The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-03
DEPARTMENT REPORTS.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.

The report Of the Secretary Of the
Navy is dated November 25 The navy
at present consists of Us vessels, car
rying 1873 guns; 81 of these, with ~
guns, are styled "iron>clads The force
has been slightly j. crease since the
date OF the last report, and its eth :;ency
has been improved by the introduction
of q greater number OF smaller and
more active vessels. Authority is asked
for the bnilding Of an additional num-
Der OF small, active cruisers, OF live oak
or of iron. adapted to the. duties and
needs OF the navy in time of peace
Many repairs have been made in the
iron ella fleet. the timhers OF many o.
them having become baily dec iyed
and it is now stated that several OF the
monitors are in complete repair and
more effective Tor serv're than ever.
The Secretary very urgently recon-
mends that appropriations he Continued
for SURVEYS tor an inter-o:eani canal
across the Isthmus Of Darien and pre-
diets i'm portant advantages to the whole
country from the construction Of such
q canal and the shortening OF the roate
OF water communication between the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts He re-
commends the establishment Of a naval
station at the island OF Tuiuiga, one OF
the Navigator group in the South Pa
clfc Ocean. He states that the work o.
the photographic Office has progressed
satisfactorily during the past year and
recommends that = suitable building be
erected for the preservation OF the
plates. charts aud documents pertaining
to that Office Scientific experiments
with steam boilers have also occup ed
the attention of the D DEPARTMENT and the
subject is commended TO The Iavor OF
Congress.
1t is recommended that the several
navy yaris be enlarged q I'd improved;
that preparations be made for the sale
Of the navy yard at Puilsdel phia and
its transfer to League I-lsnd; ana that
an appropriation be male tor the re-
establishment and improvement o. that
formerly at Norfolk. 1t l. also recon-
mended that since fio,gng has been
abolished as punishment for seamen,
q suitable naval prison should he
erected at some convenient point where
offenders may safely be kept. Recon-
mendation is made that the number OF
naval officers be reduced; that the
term OF cadet mid-hipmen be lengthen-
ed; that the grade OF Commodore be
abolished; and that a certain amount
OF actual sea-service be required to
secure promotion.
The appropriations made to the Navy
Department last year amounted in the
aggregate to 500 96t,7l72 %, OF which
Only 1884 6S5 Is have been expended.
The estimates for the next year are
about SD 100000
The report In conclusion calls the at.
tention OF Congress 10 the merits OF the
torpedo system OF coast defense ami
urges further investigation into lis
merits.
PosroFFlcR DEPARTMENT..
The revenues of the Posiofiice De-
partmeut for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1872, were $2l, 9l5, 1861, and the
expenditures were S26,65S, 1872 81. This
was an increase Of 937 per cent over
the income for 1871, and of 9 % per
cent over the expeud lures for the same
year. The deficiency OF receipts below
expenditures for the past year is nearly
five million dollars, about 500. 900 o.
which is attributable to the trsnsporta.
ton Of free matter and the payment OF
subsidies to steamship lines.
The estimated expenses for the year
ending June 81, 1873, are S30S63l5
and the estimated revenue for the same
period is se4, $50. SOS, leaving deficit
Of Sc 80 COZ to be provided for by ap-
preparation rom the general treasury.
The increase in the issue OF postage
stamps, stamped envelopes and news
paper wrappers has been SIT per cent
over that OF the preceding year.
There are in the United States 25l,-
+398 miles OF mail routes, the service
upon which cost Last year STATS, 20S !;
this was an increase OF more than 49,
700 miles Of route and an increase Of