Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-12-13


lation and wealth, and yet the debt be ex-
tinguished within the next quarter of a
century.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report OF the Secretary of War lur-
nishes valuable and important information
in reference to the operations of his depart
ment during the past year. Few yolun-
teers now remain IN the service, and they
are being discharged as rapidly as they can
be replaced by regular troops. The army
has been promptly paid, carefully provided
with medical treatment, well sheltered and
| subsisted, and is to- be furnished with
breech- h-loading small arms. The military
strength of the nation has been unimpaired
by the discharge of volunteers, the DISPOSE
! ton of unseryicable or perishab.e stores,
and the retrenchment OF expenditure. Suf-
ticient war material TO meet any emergcn-
/ cy has been retained, and, from the dis
banded volunteers standing ready to res
pond To the national call. large armies can
be rapidly organized, equipped, and con-
centrated. Fortiiications on the coast and
frontier have received, or are being pre-
pared for more powerful ornaments; lake
surveys and harbor and river improvements
are i'm course of energetic prosecution
Preparations have been made for the pay
ment of the additional bounties authorized
during the recent session of Congress, un-
der such regulations as will protect the
Government from fraud. and secure to the
hOnorably discharged soldier the well-carn-
cd reward of his faithfulncss and gallantry.
More than six thousand maimed soldiers
have received artificial limbs or other sur
gical apparatus; and forty-onc national
cemeteries, containing the remains of lOi,-
so Union soldiers. have already been es-
tablished. The total estimate of military
appropriations is S25 POS, 500.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
II is stated in the report of the Secretary
of the Navy, that the naval force at this
time consists of two huadred and seventy
eight vessels. armed with two thousand
three hundred and fifty guns. OF these.
one hundred and fifteen vessels, carrying
one thousand and twcnty-nine guns, are in
commission, distributed chiefly among sew
en- squadrons. The number of men in the
service is thirteen thousand six hundred.-
Great activity and vigilance have been dis
played by all the squadrons, and their
movements have been judiciously and elf
cicnily arranged i'm such manner rs would
best pr )mOtc American commerce, and pro-
tect the rights and interests of our country
men abroad. The vessels unemployed are
undergoing repairs. or are laid up until
their services may be required. Most Of
the iron clad fleet is at League Island, il
the vicinity OF Philadelphia. place which,
until decisive action should b. taken by
Congress. was selected by the Secretary of
the Navy a the most eligible location for
that class of vessels 1t is important that
a suitable public station Shonld be prOvid-
ed for the irOn-clad fleet. 1t is intended
that these vessels shall be in proper con
dili0n for any emergency. and il is desira
bic that the lill accepting League Island
for navalparposes, which passed The House
of Representatives at its last session, shOd
receive final action al an early period, in
order that there may he suitable public
station for this class Of vessels. as well as
navy-varCi of area sufficient for the wants
of the service. on the Delaware river. The
navel pension fund amounts tO : .7jn. .0O0.
having been increased 2.75O. 900 during the
YEAR. The expenditures oft the Department
furtlIe fiscal year ending $0th June last were
: Si3.32i.j26. and the estimates for the COM
ing yer amount to 81. .56S. 1876. Attention
is Invited to the condition of our seamcn,
and the imnoriance OclegiSlativc measures
for their relief and Improvement. The sug
geSiionS in behalf of this deserving class Of
orr fellow citizens are earnestly recon-
mcndcd 10 the favorable attention of Con
grcss.
P0ST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of tie Postmaster General
presents most satisfactory condition of
the postal service. and submits rccOmmen-
daiions which deserve the consideration OF
Congress. The revenues ofthc department
T. IL linz linn ,....r1.