Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-12-10

tor the hfst quarter, and the estimated re-.
osipts and disbursements for the remsining
three quarters, Of the current hscal year
Of 1854, will be shown 10 detail BY the
report Of the Secrstary OF the Treasury,
10 which I invite your attention. II 10
sufficient 70 say here, that Il 10 not believed
that the actual results will exhibit Q state
Of the finances less formidable TO the coun.
try than the estimates Of that ofieer here
tofors submitted, while IL is confidently
expected that at the close Of the year both
disbursements and debts will be found very
considerably less than has been anticipated.
The report Of the Secretary Of War, is Q
document Of great interest; 1t consists Of
6rst, the military operations Of the year
detailed In the report Of the general.in.
chief; second, the organisation Of colored
persons into the war service third, the
exchange Of prisoners is fully set forth 10
the letter Of General Hitchcock fourth,
the operations under the act for enrolling
and calling out the national forces, detail
ed 10 the report Of the Provost Marshal
Generalj fifth, the organization Of the in-
valid corps.
The extensive blockade has been con.
stantly increasing In efficiency ss the navy
has expanded, yet on so long line 1t has
so far been impossible to suppress Illicit
trade. From the returns received at the
Navy Department, It appears that more
than one thousand vessels have been cap
tured since the blockade was instituted,
and that the value Of the prizes already
sent 10 for adjudication, amount tu over
$l3, 100000 The naval force of the United
States consists at this time Of 688 vessels
completed aud 10 the course Of completion
and Of these rs are iron clad armed steam.
ere.
The events Of the war give an increased
interest and importance TO the navy, which
will probably extend beyond the war it.
self The armored vessels iu our navy
completed aud in service, or which are un.
der contract and approaching completion
are believed to exceed 10 numbers those oil
any other power. But while these may bs
relied upon for hsrbor defence aud sea.
coast survey, others Of greater strength
and capacity will be necessary for cruising
purposes and to maintain our rightful po
sition on the ocean.
Satisfactory and important as has beer
the performances Of the heroic men Of the
navy at this period, they are scarcely mort
wonderful than the services OF our mechan.
ics and artisans 10 the production of wal
vessels, which has created q new form o.
naval power. Our country has advantaget
superior to any other nation, 10 our re.
sources ofiron and lumber, with inexhsust
ible quantities Of fuel 10 the immediat,
viciaity Of both, aud all accessible and il
al II a. H.. ID h
out the disadvantage of public risks.
The change that has taken place 10 nava
vessels and naval warfare since the intro
duction of steam as q motive power fol
ships of war, demands either q correspond
ing change In some of our existing navy
yards, or the establishment Of new onei
for the construction and necessary repsil
of modern war vessels. No inconsiderabls
embarrassment, delay, and public injury
have been experienced from the want o
such government establishments.
The necessity of such navy yard 81
fsrnishsd at some suitable place upon th,
Atlantic ssabord, has on repeated occasionl
been brought to the attention Of Congress
BY the Navy Department, aud is again pre-
sented in the report of the Secretary, whicl
accompanies this communication. thinl
it my duty TO invite your special attention
! to this subject, aud also TO that of estsb
fishing yard and depo, for naval purpo
ses upon one of the Western rivers. A nsva
force has been created on these interio
waters and under many disadvantages with
In little more than two years, exceeding |
} numbers the whole uavsi force Of the ooua
I try at the commencement Of the preser
administration.
! The resources OF the nation have bee
developed and It's power displayed In th
construction Of navy Of such magnitude
which has at the very period of ito crestio
rendered signal service to the Union. TIL
increase Of the number Of seamen 10 th
public service from 1000 men 10 the sprin
Of 1851 to about $4,000, at the presen
time, has been accomplished without espe
cial legislation or extraordinary bountie
TO promote that exercise.
It has been found, however, that the op
srstions of the draft, with high bountie
paid for army recruits, is beginning to ef
feot ipjuriously the naval service, an
: will, If not corrected, be likely to impai
its efficiency by attracting seamen fror
, their proper vocation and inducing theu
} to enter the army. l therefore respectful
ly suggest that Congress might aid bot
, the army and naval service by an sdequat
provision on this subject, which would a
the same time be equitable to the commu
mites more especially intended.
} commend to your consideration th
} suggestions of the Secretary Of the Navy i
J regard to the policy Of fostering and train
. ing sesmen for naval service. The Nsvs
, Academy is rendering signal service Il
} preparing midshipmen for highly respon
sible duties, which, 10 after life, they vii
be required to perform in order that th
country should not be deprived of th
proper quota of educated officers, 70
which legal provision has been made q
the Naval School. The vacancies cause
by the neglect or omission to make nomi
nations from the States in iusurrectior
have been filed by the Secretary of th
Navy. The school is now more full an,
complete than at any previous period, an
10 every respect entitled to the fsvorabl,
confederation of Congress.
During the past fiscal year, the fnancia
condition of the Post Office Department
has been ono of increasing prosperity, an
am gratified In being able to state tha
the accounts of postal revenue have nearl
equaled the entire expenditure, the latte
smounting to $1l ,Sl4 900. "a. and the for
mer to $Il ,163, ,7sS. SO, leaving a defcieuc,
Of but $160,41725. Iu 1860, the year im
mediately preceding the rebellion, the de
ficieucy amounted to 1856, ,706. .49-th
postal receipts of that year being So, ,645,
722.l9 less than those Of 1853
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