The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-05

NO, 90.
animation of tho coast life savlnl
stations has been made by experienced
officers Ol the revenue service. In accord
ance with their reports proposals wer'
invited and accepted Tor tho erection o
fourteen new houses ON the coast Of New
Jersey and six upon the coast OF LON
Island. The operations OF the coast sur
vey, which arc under the administratiV,
direction Of this department, have beel
prosecuted with the usual energy, US vii
be seen from the brief report Of the pro
gress made by the Superintendent in Rd
vance Of the usual detailed reports will
the messages annually submitted to Con
gress.
The survey OF the Atlantic coast Is now
rapidly approaching completion; that ol
the Gulf coast Is more than halt finished
and the work on the Pacific coast Is be
ing pressed forward vigorously, The es.
Inmates submitted substantially conform
TO the appropriations for the present year
An increase Is asked for the item OF OK.
tending tho trlangulatiOn across the coun-
try TO the Pacific ocean, great interest
having been manifested byaho authorities
OF tho States traversed In the prosecution
of the work. .....
The business entrusted TO tho Light
House Board Is one Of tho most important
branches OF the public service In the con.
troll of this department, and | am able 10
state that 1t is conducted with fidelity,
and with reference solely to tho maritime
interests Of the country. The estimates
made by the Light House Board exceed
the appropriations for the present year,
but they appear to be necessary, and l
respectfully recommend them to the con-
sideratiOn of Congress.
Under an act oi Congress approved July
3Oth, 1870, DR.. John NJ. WoOdlord, Inns
been appointed Supervising Surgeon Of
the Marine Hospital service; his admins.
tratiOn Is satisfactory TO the Department
The average number of hospital patients
for the fiscal year, ending Juno 18th, 1870,
was 1,0lG, and for the year ending June
30th, 1S7li 1888, The total cost of the
service for tho first year WINS $40j, ,G24,
being an average for each patient OF $l.09
per day, and for the latter year $4j3,.
092.42, or IN average of $l04 pcrday. In
the first named year the hospital tax was
$009, 1870, and in the latter year 1t
amounted to $293,502.14. The Supervis.
ing Surgeon Is of the opinion that pavil.
lion hospitals arc better adapted to the
successful treatment Of the sick, than the or
dinAry buildings Of brick and stone, while
the expenses are only One.tOurth Rs great,
In accordance with his suggestion ] rec
ommend m appropriation Of fifty thou.
sand dollars for the purchase Of land and
tho construction Of pavilion hospital
at Pittsburgh, Pa. The present hospital
Is situated In the vicinity Of the iron mills
and railways, and as II can be sold for
about seventy thousand dollars the gov
ernment win be fully reimbursed for the
cost of q new hospital, while the comfort
of the patients will be promoted. An
estimate has been made that the slim of
$4,000 will be sufficient for the COnstruc.
tion OF pavilion hospital on Angel Is
land, in the bay of San Francisco, sufll.
cient to accommodate hundred and
fifty patients, and l also recommend an
appropriation Of that amount for that
purpose. | also respectfully renew the
Recommendation made heretofore for q
pavilion hospital near the city Of New
York sufficient for the accommodation of
200 patients.
The revenue marine service employs
twenty-five steam vessels and eight sailing
vessels. In addition to thesei there arc
two large steamers upon the lakesn0t In
commission and two schOOners upon the
coast condemned as not ilt for duty. or
the six large steamers upon the lakes four
only Rre In commission, and rs the others
arc not needed | have the honor to rec.
ommond that authority DO given for their
sale
During the last year four iron steamers
have been built, three of 260 and one Of
$50 tons burthCn. Under the existing Hp.
Of $4,000, 900 the department
Is about 10 issue proposals for four small
iron propcllers, two Tor the Pacific and
two for tho Atlantic coast. A further ap.
Of 5000 900 Is needed 10 enable
the department to carry into effect the
Of the committee whose
report was approved by the department
and submitted to Congress May 20, 1870.
The plan recommended by tho commit
tee, when fully adopted, will effect o re.
duction in the expenses Of this branch Of
the service Of about $500, 900, or about "a
per cent ol the whole cost. The changes
proposed contemplate the use Of vessels Of
less tonnage and a consequent reduc-
tion OF the number OF men EN-.
pluyed and tho expenses Of tho reve.
nue. marine service for tho year ending
June Both, 1871, were 81 ,251 ,0S4.59 against
81, ,139, ,3O38I for the preceding year.
The first quarter Of the present fiscal
year, shows reduction in the expenses
SS, ,320, ,142, as compared with the CORES.
ponding per cent Of the preceding year.
At the date Of my last report, q board Of
officers was in session charged with the
duty Of examining the officers then In
active service. The report shows that
five Captains, five First LieuteAants, nine
Second Lieutenants, and ten Third Lieu.
tenants, were not qualified for the duty.
Tile persons found to be incompetent have
been discharged, and their places have
been filled by promotion, and by the
appointment OF additional officers. Alter
n competent examination. There are
several officers in the service, who on nc.
count OF age nre unfit for duty. Thetupply
of officers In their plnCes and for the in.
crease OF the number Of engineers render.
ed necessary by the substitution of
steamer for sail vessels, additional ap.
propriations are required for the next
fiscal yeaf. This branch OF the public
service Is upon the whole in satlsfac.
tory condition.
During the third session OF the Forty.
first Congress bill was submitted for the