The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-10

The actual receipts and disbursements
for the first quarter, and the estimated re-
ceipts and disbursements of the remaining
| three quarters of the current fiscal year OF
1884, will be shown in detail by the report
of the SecreterJ of the Treasury, to when
invite your attention. 1t is sufficient 70
say here that it is not believed that the &C
tual results will exhibit state OF the n
nances less formidable to tho country than
the estimates of that officer heretofore SUD,
mitted. While it is confidently expected
that at the close of the year both disburse-
ments and debts will be found very consid-
erably less than has been anticipated, the
report of the Ssc'y of War is document OF
great interest. 1t consists of LIST, the mill
tary operations of the year detailed in the
report of the General-in- Chief. End. The
organization of colored persons into the
services. Sd. The exchange of prisoners is
fully set forth in the letter of Gen. Fitch
| cock. 4th. The operations under the act
for enrolling and calling out the
National forces detailed in the re-
port of the Provost Marshal General
S. The organization of the invalid corps
6. The operation of the several depart
msnts of the Quartermsster- General, Com,
missary-General, Paymaster- General, Chlef
of Engineer, Chief of Ordnance and Sur
gson. General. 1t has appeared impossible
! to make valuable summary of this report,
except such as would be too extended tor
this place, and hence, I content myself IN
| referring your attention to the report ITSELF
The duties devolving on the naval branch
of the service during the year, and through
out the whole of this unhappy contest, have
been discharged with fidelity and eminent
success. The extensive blockade has been
constantly increasing in efficiency as the
navy has expanded. Yet, on so long line,
it has, SO far, been impossible to entirely
suppress illicit trade.
From the returns received at the Navy
Department, it appears that more than one
thou sand vessels have been captured since
the blockade was instituted, and that the
value eff the prizes actually sent in for adj
Indication, amount to over 1900, OOO.-
The naval force of the United States con.
sists, at this time. of five hundred and
lightweight vessels, completed and in the
course of completion; and Of these, seventy
five are iron clad armored steamers. The
events of the war give an increased interest
and importance to the navy which Will
probably extend beyond the war ITSELF
The armored vessels in our navy completed
and in service, or which are under contract
and approaching completion are believed to
exceed in number those of any other Pow
or, but while these may be relied upon for
harbor defence and seacoast survey, others
of greater strength and capacity will be ne
cessary fot cruising purposes and to main
tain our rightful position on the ocean
The change that has taken place in naval
vessels and naval warfare since the intro
duction of steam motivepower for ships of
war demands either corresponding change
in some of our existing navy yards or the
establishment of new ones for the construc-
ton and necessary repairs of modern war
vessels. Noinconsiderable embarrassment,
delay and public injury have been expert
enced from the want of such government
establishments. The necessity of such
navy yard so furnished at some suitable
place upon tho Atlantic seaboard has, on
repeated occasions, been brought to the at
tention of Congress by the Navy Depart
ment, and is again presented in the report
of the Secretary which accompanies this
communication.
think it my duty to invite your special
attention to this subject, and also to that
of establishing yard and depot for naval
purposes upon one Of the Western rivers.
A naval force has been created on these in
ferior waters, and under many disadvanta-
pes within little more than two years, ex-
ceediug in Numbers the whole naval force
of the country at the commencement of
the present Administration. Satisfactory and
important as has been the performances of
the heroic men of the navy at this period
they are scarcely more wonderful than the
services of our mechanics and artizans IN
the production of war vessels which have
created new form of naval power. Our
country has advantages superior to any
other nation in our resources of iroa and
timber in the immediate vicinity of both
and all accessible and in close proximity to
! navigable waters without the advantage Of
public risks.
The resources of the nation have been
developed and its power displayed in the
construction of navy of such magnitude
which has at the very period OF its creation
rendered signal service to the Union.
The increase of the number of seamen in
the public service from 1000 men in the
spring of 1861, to about $4,000 at the pres
ent time has been accomplished without
especial legislation or extraordinary boun-
ties to promote that increase. 1t has been
found however, that the operations of the
draft with high bounties paid for army re-.
cruits is beginning to affect injuriously the
naval service, and will, if not corrected, be
likely to impair the efficiency by detaching
seamen from the proper vocation and Undue
ing them to enter the army. l therefore
respectfully suggest that Congress might aid
both the army and naval service by ade
quate provision on this subject which
would at the same time be equitable to the
communities more especially intended.
commend to your consideration the sug-
i - &c h.. ~