Litchfield enquirer., 1863-12-17

credit, and the general legislation in relation to Loans has fully answered the expectation of its favorers. Some amendments may be re quired to perfect existing laws, but no chang, in their principles or general scope is believed to be needed.
 OPERATIONS OF THE TREASURY.
 Since these measures have been in operation all demands on the Treasury, including tue pay met and fully satisfied. No considerable body of troops it is believed were ever more amply provided and more literally and punctually paid, and it may be added that by no people were the burdens incid .ntal to a great wa, more cheerfally borne.
 The receipts during the year from all sour- Treasury at it's commencement, were S9Ol .l25,- 674 s6, and the aggregate disbursements Sss5, 796, ,63O 65, leaving balance on ths lst st July, 1863, of $5 329,044. 2l.
 or the receipts. thers were received from customs $69, ,059 .642.40; from internal revenue 37,640.7s7, ,95; from direct tax Sl ,485 5.l03.6l from land, ,$l 67 ,617.l7; from miscellaneous Sources. 3,046 ,6l5.35, and from loans, S776- 682, ,36l.5 .57. making: the aggregate $9Ol, ,l25,. 674.86. Of the disbursements there were for the civil service, $23, ,253, 1922 for pensions, and Indians, ,2l6 1926 59; for interest on public debt. SPA 729. .846.5l for the War Department, 599.29e, ,600.o3; for the Navy Department, $63,2ll ,l05.27; for payment of funded and temnorary debt.Slsl.OS6, ,635.07, making the aggregate $s95 796. $50 65, and leaving the balance of S5 329 O442l.
 But the payment of the funded and tempo rary debt, having been made from moneys bor- rowed during the year, must be regarded as merely nominal payments, e,d the moneys borrowed to make them as merely nominal receipts; and their amount. $l8l, ,O86 6.635 or. should therefore be deducted both from receipts and disbursements.
 This being done. there remains as actual receipts $720 039.76, and the actual disburse- ments STA, 7O9, ,9s5.5s-leaving the balance as already stated.
 The actual receipts and disbursements for the first Quarter, and the estimated receipts and disbursements for the remaining three quarters of the current fiscal year, 1864, will be shown in detail by the report of the Secre- tary of the Treasury. to which 1 invite your attention.
 It is sufficient to say here that it is not be- lieved that actual results will exbibit state of finances less favorable to the country than the estimates of that officer hitbertofore submitted, while it is confidently expected that at the close of the year both disbursements and debt will be found very considerably less than has been expected.
 THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
 The report of the Secretary of War is Q document of great interest. It consists of
 First: The military operations of the year detailed in the report of the General int Chief.
 Second: The organization of colored persons into the war service.
 Third: The exchange of prisoners fully set forth in the letter of Gen. Hitchcock.
 Fourth The operations under the act of enrolling and calling out the National fore g. detailed in the report of the Provos, Marshal General.
 FJh: The organization of the invalid Corps, and
 Sinth: The operation of tue several de. partments of the Quartermaster General, Com. missary- General, Paymaster General, Chief Of Engineers, Chief of Ordnance and Surgeon General.
 It has appeared impossible to make valua- ble summary of this report, except such as would be too extended for this place .and hence I content myself by asking your careful atten ton to the report itself. The duties devolving on the naval branch of the service during the year, and throughout the whole of this unhap. py contest, have been discharged with fidelity and eminent success. The extensive blockade has been constantly increasing in efficiency.
 If the Navy has expanded, yet on 30 long line it has 90 far been impossible to entirely suppress illicit trade From returns received 1t the Navy Department, it appears that more han one thousand vessels have been captured siuce the blockade was instituted, and that the value of prizes already sent in for adjudication mounts to over thirteen millions of dollars.
 The naval force of the United States con ''sts ut tLis time of 598 vessels, completed and n the course of completion, and Of these 75 Ire iron-clad or armorsd steamers. The events ,f the war give an increased interest and im- portance to the navy, which will probably ex- lend beyond the war itself.
 The armored vessels iu Cur navy completed and in service, or which arc under contract md approaching completion, are believed to exceed in number those of any other Power. But while these may be relied upon for harbor 1efense aud coast service, others of greater capacity will be necessary for cruising purpo sss, and to maintain our rightful position on he ocean.
 THE NAVY YARDS.
 The change that has taken place in naval vessels and naval warfare since the introduction of steam as motive power for ships Of war, demands either corresponding change n some of our existing navy yards or the establishment of new ones for the construction and necessary repair of modern naval vessel. No inconsid. erable embarrassment. delay. and public injury have been experienced from the want of such Governmental establishments.
 The necessity of such Navy Yard. 70 fur nished. at some suitable place upon the Allan tic seaboard, has on repeated occasions, been brought to the attention of Congress by the Navy Department; and it is again presented in the report of the Secretary, which accompa. nies this communication.
 think it my duty to invite your special at- tention to this subject, aad also to that of es- tablishing yard and depot for naval purposes upon one of the Western rivers. A naval force has been created on these interior waters and under many disadvantages, within little more than two years, exceeding in number the whole naval force of the country at the com mencement of the present Administration Satisfactory and important as have been the performances of the heroic men of tha Nav,