DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. NAVY DEPARTMENT, January 23, 1850.7 SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the resolution the Senate of the 17th instant, and referred by you to this departmen requesting the President of the United States to communicate certain formation in reference to the appointment of a civil and military goven for the Territory of California, and the organization of a government said Territory. In answer thereto, I herewith transmit all the informati in this department called for by said resolution. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. To the PRESIDENT. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 2, 1849. SIR: This will be handed to you by the Hon. T. Butler King, if there should be, in his opinion, occasion for so doing. The object of this k ter is to impress upon you the desire of the President that you should, all matters connected with Mr. King's mission, aid and assist him in car rying out the views of the government as expressed in his instructions from the Department of State, and that you should be guided by his advice and counsel in the conduct of all proper measures within the scope of those instructions. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Commodore THOS. AP C. JONES, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Commanding U. S. naval forces, Pacific ocean. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: I have the honor to request that you will be pleased to furnis for the use of this department the articles named in the within enclosed memorandum. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Hon. GEO. W. CRAWFORD, Secretary of War. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: You will be pleased to furnish for the Navy Department, if your power, the articles named in the enclosed memorandum. Shoul you be unable to supply all, you will name those you cannot furnish, and state where they can be purchased. The articles are wanted with despatch. I am your obedient servant, Lieutenant M. F. MAURY, WM. BALLARD PRESTON.. Superintendent of the U. S. Observatory. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: You will be pleased to furnish this department with the articles. named in the within-enclosed memorandum. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Commodore CHARLES WILKES, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Washington. Memorandum. 1 Gunter's chain. 1 spy-glass, strapped. 1 small lot selected drawing-paper and pencils, (in travelling case.) 1 12-inch ivory protracter. 4 Lawson's maps of Upper California. 2 box sextants. 2 pocket prismatic compasses. 2 pocket ordinary compasses. 1 sextant and artificial horizon. 1 pocket chronometer. 1 case mathematical instruments. 1 Bowditch's Navigator. 1 Nautical Almanac, 1849. 4 sets charts of Upper California, Oregon, and Rio Sacramento, by Ex--ploring Expedition, on tracing paper. Sets of Fremont's and Emory's Survey, with notes. Small lot of drawing-paper, blank-books, note-books, stationery, &c. The above, it is believed, can be furnished readily from the Hydrographical Bureau. 8 Colt revolvers, large size, holsters, &c. 4 Colt revolvers, small size, holsters, &c. 4 rifles, with necessary equipments. 4 saddles, bridles, blankets, &c. 4 tents, small size. 1 set camp equipage. 4 elastic beds, blankets and equipments. The most of the above can be supplied by War Department. Respectfully submitted. CADWALADER RINGGOLD, Hon. Wм. B. PRESTON, Secretary of the Navy, Washington. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: I intrust to your care important despatches addressed to Commo dore Thomas Ap C. Jones, commanding the United States naval forces in the Pacific. You will sail from New York in the first steamship bound to the port of Chagres. Upon your arrival at Chagres, you will proceed without delay across the isthmus to Panama, and take passage in the first steamer bound to San Francisco, and make the best of your way in her to that point, or wherever else Commodore Jones may be found upon the coast of California, and deliver the despatches addressed to him into his own hands. If, upon your arrival at Panaina, it should appear that any circumstance had delayed the arrival of the mail steamer at that port, you will, after waiting a reasonable time, proceed to make your way by the earliest opportunity to San Francisco. After performing the services with which you have been charged, you will rejoin the Hon. Mr. King, and co-operate with him in fulfilling the object of his mission, under whose direction you will return home. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Lieutenant CADWALADER RINGGOLD, [Confidential.] NAVY DEPARTMENT, SIR: The department, being desirous to send out, without delay, a bearer of despatches to California, begs to call into requisition your kind offices in securing a passage for three gentlemen, to proceed from New York, across the isthmus. The urgency of the case makes it all-important they should leave New York in the first steamer for Chagres, to join your next steam. ship from Panama to San Francisco. You will therefore be pleased to secure three through tickets, so as to insure against the possibility of any delay in their reaching their destination at the earliest moment. I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. . W. H. ASPINWALL, Esq., New York. NAVY DEPARTMENT, SIR: You will pay to Lieutenant Cadwalader Ringgold the sum of one thousand dollars, for travelling expenses to California. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. SIR: You will advance to Lieut. Cadwalader Ringgold five months' pay, and charge to his account. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. SIR: I transmit enclosed an order to Purser Francisco, disbursing agent on the west coast. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. Rodman M. Price, at San sary, you can present the same and receive the funds to enable you to pay your travelling expenses home. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Lieutenant CADWALADER RINGGOLD, NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: You will be pleased to pay to Lieutenant Cadwalader Ringgold the sum of six hundred and fifty dollars, for his travelling expenses home from California. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Purser R. M. PRICE, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. U. S. Navy, San Francisco, Alta California. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: Enclosed I transmit a duplicate order of this date, the original of which has been placed in the hands of Lieutenant Cadwalader Ringgold for delivery, should it become necessary for him to receive the amount to enable him to defray his travelling expenses home. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Purser RODMAN M. PRICE, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. U. S. Navy, San Francisco, California. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 3, 1849. SIR: It is important that the Hon. T. Butler King, and the gentlemen forming his party, should meet with the least possible delay on their way to California. You will therefore be pleased to afford them every possible facility your ship will offer to convey them to their place of destination. 1 am, respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. COMMANDING OFFICER PACIFIC SQUADRON, Or the commander of any single ship which may be at Panama. NAVY DEPARTMENT, April 7, 1849. SIR: This despatch has been intrusted to the care of Lieutenant Cadwalader Ringgold, United States navy, who will place it into your hands. The Hon. T. Butler King, of Georgia, has been designated by the President, and sent out to California, to be intrusted with the performance of most important duties for the interest of that country. Should you be called upon by that gentleman in reference thereto, you will be pleased to co-operate with, and render him all the assistance in your power, to enable him to accomplish the object of his mission, as expressed in his instructions from the State Department. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Commodore THOS. AP C. JONES, WM. BALLARD PRESTON. Commanding U. S. naval forces in the Pacific. [No. 59.] SAN FRANCISCo, June 16, 1849. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th of April, handed to me on the 5th instant by Lieutenant Ringgold of the navy, in company with the Hon. T. Butler King. A more acceptable visiter than Mr. King could hardly have been sent to California; nor could his arrival here have been more opportune, being himself the bearer of the first authentic intelligence of the failure of all efforts in Congress to extend the laws of the United States over this Territory. Mr. King will doubtless report by the first steamer the state and condition of affairs here as he found them. It is very gratifying to that portion of the army and navy serving on this station, to find that the measures they have adopted for the security of persons and property, and for the collection of duties on foreign imports, are approved by Mr. King, as we hope they will be by the President. Among other temporary measures touching the collection of duties and inland trade, some of which have already expired by their own limitation, is one still in operation, as indicated by the enclosed blank license, called into existence by the following circumstances: The new town of San Francisco (Yerba Buena by Wilkes's chart) is situated among sandhills, near the extremity of a narrow peninsula of some sixty miles in length, washed by the Pacific ocean on the west, and the southern arm of the bay of San Francisco on the east. The greater portion of this peninsula being for the most part extremely sterile, is but sparsely inhabited; consequently nine-tenths of the immense amount of goods entered at the port or town of San Francisco are transhipped in launches and |