Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-12-13
vol. VIII.--NO. 4.
have established a claim to-

| p IN again fEtaSCle 10 IHc Ia
| vorahle consideration of Congress. | wonld sug-
gest that the power OF placing officers on the re-
tired list be limited to one year The practical
| operation of the measure would thus be tested,
and if, after the lapse of years. there should be
occasion. TO renew the proposition, If can be re-
| produced with any improvement which expert
| ence may indicate.
The present organization of the Artillery into
/ Regiments is liable TO obvious objections The
service of the Artillery is that of batteries and
| the organization of batteries INTO corps of ar
tillerv would be more consistent with the nature
of their duties. A large part of the troops now
| called Artillery and have been on duty as In
| fantry the distinction between the two arms be-
| ing nearly nominal. artillery in our service is
entirely dispropeitionate to the whole force and
greater than the wants OF the country demand -
therefore recommend the discoptlnuance of
distinction which has no foundation either IN the
arms used or the service expected to be performs
| ed eEsa E a eva b. -Est -
In connection with the PROPOSE ton for the in
crease of the Army, have presented these sug
gestons with regard to certain measures of re-
/ form as the eiernen IS of system which would
| produce the bappest results from given expea-
diture, and which, hope may attract the early
| attention, and be deemed worthy of the approval
of Congress.
| The Recommendation of the Secretary of the
Navy having reference to4fuore ample provisions
for the discipline and general improvement IN the
character of the seamen and for the reorganiza-
tion and gradual increase of the Navy, deem ex-
pedient and worthy of your favorable cons idera-
ton. - fE Fz}5a ~ s 4.sH -
The principles which have controlled our pel-
cy in relation to the permanent military ferce by
sea and land are s'nind and consistent with the
theory of our svsterr, and should by no means be
disregarded But in limiting the force to the OH
iects particularly set forth in the preceding part
of this message we should not overlook the pres
| ent magnitude aud prospective extension of our
marine, nor fail to give due weight to the fact
/ that besides two thousand miles of Atlantic
/ hoard we have Pacific coast stretching from
/ Mexico to the British Possessions in the North
west teerning with wealth and enterprise and
demanding the constant presence of ships of war.
| The augmentation OF the Navy has Dot kept pace
with the duties properly assigned to it, In time of
peace and it is inadequate tor the larger field of
its operations not merely :he present, but still
| more in the progressively increasing exgences
of the wealth and commerce of the u nIted States
l cordially approve of the proposed apprentice
| system for our national ships, as recommended
| by the Secretary of the Navy
The occurrence, during the last few months. OF
marine disasters of a most tragic nature involy-
| inc a great loss of human life has produced an
| intense emotion of sympathy and sorrow, and it
NAV we'll be doubted whether these calarntous
! events are wholly attributable to the necessary
! and inevitable dangers of the sea. The mer-
| chants. marines, and shp-builders of The S.
| are il is true unexceled IN far-reachne enter
I
| world hut with the increasing amount OF our
commercial tonnage, the aggregate and the lar
! ger size and improved equipment of ships
constructed. deficiency in the supply of reliable
/ seameu begins to be very seriously felt in con-
sequence. z T.
This may. perhaps be remeded in part by
| due regulations for the introduction into
! merchant ships of indent1red apprentices, which
while it would afford useful and eligible oecupa-
ton to numerous young men, would have ten
dence to raise the character of seamen as class.
Il is deserving of serious reflection whether it be
| not desirable to revise the existing laws for the
maintenance of that discipline at sea, ON which
| the security of life and property the ocean,
must, TO great an extent, depend. Although
much attention has already been given by Con-
/ gress to the proper construction and arrangement
of steam vessels. and all passenger ships. still it
| Is certain that the achievements of Science and
| Mechanism in this direction have not been ex-
| hausted.
| No good reason exists for the marked dist me-
ton which appears upon our statutes between
the laws for protecting life ann property the
seas, and those for protecting them on land. In
part of the States. severe penalties provided
to punish conductors of trains, engineers and
others employed in transportation of persons by
railway, steamboats, on rivers Why shall not
the same principle be applied to case of insub-
ordination or cowardice or other misconduct on
the part of masters marines, producing injury
or death to passengers on the high seas. beyond
the jurisdiction of any of the States and where
such delinquency be reached only by the
power of Congress
The whole subject is earnestly commended to
your attention.
The Postmaster Generals report to which YOU
are referred, in relation, TO this important and
rapidly extending branch of the public service,
shows the expenditures of he year ending juno
Both, 1854 including Sl33 433 of balance due 10
foreign offices, amounted to $slo o,907 the gross
receipts during the same period, to Sc $50 $50
exhibiting excess of deficiency compared
with last year. of 1851 1855 The increase OF rev.
enue of the Department for the year ending June
80, 1854, over the preceding year was 1913, ,30a.-
No propor1onate increase, however, can be antic-
ipated for the current year IN consequence of the
act of Congress June %, 1852, providing for in
creasee compensation to all Postmasters. From
these statements it is apparent thatt1 7. o. De-
parmert instead Of paying its expenses, as was
designed atfhe time of It's creation is now and
under existing laws, bust continue to be- to a
small extent, a charge upon the general treas
ury.
The cost of mail transportation during the wear,
ending Jnne 80, 1884, exceeds the cost Of the pre-
ceding year by S495, ,419. again call your at
tention to the subject of mail transportation by
ocean steamers. and commend the suggestions Of
the Postmaster General TO your earliest attention
During the last fiscal year 1,790035 acres of the
public lands have been surveyed, apd $40 ,0l7
acres brought into market. The number Of acres
SOLD Is $50 20 acres. and the receiv ed therefron,
SS,2S5 ,533. The aggregate amount Of lands sold
located under military scrip and land warrants,
and selected as swamp lands by States, and by
locating under grants for roads is upwards of 33,-
0e0,UDO acres and the accounts during the two
first quarters Of the current year, present the ex-
raordnary result of five aud half millions sold
exceeding by nearly 100000 acres the sales of
the corresponding quarters of the last yaar, thus
increasing to an extent unparalleled during any
like period in our past history. - a@fs
aft ~
ting apart the public domain for those who have
served their country in time of war is illustrated
BY the fact that since 1890. no less than 30
900 600 acres have been applied to this object
The suggestions which Issabrnitted in my annual
message Of last year in reference to grants of lands
in and of the construction of railroads less fun
ard explicit than the magnitude of the subject de-
Tnanded. = t5i
Oftbe powe- of Congress entertain no doubt,
but in its limitation, it is not enough that the ya-
ne of land in particular locality may be enhance
ed in valne; that In fact large amount Of morsy
hssr ved os 4;,.x