Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1856-01-05

hearts of the young and gallant officers
hitherto dropping with hopeless despon-
dency, with fresh energy and content
ment with the service; warned the
thoughtless and the indolent to quit the
haunts of idleness and seek the path Of
duty leading to honor, and caused the
country to repose with the more pride
and confidence in the belief of the invin-
cibllity Of this right arm Of defence !
have no hesitation, and | take much
pleasure in saying that / have already
witnessed its happy effects in the new
impulse and readiness for duty seen and
felt at the department
And, sir, though the number re-
ported incompetent seems large and may
well attract attention, is that a circum-
stance of itself sufficient to justify re-
Election upon Board who were bound
under the law to make careful exami-
nation, and report the names of all whom
they adjudge incompetent, of every
grade, to do their whole duty promptly
and efficiently, ashore and afoat Ii
but small number Of officers had become
inefficient, would the Secretaries of the
Navy for the last fifteen years have
again and again urged, with almost per-
tinacious zeal, that some stringent meas
ure Of reform was indispensable to save
the Navy from impending ruin? Would
committees, session after session, have
reported and pressed such measures?-
Would grave members have arisen as
they did in Congress and have seriously
moved to abolish the Navy and begin
again if but small defect existed =.
Would the Senate, every session, for
some years, have almost with unanimity
passed the measure for relieving the SER
vice of the inefficient, and for impartine
vigor and health by promoting able and
brave officers before age had crippled
their energies and impaired their use
fulness? Would the press in almost
every town and village have Illuminated
its thunders for reform, and have teemed
with articles of laudaton and approval
when the measure prevailed, if but a
small number of the incapable blocked
up the path of promotion? Or had it
become manifest to all, to statesman and
citizen, that something radical, thorough,
and searching must be administered to
secure the Navy from the dangers which
imperiled it, and emancipate it, if pos
sible, from the weight which seemed so
surely to be burdcning and pressing it
down."
The regulations prescribed which
have heretofore been published cor
respondence with and the report Of the
Board accompany this report.
REPORT OF TIE SECRETARY OF WAR.
The Secretary of War (Hon. JEFF.
Davis) urges increased compensation to
army officers, and revision of the law
respecting their allowances. Also, that
the provision of the last Congress, in-
creasing the pay of the rank and file be
extended to all enlisted men. Also, an
an increase of medical corps, and the
addition of five military store-kccpers.
He recommends judicious continuance
of sea coast defences, and especially re-
news the suggestion for the fortifying of
Ship Island to defend the approaches to
New Orleans He presents, also, neat
and forcible argument in favor OF the
Pacific Railroad, as means Of national
defence, but avoids recommending its
construction by Government aid, although
he distinctly intimates disposition to
A.,F. al, H. Al.
strength of the army to be fifteen thou
sand seven hundred and ffty-two men,
Enlistment during the last twelve months,
ten thousand five hundred and forty-six /:
enlistments refused, twenty thousand
five hundred and twenty. two number of
casualties, five thousand FIVE hundred
Disposition of the troops remains pretty
much as stated in last annual report.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
The Postmaster General (Judge Camp
belD suggests that the franking privilege
be restricted to public documents and
letters on public business merely; also,
the charges of full rates upon newspa-
pers in all cases, instead of half rates,
when paid quarterly in advance. He
recommends compulsory prepayment by
stamps of postage on books, pamphlets
circulars and all other transient matters
He again urges the six months notice to
the Collins steamers in discontinuance
of the extra pay voted them in July,
1882. He presses this subject at some
length.
FOR SALE