The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-16

IN tlle ATWy, duU recommends tudt tue
first appointment. be bestowed upon Ad-
miral Farragut. He says: .rr
There is in the, naval. branch of the public.
service no rank corresponding with that OF
lieutenant general Congress has established
with that of major general, and it would be an
act of recognition eminently deserved, and
which would be fully appreciated by the gal
liant men of the navy, were Congress to au-
thorize the appointment of vice admiral.
Such hcnors and preferments stimulate he
rOes. t.- ,.-- -, 49, ..... -i
Among eminent commanders in our naval
service of whom the nation may we'll be proud,
| we have one whom all will acknowledge mer-
its by his achievements as bic h rank as that OF
any naval officer in any country.
On the occasion of the recent brilliant vic
| tory in the bay of Mobile, more glorious, per.
haps, in some Of its incidents, even, than the
memorable conflict that gave US the possession
| and ultimately restored the free navigation of
the Mississippi it was, beyond question, the
! spontaneous sentiment of the country, that
| the veteran hero who had illustrated our naval
| annals by these grand successes. was worthy
! of the highest honors, and should be pro-
| noted to the highest naval rank. In recon-
mending, therefore, that the Office Of Vice.
Admiral should be created, and the appoint
| ment conferred on Rear Admiral David G.
! Farragut but respond, as l believe, to the
| voice and wishes of the naval SERVICE and of
the whole country.
| NAVAL Observation-Disclosures
| The want of seamen is still felt in the
navy; large numbers of sailors having
been induced by high bounties to enter the
army. Although the law now authorizes
the transfer of these men TO the navy, a
very considerable portion of them still re-
main in the army, where landsmen would
be of equal service. In order to correct
the evils which arise from the scarcity of
men, it is recommended that each Con-
gressional district be authorized to place
two or more naval apprentices on the
scholarship Sabine, and that the annual Sc
lection of one-half the midshipmen be made
from these apprentices. The effect of such
a measure, in the Judgment of the Secre-
tary, would be beneficial to the sailor, the
schools and the service
THE NAVAL ACADRMY-CADET ENGINEERS.
! The Naval Academy will return to An
napolis early next spring,
Preliminary measures have been taken
to carry into effect the law authorizing the
education at The Naval Academy of cadet
engineers, to be selected from youths not
over eighteen years of age, who shall have
been engaged at least two years in the
fabrication of steam machinery. A circu-
lar has been issued and printed in the pa
pers Of the great manufacturing cities, in
viting applications 10 conformity to the
law. Before this plan shall be put in ope.
ration, it is submitted, in view of the radi-
cal changes which have been wrought by
steam as motive power for naval vessels,
whether steam-engineering should not be
made to constitute hereafter necessary
part of the education of all midshipmen,
so that in our future navy every line off,
Ger will be steam-engineer, and qualified
to have complete command and direction
of his ship. The Secretary says that no
line officer now in our navy is yet capable
Of taking charge of an engine.
PRIZE LAWS.
The question Of the prize laws is con-
sidered at length in the report. The sew
enth section of the act of Congress of July
Q, 1864, in relation to captured and aban-
doned property, not only reversed the law
of prize as it stood prior to the rebellion,
but also reversed for the future the public
policy of the country upon this subject;
and, in Mr.. Welles's opinion, was not care
fully weighed by Congress. The report
recommends the repeal of the section:
Ifit be the object of the section to take away
the character of prize of war from all property
which may be captured by naval forces on the
inland waters of the United States it is res.
pectfully submitted whether its repeal is not
demanded by the highest considerations of
public policy. The inland waters of the Unit
cd 0fofno
tent and so situated as to be of supreme i'm
portance in the prosecution of this, or indeed
OF any maritime war. These waters offer the
readiest naval access to vast amounts of COM
mercial property belonging to those now
waging war against the government The
property, both public and private, found upon
these waters and along their shores belonging
to the enemy is, under the public law of war,
liable to capture by naval belligerents. and
when SO captured, to condemnation as prize of
war. By the exercise of this right, naval
force can reach and capture property which
should be taken from an enemy, and which is
yet left untouched by our statutes.
| . CONTRACTS. q,
An amendment of the contract system
is recommended on account of the confu
sion created by the instability of prices
and the rising market. These causes have
made it difficult to procure offers for con-
tracts to furnish. yearly supplies. 1t is,
therefore, proposed that the Department be
permitted to assume the risk and omit
making annual contracts, relying upon
purchases as wanted, at the current market
| price. .
| CASUALTIES OF THE YRAR.
The chief of the Bureau of Medicine and
Surgery states the number of casualties re-
ported during the year to be III killed and
| 351 wounded. Total number of cases of
sickness under treatment, 81, 229; of which
number 1,04S died, and 5000 were re-
turned to duty or discharged, leaving lii
under treatment at the close of the year
The total number of deaths is 1860. He
suggests reorganization of the medical
department so as to place it in better har-
mony with the growth and expansion of
other branches of the service, and to adapt
it more efficiently to present wants. With
the existing organization and pay, it is
found impossible to procure the requisite
number of medical officers, the superior
inducements held out to enter the land
service attracting many in that direction
who would otherwise prefer service in the