The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-12-03

,uereiores are not regulated by foreign
demand. The advantages Of such work
are too obvious for argument. submit
.ne subject 10 you, therefore, without fur
Their comment. =. :
In attempting to regain our lost com.
merce and carrying trade have heretofore
called attention to the States south of us
Offering a field where much might he
accomplished. To further this object /
suggest that a small appropriation be
made, accompanied with authority for the
Secretary Of the Navy to fit out q naval
vessel to ascend the Amazon river to the
mouth OF the Madeira thence to explore
that river and its tributaries into Bolivia.
and to report to Congress at its next SEES,
sion, or as soon as practicable, the accessi-
bllity OF the country by water, its resources.
and the population so reached. Such an
exploration will cost but little. 1t can do
no harm, and may result in establishing
trade of value to both nations.
In further connection with the Treasury
Department | would recommend revision
and codification of the tariff laws and the
opening OF more mints for coming money.
with authority to coin for such nations as
may apply. ~
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress is invited to
the recommendations contained in the re-
port OF the Secretary Of War, herewith
accompanying. The apparent great cost Of
supporting the army is fully explained by,
this report, and hope will receive your
attention,
While inviting your general attention to
an recommendations made by the Secre-
tary of War, there are two which would
especially invite you to consider: First.
tne Importance of preparing for war in time
OF peace by providing proper armament for
our sea-coast defences. Proper armament
Is OF vastly moro importance than fortifica-
uons; The latter can be supplied very
speedily for temporary purposes when
needed the former cannot. The second is
the necessity of re6pening promotion in
the staff corps of the army. Particularly
Is this necessity felt in the medical. paw,
and ordnance departments. AT this time
It IS necessary to employ contract surgeons
10 supply the necessary medical attendance
required by the army. With the present
force OF the Pay Department it is now
difficult to make the payments to troops
provided for by law. Long delays in paw
ments are productive of assertions and
other generalization, and the law prohibits
the payment Of troops by other than
regular paymasters. 81
There are sixteen vacancies in the Ord
nance Department, thus leaving that branch
Oh the service without sufficient officers to |
conduct the business Of the different arsenals |
on large scale, if ever required.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.. ia 4
During the last year our navy has been
depleted by the sale of some vessels no |
longer lit for naval service, and by the con-
1emnation Of others not yet disposed of.
Ibis, however, has been more than com
for by the repair of six of the old |
wooden ships and the building of eight new
authorized by the last Con-
yress.. The building of these latter has oc-
cured at doubly fortunate time. They
IRE about being completed at time when /
hey may possibly be much needed, and the
york upon them has not only given direct
Employment to thousands of men, but has
70 doubt been the means of keeping open
for other work at time of
reat financial distress.
since the commencement of the last
Month, however, the distressing occur
ences which have taken place in the waters !
u the caribbean sea, almost on our very
eaboard, while they illustrate most forci- :
ly. the necessity always existing that a !
alton like ours should maintain in a state
! possible efficiency navy adequate to
$ responsibilities, have at the same time
emanded that all the effective force we S
saliy have shall be put in immediate o
sadness for warlike services, This has f
cen and is being done promptly and :
fectlvey, and l am assured that all d
le, available ships and every author. I
cd man OF the American navy will il
.. ready for whatever action is re- Up
llred Tor the safety of our citizens
the maintenance of our hon S
:. This, OF course, will require the s.
ipendlture In short time of some of the b
preparations which were calculated to ex- S,
M through the fiscal year; but Congress Il
~, doubt not, understand and appreci- G,
the emergency, and will provide ade- 2
lately not only for the present prepare d
'n, put Tor the future maintenance of our Of
val force. The Secretary of the NAVY I'll
8, during the past year, been quietly put Iii
70 some OF our most effective monitors in l
noitlon Tor service, and thus the exicen- p,
mas US IN much better condition for b,
PIX than we could possibly have been SC
sAASoo WHO dStlOus F-tiH Dl
PosToFFIoE DEPARTMENT.. pIs
A complete exhibit is presented IN the be
report of the Postmaster fe,
neral OF the operations in the POST up
&c Department during the year. The ge
!inary. postal revenues for the fiscal wear wi
ling June 30, 1873, amounted to S22- Sol
',74l.5l, and the expenditures of ali int
DIS to 500, 0S4, 945.67. The increase Of tic
enues over 1872 was 81 ,Os1, 8l5 20, and mai
increase of expenditures 50, 1925, 753. SO. leg
ependent Of the payments made from ecc
cial appropriations for mail steamship s'
IS the amount drawn from the general /,
asury to meet deficiencies was O., 265.- tbo
:. The constant and rapid ex- NJ
non of our postal service, par 70,
larry upon railways, and the i'm IN,
we'd facilities for the collection. trans ~ ~
sion,. distribution, and delivery of the mo,
IS which are constantly being provided, n''
'unt for the increased expenditures of gl
popular branch of the public service. I
total number of postoffices in opera. Ind
on the Both of June, 1873, was istr'
fla net increase of 1881 over the bell
der reported the preceding year. The com
Der OF presidential offices was /. 363- time
Increase of 1913 during the year. The nect
length of railroad mail routes at the liza