-Choo to Formosa in April, to enable them 

 to visit the various ports on that island coming 

 under their charge. The savages inhabiting 

 the lower part of this island some time ago 

 murdered the shipwrecked officers and crew 

 of the American bark Eover. Satisfied from 

 inquiry that no foreigners were in captivity on 

 the island, Lieutenant-Commander Beardslee 

 obtained assurances from the natives of kind 

 treatment to and restoration of any persons 

 who may hereafter be shipwrecked upon the 

 island. 



The North Atlantic squadron was under the 

 command of Eear- Admiral James S. Palmer 

 until December 7, 1867, when he died at St. 

 Thomas. He was succeeded by Rear- Admiral 

 H. K. Hoff, who took command on February 

 22d. The squadron consisted of the Contoo- 

 cook, 13 guns; Saco, 10; Penobscot, 9; Yan- 

 tic, 5 ; Gettysburg, 9 ; Nipsic, 6. The squad- 

 ron was actively employed in giving assistance 

 to merchantmen and protection to citizens of 

 the United States wherever needed within the 

 limits of its operations. 



The disturbed condition of Hayti called for 

 more than ordinary attention to American in- 

 terests on that island. Instructions were from 

 time to time issued to the admiral in command, 

 by the Government, to watch the progress of 

 events, and be prepared at all times to afford 

 necessary protection to citizens. In pur- 

 suance of these directions, the Contoocook, De 

 Soto, Shawmut, Saco, Penobscot, Gettysburg, 

 and Nipsic have, at different times, been in 

 Haytien waters, and some of them have re- 

 mained there for weeks successively. 



The South Atlantic squadron was nnder the 

 command of Kear- Admiral Charles H. Bell, 

 and consisted of the Guerriere, 21 guns ; Paw- 

 nee, 11 ; Quinnebaug, 6 ; "Wasp, 3 ; Kansas, 8. 

 The continuance of hostilities between the al- 

 lied powers and Paraguay rendered it neces- 

 sary to keep some portion of the force as near 

 as practicable to the scene of military opera- 

 tions. On the 7th of February, in concert with 

 the commanders of other squadrons and at the 

 request of Governor Flores, of Montevideo, fifty 

 seamen and marines were landed for the pro- 



tection of foreign residents and the custom- 

 house. On the succeeding day, affairs having 

 quieted, the detachment was withdrawn. On 

 the 19th of the same month another force was 

 landed and remained on shore until the 26th, 

 in consequence of the disturbances occasioned 

 by the assassination of Flores. 



Early in the year, at the request of Secre- 

 tary Seward, the Wasp was dispatched to the 

 capital of Paraguay for the purpose of bringing 

 away the American minister resident, Mr. 

 Washburn. When she arrived at the seat of 

 war in the Parana Kiver, the passage of the ves- 

 sel through the blockading fleet was refused by 

 the Brazilian authorities, and after waiting some 

 months and failing to convince them of the 

 right of a neutral man-of-war to ascend the 

 river as far as Asuncion for the purpose stated, 

 that vessel returned to Montevideo. In August 

 the Brazilian authorities withdrew their objec- 

 tion and the Wasp again ascended the river, 

 which is of difficult navigation, owing to its 

 tortuous course, and shifting sand-bars. Only 

 the smaller class of naval vessels can ascend to 

 Asuncion, on the Parana Kiver, in the interior 

 of South America, 930 miles from Montevideo. 

 On the 10th of September, at Villeta (below 

 Asuncion), the Wasp took on board Mr. Wash- 

 burn and family and conveyed him to Buenos 

 Ayres. 



The North Pacific squadron was under the 

 command of Eear- Admiral H. K. Thatcher un- 

 til August 6th, when he was relieved by Rear- 

 Admiral Thomas T. Craven. The squadron 

 consisted of the Pensacola, 20 guns ; Mohongo, 

 10; Lackawanna, 7; Saginaw, 6; Resaca, 8; 

 Ossipee, 6 ; Jamestown, 15 ; Cyane, 18. The 

 west coast of Mexico, the commercial ports of 

 Central America, and the Sandwich Islands, 

 have been frequently visited during the year. . 

 The importance of the whaling and commer- 

 cial interests at the Sandwich Islands is shown 

 by the fact that at one time in November, 1867, 

 forty-two American flags were flying from that 

 number of whaling and merchant vessels in 

 the harbor of Honolulu, while but six flags of 

 all other nations could be seen. 



In June last, Rear- Admiral Thatcher, in the 

 flag-ship, visit ed^he Northwestern coast, touch- 

 ing at Port Townsend and Esquimault. Sev- 

 eral vessels of the squadron have visited the 

 newly-acquired Territory of Alaska. The Os- 

 sipee conveyed the commissioners from San 

 Francisco to Sitka, and was present and partici- 

 pated in the ceremonies incident to the transfer 

 of the flag. The Resaca and Jamestown, al- 

 though sent there primarily for the influence 

 of the cold climate in disinfecting them of yel- 

 low fever, afforded such protection to citizens 

 as was desired. In April last the Saginaw 

 was dispatched to Alaska, where she remained 

 several months, for the purpose of making ex- 

 plorations and surveys, and of determining the 

 most suitable harbors and anchorages on the 

 coast, and in the adjacent islands. The Suwa- 

 nee, under orders for the same point, was 



