The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-12
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE

iron clad armored steamers. Tue events Q
the war give an increased interest and i'm
portance to the Navy, which will probably
extend beyond the war itself The armor
ed vessels in eur navy completed and IL
service, or which are under contract ant
approaching completion are believed to ex
ceed in number those Of any other power
But while these may be relied upon TO
harbor defence and sea coast survey, other!
of greater strength and capacity will be ne
cessary for cruising purposes, and to main
tain our rightful position on the ocean. y
The change that has taken place in navy
vessels and naval warfare since the intro
duction of steam as motive power fol
ships of war demands either a CORES
ponding change in some of our existing
navy yards or the establishment of new
ones for the construction and necessary
repairs of modern war vessels. No in
considerable embarrassment to the publ,
injury has been experienced from thu
want of such Government establishments
The necessity of such navy yard, 81
furnished, at some suitable place upon thu
Atlantic sea-board, has, on repeated coca
sions, been brought to the attention o
Congress by the Navy Department, and j.
again presented in. the report of the Score
tary, which accompanies this communi
cation. think it my duty to invite your
special attention to this subject, and also t.
that of establishing yard and depot fol
arm .s:..cs. a .i::'a1 io1ce mas peen crea
ted on these interior waters, under many
disadvantages, within little more than two
years, exceeding in numbers the whole
naval force of the country at the com.
mencement of the present Administers
ton. 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 our mechanics and artisans In
the production of war vessels which has
created new form of naval power. Our
country has advantages superior to any
other nation, in our resources OF iron
and timber, with inexhaustible luanti-
ties of fuel in the immediate vicinity of
both. and all available and in close prox
unity to navigabie waters, without the adj
vantage of public works. The resources of
the nation have been developed and its
power displayed in the construction of a
navy Of such magnitude, which has at the
very period of its creation rendered signal
service to the Union. tss
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
present time has been accomplished with
out special legislation and extraordinary
bounties to promote that increase. 1t has
been found, however, that the operation of
the draft with the high bounties paid for
army recruits is beginning to effect inju-
riously the naval service, and will, if not
corrected, be likely to impair its efficiency
by detaching seamen from their proper
vocation and inducing them to enter the
army. I therefore respectfully suggest
that Congress might aid both the army
and naval service by adequate provisions
on this subject, which would at the same
time be equitable to the community more
the suggestion of the Secre-
tary of the Navy in regard to the policy of
and training seamen for the
naval service. The Naval Academy is
signal service in preparing
for highly responsible duties
which in after life they will be required to
perform. In order that the country should
not be deprived of educated officers, for
which legal provision has been made at
the naval school, the vacancies caused
by the neglect or omission to make nomi-
nations from the States, have been
tiled by the Secretary OF the Navy
The School is now more full and efficient
than at any previous period, and is in eve
ry respect entitled to the favorable consid-
GRAFTON of Congress.
During the past fiscal year the condition
Of the Post Office Department has been one
Of increasing prosperity, and am gratified
in being able to state that the receipts of
postal revenue currency has nearly equal
ed the. entire expenditures, amounting
70 81 ,S14, 900 "a, and the later to Sll $780,
S95 80, leaving a deficiency of but $3.50, Az
%. In 1860, the year Immediately preced-
ng the rebellion, the deficiency amounted
10 S5,656, 705 80. The postal receipts OF that
year being s2,045, 722 10 less than those of
1863. The decrease since 1860 in the
of transportation has been only
about % per cent, but the annual expendi-
ures on account of the same has been re-
tuced % per cent. 1t is manifest, therefore,
hat the Post Office Department may be.
'ome self-suStaining in few years even
With the restoration of the whole SERVICE
The international Conference of postal
delegates from the principal countries of
europe and America, which was called at
he suggestion of the Post Master General.
net at Paris on the 18th of May last, and
oncluded it's deliberations on the Sth of
une. The principles established by the
conference are the best adapted to facilitate
oStal intercourse between nations and the |
asis OF future conventions, inaugurating
enerai system of uniform International
harges at reduced rates of postage that |
annot fail to produce beneficial results.
l refer you to the report of the Secretary
tlc lutef1OT, WHICH Is neI6WltD idlQ be- |
IRE you, for useful and varied information
l relation to the Public Lands, Indian At
llrs, Patents, Pensions and other matters
pubic concern, pertaining to his Depart
lent. The Quantity of land disposed Of
uring the last and the first quarter of the
resent fiscal year, was three million eight
undred and torty-one thousand five humid
"a and forty-nlne acres, of which Isl, 91l |
cres We're sold for cash, l,456,5l4 acres.
ere taken up under the Homestead law,
nd the residue was disposed of under laws
ranting lands for military bounties, rail-
lad, and other purposes. 1t also appears
lat the sale of the public lands is largely
q the increase. 1t has long been a cher
he'd opinion ofsome of our most eminent
atesmen, that the people of the United
tates, had far higher and more enduring
lterest in the early settlement and SUBJ
antial cultivation of the public lands than
the amount of distinct revenue to be de-
we'd from the sale of them. This opinion
as had controlling influence in forming
gislation on the subject of our National
oman. may cite, as evidencing this,
lie liberal measures adopted in reference
actual settlers, the grant to the States of
re overfiowed lands within their limits in
der to their being reclaimed and render
tit for cultivation, the grant to railroad
'mpanies. of alternate sections of land up-
the contemplated lines of THAR roads