Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-12-13


for the manufacture Ofbreech- loading arms
should the selection be so delayed by the
board of officers TO leave the former appro-
priaiion uneXpended at the close of the fis-
cal year; the sale of such arsenals east Of
the Mississippi as can be spared, and the
proceeds applied 10 the establishment of
ono large arsenal of construction and re-
pair upon the Atlantic coast and the pur-
chase Of suitable site for proving and
experimental ground for heavy ordnance
the abrogaton of laws which deprive in
vontors in the United States service from
deriving any benefit from their inventions;
the repeal of the law prohibiting promo
tions in tho Staff Corps n continuance of
the work upon the coast delenses the re-
peal Of the 9TH section of the act of July I3,
1866 taking from engineer soldiers the per
diem granted TO other troops a Limitation
Of the time for the presentation Of old war
claims for subsistence supplies under the
act OF July !, 1864, aud Il modification in
tho mode of selection of cadets for the
Military Academy, in order to enhance the
usefulness of the Academy, which is inn
paired by reason of the large amount of
time necessarily expended in giving new
cadets a more thorough knowledge of the
elementary branches Of learning which
they should acquire before entering the
Academy ; also, an appropriation for phil
osophical apparatus, and an increase in the
numbers and pay of the Military Acado-
my band. The attention OF Congress will
be called during its present session to vari-
Gus enterprises for the more certain and
cheaper transportation of the constantly
Increasing surplus of the Western and
Southern products to the Atlantic seaboard.
The subject Is one that will force itself up
on the legislative branch of the govern
ment sooner or later, and | suggest, there
fore, that immediate steps be taken 10 gain
all available information, to insure cqua-
Bile and Just legislation on a route TO con-
meet the Mississippi valley with the Allan
tic at Charleston. :. c., and Savannah, Ga,
by way of the Ohio and Tennessee river,
and canals and back water navigation to the
Savannah and o 'mugec rivers. The route
has been surveyed, and Il report made 10y
an accomplished engineer officer Of the ar
my; second and third, new routes will be
proposed for the consideration of Congress;
namely, by an extension OF the Kanawha
and James river canal to the Ohio, and by
the extension of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal. am not prepared to recommend
government aid TO these or other enterpris-
es until it is clearly shown that they are
not only of national interest, but that when
completed they will be of a value commen.
surate with their cost That production in
creases more rapidly than the means of
transportation in ourcountry has been dem
onstrated by past experience. That the un-
precedented growth in population and pro-
duets Of the whole country will require ad
ditional facilities and cheaper ones for the
more bulky articles of commerce to reach
the tidewater, and a market will be de-
manded in the near future is equally de-
monstrabe. | would, therefore, suggest
either committee or commission be au
thorized to consider this whole question,
and to report TO Congress at some future
day for IFS better guidance in legislating on
this important subject. The railroads Of
the country have been rapidly extended
during the last few years to meet the grow
ing demands of producers, and reflect much
| credit upon the capitalists and managers
engaged in this construction. In addition
| TO those n project to facilitate commerce by
the building of n ship canal around Niaga-
ra Falls on the United States side, which
has been agtated for many years, Will no
| doubt be called To your attention at this
| session. Looking TO the great future growth
| of the country and the increasing demands
of commerce, it might be we'll, while on
| this subject, not only to have examined
| and reported upon the various practicable
routes for connecting the Mississippi with
| tide water on the Atlantic, but the ieasibil-
| ity of an almost continuous land-locked
| navigation from Maine to the Gulf of Mex
| leo. Such route along our coast would
| be Of great value at all times and of inosli-
| mahle value in case Of foreign war. Ma
ture has provided the greater part of this
| route, and the obstacles to be overcome are
easily within the skill of the engineer. l
| have not alluded to this subject with the
| view Of having any further expenditure of
| public money at this time than may be
| necessary to procure and place all the nee
| essary information before Congress in an
| authentic form to enable it hereafter, If
deemed practicable, to legslate on the sub
jec without delay
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy,
herewith accompanying. explains fully the
condition of that branch of the public SER
vice its wants and deficiencies, expenses
incurred during the past year, and appro-
priations for the same. 1t also gives a
complete history of the services of the Ma
Wy for the past year. In addition to its
regular service 1t is evident, unless steps
| are taken to preserve our Navy, that in q
very few years the United States will be
| the weakest nation upon the ocean of all
| great powers. With an energetic, progress
| i've business people like ours operating in
| and forming business relations with every
part of the known world, a navy strong e.
| nough to command the respect of our llag
abroad is necessary for the full protection
of their rights. ! recommend careful con-
sideration by Congress of the recommen'
dations made by the Secretary of the Navy
PosT-oFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report Of the Post
master-General furnishes a full and salts
factory exhibit of the operations of tho
Post Onice Department during tho year
The ordinary revenues of the Department
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, n
mounted to S2l ,0l5, 1867 and the expend
lures, S26,65s, 1881. Compared with thu
previous fiscal year the increase of revonu,
was 81, ,S7s $50 %, or 9 37-l00 per cent, ant
the increase of expenditures, S2,26S, ,0SS %
or 20-lOO per cent. Adding to the ordin
AIRY revenues the annual appropriation o
100000 for free matter and the amounts
paid to the subsidized mail steamship line
from special appropriations, the deficiency
| paid out of the general Treasury was S33l7,
| 765, ,9i, an excess of $3.50, ,707 IS over the de
ficiency for the year 1871. Other interest
ing statistical matter relating to our rapid
| ly-eXtending postal service is furnished IL
} this report. The total length of railroad
mail routes on the Both of June was 57,0l
miles, S,077 additional miles Of such servc,
having been put into operation during tn
year. Eight new lines of railway post-oi
flee have been established, with an aggre
gate length of :, 900 miles. The number a
, letters exchanged In the mails with ioreigl
countries was y, ,3G2 800, an increase of 4,
066 ,502, or 20 per cent over the number il
1871, and the postage thereon amounted T.
81 ,S7l ,257 20. The total weight of the mail
exchanged with European countries eX
ceedod $50 tuns. The cost of the United
? States translantic mail steamship Scrvic
3 was S220, ,30l 20. The total cost of the Unite,
} States ocean steamship service, includin
the amounts paid to the subsidized lines q
mail steamers, was 81, ,027 ,020,97. The fol
, lowing are the oply steamship lines nov
. receiving subsidies for mail service undo
| special act of Congress: Tho Pacific Mai
| Steamship Company receive 100000 pc
I annum for carrying n monthly mail bc
tween san Francisco, Japan, and China
which will be increased to Sl,0OO,OO0 pc
annum for u semi-monthly mail on and al
ter Oct. 1873 The United States and Brazl
Mail Steamship Company receive $4,000
per annum for conveying n monthly mai
, between New York and Rio de Janeirc
Brazil and the California, Oregon, an
Mexico Steamship Company receive $751; 90
per annum for conveying a monthly mai
e between San Francisco and Honolulu
Hawaiian lslands-making the total Il