Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1863-12-17
TIE NAVY.

tne service during tie year md throughout tb,
whole OF this unhappy co" est, have Deen di,
charged with fidelity and cmireni success
The extensive blockade has 'oen co ,tantly h.
creasing in efficiency. Bnt although the nav,
has expanded, yet on long a line it has 50 fl
been impossible to entirely su press iiicttr,dr
From the returns Of The receipts at the nav,
department, it appears that more than on,
thousand vessels have been captured since thu
blockade was instituted and that the value o
the prizes already sent in for Adjudication
amounts to over thirty millions of dollars
The naval force of the United States consists at
this time of five hundred and eighiv-eigh, YES.
sells, completed and in the course of connie.
ton, aud of these seventy-fve are iron-clad on
armed steamers. The events of the war give
an increased interest and importance to the
navy which will probably extend beyond the
war itself The armed vessels in our navy
completed and in service or which are under
contract and approaching completion, are be-
lieved to exceed in number those of any other
power but, while these may be relied upon
Tor harbor defense and coast service Others of
greater strength and capacity will he nee ,ssary
Tor cruising purposes and TO maintain our right-
ful position on the ocean. The change that has
taken place in naval vessels and naval warfare
since the Introduction of steam as a motive
power tor ships OF war, demands either cor
responding change in some of our existing ma
w yards or the establishment of new ones for
the construction and necessary repair of mod
ern naval vessels. No inconsiderable embar
rassment, delay and public injury have been
experienced from the wa t of such govern
ment establishments. The necessity of such
navy yard so furnished at some suitable place
upon the Atlantic seaboard has on several oc-
ca>lons been brought to the attention OF Con-
SrcSS by the navy department, and it is again
presented in the report of the secretary of the
navy, which accompanies this commune ition
thnk It my duty to invite your special atten-
ton to this subject, and also to that of eslab-
llshlng yard and depot for naval purposes
upon one OF the western rivers. A naval force
has been created on those interior waters and
under many disadvantages, within little more
than two years, exceeding in numbers the whole
naval force OF the country at the commence
ment OF the present administration. Sitishc.
tory and important as have been The perform
ances OF the heroic men of the navy at this in
tereStlng period, they are scarcely more won
deriul than the success of our mechanics and
artisans in the production of war vessels, which
has created a new form of naval power. Our
country has advantages superior to any other
nation, in our resources of iron and timber
'"'' q'dn'llleS OF luel IN the I'M
;'''e'"'o ,iV''!N o' oo'h ana all available and
.;,h.,,, '"N'""l 10 naEISao,e waters Even
ss,a 'r' ''Y ''!'Ee VI PupIc WORKS, the re-
;,' ". 1;'e .",1" nave oeeh developed ara
navy OF such magnitude, which has, at the
very period OF its creation. rendered signal SER
vice to the Union. The increase of the num-
ber OF seamca in the public service, from 1900
men In the spring Of 1861 to about 34ODD NJ
e"1 ',, ;i ei' .'.V' nus osen acconphSh'" with
Uu' ,; S'''.', ''I','a'toh or extraordinary boun-
,uS ,rJ 10 '",n''e nag increase 1t has been
draft, wi,b tbn bb ho',n,os He 'l;I .. .,e
cruis, is going 10 eject ;niuriously he noynl
service, and will. if rot 70 ec.ed. be likc,, To-
impair its efficiency oy de ching >ean.n tr,i..
their proper vocation and inducing them to en-
ter the army. | therefore respectfully sug,e.t
that Congress might nj both the army and ma
val service by detini provision on this sub
lec', which would, at the sam. lime, be eouita-
bic To- the communities more especially inter
ested.
EDUCATION Fop rt1p~,vv
7 ol., ...,',, 80" w
s,',,ns,;ons nr ,ho ."u. ueI"''"'i '"e
yaTi ,n ,ha nolin, Hu of o.. '"e nav! ~ re-
-ean,or a"J dr,, PSnVi VI i"S'et'nS S"t U'"'nS
pngnenr. for ,bo rn,., u''io" .'; " o"i't's anu
,domv l. renIarin,, s;,,'i "' va, a. ~
mid sbinpen fnr ,h, w ~ 'i',t"7
'h;oh =; 81, I;f W ''e ieSP'hS!o'G uu'leS
rr,, ,"I! " "V 'efu'eu 'oPvi-
ln,,r;roi IS ,r ,''"' '"e oou"''l siou'u not ne
,oI, III l'TPe' quo'" oi euuc'teu ON
~, mlt NV" eS'' P'oNISion mas ocen maue
A. we ""N'' sc"oo'' the vacancies caused by the
~ iieo'eo, o' OMISSION 10 make Nominations from
.ne n 'sa'eS IL 'nNurrec'!oh' nave been hIied by
@ ."e 'Tu'''! VI 'ne navy; Inc school is now
Ho,e ~, ana complete 'han at any former pc
'ou' ""u' II. !" every respect, entitled TO the
"No'"oie consideration oi congress.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
During the past fiscal year. the financial con-
iitlon OF the post office department has been
','i q. increasing prosperity ana am gratihed
a" ""ie " S'"te 'nat me actuai postal rev-
'nuo n's nearly equalieu lhe entlre eXpendl.
III .ne ,a,'er "',oum.nG ,nn 10 81 4246 and
ia;on So o. mus leaNlhSa ae-
!c,e"1H vi o"9 9lHo'ili' IN looo' lhe year
.iencv nmo1n,ed ~ * axe -oJ ,h, ,',I '''' "s"
,epts of that year being 81 ,645. 722 less than
hose of 1868. The decrease since 1860 in the |
annual amount of TRANSFORMATION has been only |
lbout % per cent, but the annual eXnenditure.
IN account of the same. has been reduced 3j |
,er centum. 1t is manifest therefore. thai tbe |
,ost office department ma, become selEsus-
aiming in few Years. even with the restora-
ion of the whole service.
The international conferences of nos,ol del. |
gates from the prncipal countries of Eurone |
nd America, which was called at the sugpes-
ion of the postmaster general, met at Paris ON