The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-12-11


Ssh ,Os6, 635 OF; making an aggregate Of
1896. 766, $50 55, and leaving balance Of
1882, 9O4 421. Bu. the payment of the
funded and temporary deb, having been
made from monies borrowed during the
year, must be REGARDED as merely nominal
and the monies borrowed 10 make
them as merely nominal receipts, and their
amount, SI81,0S6, 635 OF, should therefore
be deducted. both from the receipts and
disbursements. This being done there re-
mains as actual receipts s7I4.7n9,99o SO.
lss wing the balance as already stated. The
actual receipts and disbursements for first
quarter, aud the estimated receipts aud
disbursements for the remaining three quar-
tiers OF the current fiscal year Of 1864, will
be shown in detail by the repor. of the
Secretary oftbe Treasury, to which | invite
your attention.
Il is sufficient TO say here that il is not
believed that The actual results will exhibit a
stae of the finances less formidable 10 the
country than the estimates Of that officer
heretofore submitted, while it is coniiueniy
expected that at the close of The year both
di. bursements and debts will be found very
considerably less than has been anticipated.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY or WAR
The Report Of the Secretary OF War is a
document of great interest. /. consists of,
FIRST. The military operations Of the year. de-
tailed in the report OF the general in chisf
second, the organization of colored persons
into the war service: third, the exchange of
prisoners is fully Sc, forth in the letter of
Gen Hitchcock; fourth, operations under the
act for enrolling and calling out the national
q -
vost Marshal General; fifth, the organization
OF the Invalid Corps; sixth, the operation OF
the several departments OF the quartermaster-
general, commissary general. paymas err
general, chief of engineers. chief OF ordnance,
and surgeon-general
Il has appeared impossible TO make a
valuable summary of this report except such
as would be too extended for this place, and
hence content myself in referring your at
tenlion to the report itself.
THE NAVY
The duties devolving on the naval branch
Of the service during the year, and through
out the whole of this unhappy contest, have
been discharged with fidelity and eminent
success. The extensive blockade has been
constantly increasing 10 efficiency as the
GA tobdtNr Wv N44 "a i''S 70 'A'4t IL
has SO far been impossible TO entirely sup
press Illicit trade. From the returns re
ceived at the Navy Department it appears
that more than one thousand vessels have
been captured since the blockade was insti-
tued, and that the value OF the prizes already
sent in for adjudication amounts to over
thirteen million dollars. he naval force Of
The United States consists at This time OF 583
vessels, completed and in the course OF com
pletion, aud of these seventy five are iron
clsd armored steamers.
The events of the war gives an increased
interest and Importance TO the Navy which
will probably extend beyond the war itself.
The armored vessels in our Navy, COM
peted and in service, or which are under
contract and approaching completion. are
Believed to exceed in number those of any
,ther power. but, while these may be relied
ipon for harbor defense and seacoast ser.
'ice. others OF greater strength and capaci
y will be necessary for cruising purposes,
md to maintain our righful position on the
ocean. The change that has taken place
n naval vessels and naval warfare. since
he ibtr odSction of steam motive power
or ships of war. demands either correspon-
ling change in some Of our existing navy
ards, or the establishment of new ones for
he construction and necessary repair of
modern war vessels. No inconsiderable
delay and public injury
ave been expsrie need from the want of
uch Government establishments. The re-
essity Of such a navy yard, SO furnished,
It some suitable place upon the Atlantic
eaboard has. on repeated occasions, been
brought to the attention OF Congress by The
lavy Department, and is again presented in
he report Of the Secretary, which accom-
,anies this communication.
think it my duty to invite your special
ttention to this subject. and also that Of
s,ablishng yard and depot for naval pur-
oses upon one of the Western rivers. A
avail force has been created on these in
arior waters and under many disadyanta-
es, within little more than two years, ex
eeding in numbers the whole naval force
{ the country at the commencement of the
resent Administration. Satisfactory and
Z portant as have been the performances of
be heroic men of the navy at this period. /
hey are scarcely more W ndertul than the /
ervices of our mechanics and artisans 10 /
he production of war veeseis which have |
reated new form of naval power. Oar
ountry las advantages superior 10 any 9th |
r nation in our resources of iron and tim |
er, with inexhaustible quantities os fuel
q the Immediate vicinity OF both, and all !
cces>ibe and in close proximity 10 nayiga- /
lie waters without the disadvantage Of pub |
&c risks. The resources of the alton have
een developed, and lis power displayed in
he construction of a navy of such magni-
uie. which has at the very period OF It's
reation. rendered signal service to The Union
The increase of the number Of seamen in
he public service. from 1000 men in the
priu. of 1861, TO about $4,000 at he pres
ut time, has been accomplished without
special legislation, or extraordinary boun-
les TO promote that increase II has been
ound, however, that the operations of the
Iraf.. with the high bouuties paid for army
ecruits, is beginning to effect injurioasly
be naval service. and will. if not corrected,
e likely TO impair its efficiency, by de;ach-
ne seamen from their proper vocation. and
inducing them 10 enter the army. | there
ore respectfully suggest that Congress
night ali both the army and naval service
y adequate provision on this subject, and