Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-12-11

the recelptS ana OlsOurseWenB lhis ocin
done, there remains as actual receipts, $40,
039 093 49, and the actual disbursements. STA
7O9, ,995 So, leaving the balance as airead
stated.
| The actual receipts and disbursements !0r th
first quarter, ard the estimsted receipts an,
disbursements for the remaining three quarter
of the current fiscal year, 1864, will be showl
in detail BY the report of the Secretary Of tn
Treasury, to which invite your attention.
1t is sufficient to say here that it is not be
lieved that actual results will exhibit state o
the finances less favorable to the county thar
the estimates of that officer heretofore submit
t, d, while it ia confidently expected that at tn.
close of the year both disbursements and deb
will be found pretty considerably less than ha'
been anticipated.
The report Of the Secret,ry of War is q docu
ment OF great interest. 1t consists of
First, The military operations Of the veal
detailed in the report of the General-in-Chief.
Second, The organization of colored persons
into the war service.
Third, The exchange Of prisoners, fully Sci
forth in the letter Of Gen. Hitchcock.
Fourth, The operations under the "Act fol
Enro'ing and Calling Olt the National Forces, -
detailed In the report of the Provost Marshal
General.
Fifth, The organization of the Invalid Corps;
aud
Sixth, The operations of the seve- al Depart
ments of the Quartermsster General, Commits
sary General. Paymaster General, Chief Of En-
gineers, Chief of Ordnance, and Surgeon Gen.
eral. 1t has appeared impossible to make q
valuable summary Of this report, except srch
as would be too extended for this place and
hence content myself by asking your careful
attention to the report itself.
The duties devOlving on the naval branch Of
the service during the year, and throughout
the whole of this unhappy contest, have been
discharged with fidelity and eminent SUCCESS
The extensive blockade has been constantly
increasiog in efficiency as the navy has
expanded Yet on 60 long line, il has 20 far
been impossible to entirely suppress illicit
trade From returns received at the Navy
Department, it appears that more than 1000
vessels have ben captured since the blockade
was instituted. and that ths value Of prizes al
ready sent for adjudication amounts to over
$l3, 900 900.
The naval forcs of the United States consists,
at this time, of 58S vessels, completed and 10
the course of completion, and of these IS are
iron clad or armored steamers The events OF
the war gives an increased interest and Import
ance to the navy which will probably extend
beyo the war itself
Tho armored vessels in our Navy, completed
and 10 service, or which are under contract and
completion, sre believed to exceed
in number those of any other power. Bat
while these may be relied upon for harbor do
fence and coast service, others of greater
strength and capacity will be necessary for
cruising purposes and to maintain our rightful
position on the ocean.
The change that has taken place in naval
vessels aud naval warfare since the introduction
Of steam as motive power for ships OF war,
demands either . corresponding change In
some of our existing Navy Yards, or the estsb.
lishment Of new ones for tho construction and
necessary repair of modern naval vessels. No
embarrassment. delay and public
injury have been experienced from . want Of
such governmental establishments.
The necessity ofsuch Navy Yard, SO furnished,
at some suitable place upon the Atlantic sea-
board, has, on repeated occasions, been
broug ht to the attention of Congress by the
Navy Department, AMI Is again presented in
the report of the Secretary, which accompanies
This communication. think 1t my duty to
invite your special attention to this subject
and also to that of establishing yard and de-
pot for naval purposes, upon one Of the western
rivers.
A naval force has been created on those inte.
rior waters, and under many disadvantages,
within little mole than two years, exceeding
in numbers the whole naval force of the coun-
try at the commencement of the present ad.
Satisfactory and important as
have been the performances Of the heroic men
Of the navy at this interesting period, they are
scarcely more wonderful than the success of
our mechanics asd ar:iz,ns In the production
Of war vessels, which has created Few form of
naval power. Our country has advantages
superior to any other nation in our resources of
ron and timber, with inexhaustibls quantities
,f fuel 10 the immediate vicinity of both, and all
AVAILABLE and in close proximity to navigsb!e
waters. Without the advantage of public
works, the resources of the nation have been
developed and its power displayed In the
construction OF q navy Of 50 b magnituds,
which has, at the very peri4d of It's creation,
endered signal service to the Union.
The increase of the number of sesmen in the
,ublic service, from I 500 men In the sprirg Of
sGl to about 81, 900 at the present time, has |
zen accomplished without special legislation,
II extraordinary bounties to prom ito that in |
rease. 1t has been found, however. that the |
'peration of the draft, with the high bounties |
aid for army recruits, Is beginning to affect
ujuriously the naval service, and will, II not |
DIRECTED, be likely to impair Its efficiency by |
seamen from their proper calling, and |
inducing them to enter the army. therefore |
suggest that Congress might aid |
10Th the army and naval services by dednito /
rovision on this subject, which would at the
ame time be equitable to the communities moro
specially interested.
l commend to your consideration the sug-
estion of the Secretary Of tho Navy In regard
o the policy of fostering and training ssamen.
nd also the education of officers and engineers
,r the naval service. The Naval Academy is
endering signal service In preparing midship-
,en for the highly responsible duties which, 10
ftsr life, they will be required to perform In /
rider that the country should not be deprived
the proper quota of educated officers, for
'hich legal provision has been made ct the
avail school, the vacancies caused by tho ne
lect or omission to make nominations from tho
,,.s in insurrection, have been filled by tho
,creta Y Of the Navy. The school 10 nov more
III and ocwplets than at any former period,
nd In every II pect atitled to the favorable
,nsideration of CougI,ss.
During the past 6scal year the financial con
itiou OF the Post O@ce Department hA, been
ps OF increasing prosperity, and am gratified
, heing sbie to STATE that tho actual postal
,venue has nearly squalsd the entire expendi.
ares, the latter amounting to Sill ,sl4, ,2O6 a.