Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1863-12-17

constantly increasing IN efficiency as the
navy has expanded Yet in so long line
it has so far been impossible to suppress
entirely Illicit trade From the returns re-
ceiyed at the Navy Department it appears
that more than one thousand vessels have
been captured since the blockade was in
stituted, and that the value Of prices already
: sent in for adjudication amounts to over
$13, 100000.
THE NAVY. e.t4 .s
The naval force Of the United States con-
sists at this time Of 586 vessels, completed
and in course of completion, and of these
Is 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 10
exceed in number those of any other power,
but while these may be relied on for harbor
! defence and sea coast service, others Of
i greater strength and capacity will be neces-
sary for cruising purposes, and to maintain
our rightful position on the ocean.
i The change that has taken place in naval
vessels and naval warfare since the introduce
ton Of steam as motive power for ships
4 Of war, demands either a corresponding
change in some of our existing navy yards,
or the establishment of new ones for the
construction and necessary repairs of mod
ern war vessels. No inconsiderable embar-
rassment, delay and public injury has been
experienced from the want of such Govern
mentestablishments, The necessity Of such
a pavv yor1 co f,1rpic ho5 a+ gonna c,lita hIa
place upon the 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 in
yte your special attention to this subject,
and also that of establishing yards and
depots for naval purposes upon one Of the
western rivers. A naval force has been ere
ated ON these interior waters, and under
many disadvantages, within a little more
than two years, exceeding N numbers the
whole naval force of the country at the
commencement Of the present Administra-
ton.
4 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 services
of merchants and artizans in the production
of war vessels, which has created a new
form Of naval power. Our country has ad-
vantages superior to any other nation, in
our resources in iron and timber, with in
exhaustiblc quantities of fuel in the imme-
date vicinity of both, and all accessible and
in close proximity to nayigable waters.
Without the advantage of public works 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 it's creation rendered sig
nal service to the Union. The Increase of
the number of scamen in the public service
4 from 1000 men in the spring of 1861, to
i about "a 900 at the present time-has been
accomplished without special legislation or
extraordinary bountes to promote that in
! crease. It has been found, however, that
the operation of the draft---with the high
bounties paid for army recruits-is begin
ming to effect injuriously the naval service
and will, if not corrected, be likely to i'm
pair its efficiency by detaching scamen from
! their proper vocation and inducing them to
enter the army. I, therefore, respectfully
bsuggest that Congress might aid both the
GIIIlN anu Tic Idfdl ScINlCc, Dy dQcQudtc
provisions on this subject, which would, at
the same time, be equitable to the commit
tees more especially interested.
yes astE PosT-o OFFICE. DEPARTMENT.
During the past fiscal year the financial
condition Of the Post-O Office Department has
been one Of increasing prosperity, and /
am gratified in being able to state that the
receipts of postal revenue have nearly equal
ed the entire expenditure, the latter amount
ing to S11,3l4, ,00O.84 and the former to
/ 81, 1863, 789 90, leaving a deficiency of but
/ $15O,417.25 Tn the year Immediately pre-
ceeding the rebellion, the deficiency amount
ed to 1866, ,G70, $40, the postal receipts of
that year being 1924, ,972 ,219 less than those
/ of 1868. The decrease since 1860 i'm the
annual amount of transportation has been
only about 25 per cent, but the annual ex-
i penditures on account of the same have
i been reduced 35 per cent. 1t is manifest
therefore that the Post-office Department
may become self sustaining in few years,
even with restoration of the whole service.
The international Conference of postal
delegates from the principal countries of
i Europe and America, which was called at
i the suggestion of our Post Master General
met at Paris on the | lth Of May last, and
concluded it's deliberations on the 9th Of
June The principals established by the
conference as best adapted to facilitate pos
tai intercourse between nations, and as the
basis Of future conventions, inaugurate a
general system of uniform international
charges at reduced rates of postage, and
cannot fail to produce beneficial results
THE INTERIOR l
refer you to the report Of the Secretary
of the Interior, which is herewith laid be-
E fore you, for useful and varied information
in relation to the Public Lands, Indian
Affairs, Patents, Pensions and other matters
Of public concern pertaining to that Depart
ment The quantity Of land disposed Of
during the last and first quarters Of the
present fiscal year was 3,84l ,549 acres, of
which 16l ,8l1 acres were sold for cash =
45G,54 acres were taken up under the
! homestead Law, and the residue disposed Of,
under the law granting lands for military
: purposes, for railroads and other purposes.
t It is also thought that the sale Of the pub
] lie lands is largely on the i1crease. It has