Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-12-10

during the late tiscaIycsr, we're 81 1884,
757.-Tho gross revenue from all sour.
ces was s6,94o,724. 1t appears from
tho foregoing statement, that the gross
revenue of The year ending June 30th,
1858, falls short of expenditures in tho
sum Of S2,ol2,53l. Fifteen hundred
aud seveuty.one thousand dollars Of
this deficiency were supplied by bal.
lance, on the AUDITORS books, on July
lst, 1853 and appropriations To supply
deficiencies of upwards of ono million
of dollars, leaving $4,000 to DO pro.
viied by Congress- for the service Of the
year ending June so, 1853.
Report Of The Secretary Of the Navy
The FIRST part Of the Secretary Of the
Nays Report is taken up with desert.
bling the fotcc engaged in the several
sauadrons.
Mention is made Of the sailing of Dr.,
Kane in search Of Sir Juhn Franklin,
and in connection with this, complaint
is made that certain new Charts of tbs
British Admiralty give credit to officers
of the British Navy for discoveries made
by tho former American expedition, I'M
der Lieut.. De Haven, in tho Arctic Seas
The operations Of tho Naval Ohserv.
story, under Lieut.. Muury, are spoken
of in complimentary terms, and the re.
suit Of his visit tn Brussels, to meet the
Representatives of various European
governments for scientific purposes, are
spoken Of as likely to prove vastly ben.
efcial TO commerce and navigation.
An increase Of the Navy is urgently
advised. 1t censis,s now of about sey,
emy vessels of all classes, many oi
which are unfit for service, aud not worth
repairing. There orc not now forty
vessels that could be brought Into ser
vice in ninety days, if needed, there is
no steamer in the Pacific, or African
squadrons, only ono or two guns in the
Brazil Squadron, and we haze no steam
CT of moro than ten guns. Tho law
only authorizes the enlistment Of $500
men, which wouldnot mrr EJECT q &c
ty vessels. Our Nav is less Ian ono'
4 filth uf those of the several European
,Ipuwers. The necessities for Target
dforce nre pointed out in much detail
1s1'he importance of steam in the Navy
is strongly dwelt upon, and the rcpnl'
recommends the construction Of ut lcas
six first class steam frigatc propellers
which may be built in our several yard:
in addition to the work now going on it
them. Should these recommendations
be adopted, our naval force will be ma
terally strengthened by the addition o.
two first class sailiug fIigutes, and o
seven first class steam fiigates, capable
of mounting fifty guns each.
Tho repeated failures of orr wal
steamers are referred to, md the result
ofun Investigation as 10 the causes il
sud to be OIL file. Reference is mad,
to The Bureau Of Medicine and Surgery
and to tho Marine Corps, and the re
ports from each are commended to Con
gress.
The present organization Of the Ma
w is described as nut only defective
and uuwisc, but mischievous in its op
Grafton. The great evil is that neither
merit nor service, nor galuntry, nor ca
racity, but mere seniority Of commis
sion, regulates promotion aud pay. Thu
discretionary powcrin the President o
The Secretary in regard to promotions
aud furlouglls is not sufficient, and the
offnnts at discrimination are continual.
embarrassed. A Retired List, on re
iucpd pay for the infrm, the discharge
. Of the inefficient; promotion regulated
by capacity aud merit and not mere sen
; iority Of commission, md pay TO som'
, ex,cnt controlled BY sea services, art
, reforms urgently needed aud recon
mended To Congress.
a boaid of officers of various grades
to be selected by the President, can b.
convened periodically to report to hin
: the names Of those who, in their judg
: nent, should he made subjects Of til,
rules prescribed. but their report to y,
binding on the President only SO FAR a
liz deems proper. Asystem Of reward
aud punishments to the sailors, an'
honorable discharge, is suggested as
: means uf encouraging more permanen
cnistmemls, &c.