Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-12-12
SECRETARY OF WARS REPORT.

lug claims 10 be paid. The amount required Tor the
same purpose for tho fiscal year, ending june 'o
1856, is sS,9l7,2S7.
SECRETARY OF WARS REPORT.
The annual report of Col. Jefferson Davis Secre-
tary of War; is an interesting. busness-like document,
and makes many important recommendations, in or
der to give increased efficiency to the important
branch of the public service over which ne presides
We annex II brief abstract:
The actual strength Of the army is only ten thou-
sand seven hundred and forty-hvc The whole auti",
rzed strength fourteen thousand two hund red and
SIXTEEN The deficiency is fast decreasing by more
rapid enlistments. statement of tha changes made
in the distribution Of the army during last year is
given.
Seninol,s has received the attention Of the depart
ment hut it's efforts have not been very successful
Better fortune expected next year, through the IN
trumeutatv of the new plan OF operations. me In
dian difficulties elsewhere are alluded to. lhe mas
sacre of Lieut. Grafton and men by the Sioux IL mar
rated and the fact stated that the army force IL quite
inadequate to the protection of our frontiers and to
punish Indian aggressions. Our entire loss IN Indian
actions during the year Is four officers ana
killed and four officers and forty-two men woun-
ded. The occurrences on the frontier furnish deplo-
rable proofs of the insuciency of our military force
and of the absolute necessity for its increase, which
was urged by the Secretary last year.
Our effective force does not exceed eleven thou
sand men, which is entirely inadequate for the pur.
poses for which maintain a standing army. its
immediate increase ia urged at cost sufficient To
give degree of security to the Indian frontiers
for which services the regular force ia the most eiii'
cicnt cheap, proper and constitutional means lhe
increased pay 20 enlistment induced the enlistment OF
lO05 men in October und September last, against BOY
men during the corresponding months last year. Inc
number of recruits required for the service of the en-
suing year will probably not be less than 6,OO0 He
npHs Qofp ppp
litsry purposes again. and asks m appropriation 10
test their usefulness. An increased pay for officers Is
urged act OF justice and necessity. Additional!
legislation is uskc1 to place the widows and orphans
of the officers and soldiers Of the army equality
with the widows and orphans OF the officers anu SOL
diers of the navy.
The necessity of revision of our military cgisla-
ton in some important particulars is pointed out, IN
order to prevent conflicting claims in regard to rank
and command, which now give rise to much inconve-
nence and trouble. One great source of difficulty is
the double rank recognized by our laws; to remedy
this is proposed to give effect to brevet rank only
when the President may see it, and forbid the exer
else Of breyet commission in the regiment troop, or
company where officers are mustered, Elaborate sug.
gcs,ons Tor reorganization OF the staff corps are pre-
sented, and compared with European systems. 1t is
proposed that there be nine Rngadicr Generals, one
Tor each department; for Quarterinaster oneral
one for General and two for Inspectors Gen
eral being an addition of three to those who now by
brevct or otherwise, have rank and command as Br-
gadier Generals Other marked changes in staff ap-
pointmeuts, rank and duty are proposed.
Reforms in the organization OF regiments are also
suggested. The expedicncy OF general promotions
by seniority instead of merit is doubted by the Sc
cretary; and the establishment Of retired list again
urged. Proessorships of ethics, and OF English stu
dies, al the military academy, are recommended
Many other subjects are treated OF at considerable
length.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT.
There are 23,54S post offices in the United States
the annual colnpensatons Of 257 Of which amount to
81 900 and upwards. During the last year, 1872 Of
fees were established and Ga discontinued. Num-
ber of postmasers appointed during tho same time
S,6lS. Removals, ,917. Number OF mail routes
6,697 Numhor of mall contractors, 5,l67. Total
annual transportation Of nails s. S 00j miles, at
cost of s4,63G7G thus, q ,67 JOB miles by modes
not specified, cents per mile 2O,89O53O miles by
coach, at cents per mile; Is, 1889 miles by rail
road at II cents mills per mile; j799,4 ,43 miles by
steamboat, at cents mills per mile. Increase in
the transportation during the past year q per cent
The expenditures Of the department during the
past year were Ss,577,42i H. and tho revenue
$6,955 5s6 81. To the ferlIer must be added
$l33, ,ls3 81, balances due foreign offices, which
would eaye the total deficiency for the year lsj at
$l,755, ,9l -. The deficiency for tho year 1883 was
2,ll7 US 90-lcaving difference in favor Of 1853 of
S36l, 1856 The increase in the revenue of lsai COM
about l9 percent.
The Postmaster General audes at considerable
length to he difficulties between the department and
rail road companies relative 10 tho rates OF compen-
sation for carrying the mails, The companies, he
says, allego that the government should not usk or
expect them TO perform for any services at less
rate than that paid by individuals for smnr services
This principle he contends, he has always boon will.
ing to recognise in the adjustment OF prices what
is now required he believes, s tha tho rail road COM
pauics should be paid according 10 the bulk of the
mails the speed with which they are conveyed, and
the accommodations required. The sums paid by cx-
press companies are fair crterion for, they are
iinnauenced by competition, they can pay any price
demanded Of them and ASSESS it upon their customers.
England, France, Germany, and Canada pay less to
rail roads for mail services than is paid by the United
States. Complaint is made of the insufficient ac-
us general rule, tor route agents.
Allusion is made to the habit OF irresponsible parties
obtaining by gross misrepresentation, mail contracts,
md consequently throwing them up because of Il
failure on their part to sell the same at profit. a
remedy for this fraud is suggested.
Owing TO causes not within the control OF tle de-
the expenses of the curront year will great.
y exceed those OF the past year. They are estimated
nj S9Sil 9i IS. This increase will be owing to the
additional compensation of postmasters ana the en-
lanced prices demanded by contractors at the last
lettings.
A uniform plan Of registration is warmly recon-
nended as an additional protection for the safo dev
cry of letters Of value The want of such safeguard
aas long been felt; and US the cost OF s manenance
will fall directly upon those who will checrily pear
he expense We see no good reason why 1t should not
Dc Incorporated into our postal system as one OF It's
principal features
During tho three years commencing July ], 1851,
507 O2 Us postage stamps and stamped envelopes
have been issued by tho department, of which
s ,092 3Ul were sold.
For the last year the cos. of the service the va
-iouS United States mail steamship lines, and across
he lsthmus, 1us rs follows
Collins line, twcnty-siX round trips. SSoS0CO; New
York and Bremen, eleven round trips, StS3,333 70;
New York and lIavre, eleven round trips, Sl3, 500;
Astoria and Panama, via San Francisco, tweny-four
ound trips $3lS $50; New York aud New Orleans TO
Aspnwan, $3.50 600; Charleston and Havana, S5n, ,o0o
yew Orleans TO Vera Cruz, twcnty.tuur round trips,
80 900 Aspinwall TO Panama, $ll9,72T. Total,
Z, ,O93, ,Ui0 20.
The service performed by the several lines Of ocean
nail steamships is treated at large. The Postmaster
General is of opinion that the compensation now re-
eycd is too lnrse, and that the present System is
aculated TO drive of private competition. tie also
Lstes that the Nicaragua company have offered to
arrv a weekly mail between New York and Califor-
ia ior the sum of $6O0O0O per annum, which he
links is the highest rate of pay which ought to be
emanded. Tho cost this year for seml'montniy
nail by the Isthmus route, $757.y77 Us.
No progress has been made since the last report IN
he pending negotiations with Great Britain relative
o tho Admission of France into the arrangement, as
contemplated by the provision in the lzh article OF
ur postal convention, No postal convention
las Us yet been effected with France but one Is ABOUT
'elng made with Mexico.
Arrangements have been made with the Australia
me OF monthly packets to convey mails regularly De-
"een New York and Australia. The rates on all
utsos matter have been fixed at FIVE cents letter.
"occns each ior newspapers, and one cent an ounce