The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-12-17

valid Corps; sixth: the operation ofthe savo..,
departments! ofksthe Quartermaster Geno.oIi'
Commissary General, Paymaster Generai'
Chief of Engineer, Chief of Ordnance a"5
Snrgeon General "a Au
It has appeared impossible to make vo,,
able summary of this report, except snoh u'
would be too extended for this place: an az
hence, l content myself by referring your y.
tention to the report itself.
i The duties devolying on the naval brar.i,
of the service during the year, and throueESaus
the whole of this unhappy contest, have baan
discharged with fidelity and eminent SUCCESS
The blockade has been constantly increas;oos..
in efficiency, as the navy has expanded. Yafs
on so long a line, it has so far been impossibIa,
to entirely suppress illicit trade From the ~
turns received at the Navy Department II o.
pears that more than one thousand vessel.
have been captured since the blockade was ~
stituted, and that the value of the prizes al
ready sent in for adjudication amount to Owe,
thirteen million dollars. The naval force rs
the United States consists at this time of558 va.
sells completed and in the course of comnle.
ton, and of these seVenty-fve are iron Clad
armed steamers. The events of the war Civ
an interest and Importance to the navy which
will probably extend beyond the war Itself
The armed vessels in our navy completed and
in the service, or which are under eontract
and approaching completion, are believed IN
but while these may be relied upon for harbor
defense and sea coast service others of greater
strength and capacity will be necessary for
cruising purposes and to maintain our RIGHT.
full position on the ocean, The change that
has taken place in naval vessels and naval
warfare since the introduction of steam asa
motive power for ships ofwar demands either
corresponding change in some of our existing
navy-yards, Or the establishment of new ones
for the construct and nacpsSoru rana;,
modern war vessels; No uncomfortable embar
rassment, delay, and public injury, have been
experienced from the. want of such Govern
ments The necessity of such a navy ward
so furnished. at some suitable place upon the
Atlantic seaboard, has, on repeated occasions.
been brought to the attention of Congress by
the Navy Department, and is again presented
in the report of the Secretary, which accom-
panies this communication. think it nv
duty to invite your special attention to this
subject, and also that of establishing a yard
and depot tor naval purposes upon one OF the
western rivers A naval force has been Great
ed on those interior, waters and under MANY
disadvantages within little more than two
years, exceeding in number the whole naval
force of the country at the commencement
of the present Administration Satisfactory
and important as have been the performances
of the heFeic men of the navy, at this period
they are scarcely more wonderful than the
services of our mechanics and artisans in the
production of war vessels, which have created
a new form of naval power. Our country has
advantages superior to any other nation in our
resources ofiron and timber, with inexhausti-
BILE quantities of fuel in the immediate vicin-
ity of both, and all accessible and in close prox-
unity to navigable waters. Without the dis.
advantage of public risks, the resources of the
nation have been developed and its power dis
played in the construction of a 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 Z 900 men, in the spring
of 1861, to about d, 900, at the present time,
has been accomplished without es pec.al legis
lation or extraordinary bounties to promote
that increase. 1t has been found, however
that the operations of the draft with high
bountles paid for army recruits, is beginning to
affect nlurlously the naval service, and will, if
not corrected, be likely to impair its efficiency,
by detaching, seamen from their proper voca-
ton, and inducing them to enter the army. [
therefore respectfully suggest that Congress
might aid both the army and naval service by
adequate provision on this subject, which
would at the same time be equitable to the
communities more especially intended (
commend to your consideration the sugges-
tons OF the Secretary of the Navy in regard to
the policy of fostering and training seamen for
naval service. The Naval Academy is rend.
ering signal service in preparing midshipmen
for highly responsible duties which, in after
life, they will be required TO perform in order
that the country should not be deprived of the
proper quota of educated officers, for which
legal provision has been made at the naval
school The vacancies caused by the neglect
or omission to make nominations from the
States in instruction, have been. filled BY the
Secretary of the Navy. The school is now
more full and complete than at any previous
period, and In every respect is entitled to the
favorable consideration of Congress.
During the past fiscal year the financial con.
dition of the Post Office Department has been
one of increased prosperity and am gratifed
in being able to state that the amount of pos.
tai revenue has nearly equaled the entire ex.
pendlture-the latter amounting to eleven
millions, three hundred and fourteen thou
sand dollars and eighty-fou cents, and the
former to eleven millions, one hundred and
sixty three thousand, seven hundred and eighty
nine dollars and fifty nine cents, leaving a de-
fciency ofbut $3.50, All 25. In 1860, the year
Immediately preceding the rebellion, the de-
fciency amounted to S., Csc, 705 40; the postal
receipts of that year were 81 645, 1872 I9; less
than those of 1868. The decrease since 1860
In the annual amount of Transportation has
been only about twenty five per cent, but the
annual expenditures on account of the same,
has been reduced thirty five per cent 1t is
manifest, therefore, that the Postaoffice Depart
ment may become self sustaining in few
years, even with the restoration of the whole
service. The International Conference of the
postal delegates from the principal countries
of Europe and America, which was called at
the suggestion of the Postmaster General, met
at Paris on the 1th IF Nav last o1d oonclud.