Litchfield enquirer., 1873-12-11
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 | ing trade of value to both nations. In
 further connection with the treasury de- partment, would recommend 0 revision and qualification of the tariff laws, and the opening of more hints for coining money,
 with authority to coin for such nations as may apply.
 l -s-avr fevrr WAR DEPARTMENT. | The attention of congress is invited to the recommendations contained in the re- 1 port of the secretary of war herewith ac- companying. The apparent great cost of supporting the army is now fully explain ed by this report, and l hope will receive l your attention. While inviting your gen. eral attention to all recommendations made by the secretary of war, there are two which would expressly invite you to consider. First, the importance of pre- pairing for war in time of peace by pro- 1 viding proper armament for our sea coast defenses. A proper armament is of vastly more importance than Qualifications. The latter can be supplied very speedily for temporary purposes when needed; the former cannot. The second is the neces- slty of re-opening promotion in the staff | corps of the army. Particularly is this. necessity felt in the medical, pay and ord nance departments. At this time it is necessary to employ contract surgeons to supply the necessary medical attendance required by the army. With the present | force of the pay department it is now diff fcult to make the payments to troops pro- vlded by law. Long delays in payments | are productive of desertion and other de- 1 moralization, and the law prohibits the payment of troops by other than the reg ular army paymasters. There are now sixteen vacancies in the ordnance depart; ment, thus leaving that branch of the ser vice without sufficient officers to conduct the business of the different arsenals on large scale, if ever required.
 NAVY DEPARTMENT.
 During the past year our navy has been depleted by the sale of some vessels no longer fit for naval service, and by the condemnation of others not yet disposed of. This, however, has been more than compensated for by the repair of six of the old wooden ships; and by the build ing of new sloops-of-war authorized by the last congress. The building of these latter has occurred at doubly fortunate time. They are about being completed at a time when they may possibly be much needed, and the work upon them has not only given direct employment to thousands of men, but has no doubt been the means of keeping open establishments for other work at time of great financial distress. Since the commencement of the last month, however, the distressing occurrences which have taken place in the waters of the Caribbean sea, almost on
 xrl, iln kLn~r k1 most forcibly the necessity always exist ing that nation situated like ours should maintain in state of possible efficiency a navy adequate to it's responsibilities, have at the same time demanded that all the effective force we really have shall be put in immediate readiness for warlike service. This has been and k being done promptly and effectively, and l am as- sured that all the available ships and eve " authorized man of the American navy will be ready for whatever action Is re quired for the safety of our citizens or the maintenance of our honor. This, of course will require the expenditure in Q short time of the appropriations which were calculated to extend through the fis- cal year: but congress will. I doubt not, understand and appreciate the emergency and will provide adequately. not only for the present preparation, but for the fu- ture maintenance of our naval force. The secretary of the navy has during the past year been putting some of our most effec- tive monitors in condition for service, and thus the exigency finds us in much better condition for work than We could possibly have been without his action.
 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
 A complete exhibit is presented in the accompanying report of the postmaster general of the operations of the post office department during the year. The ordina- " postal revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1873, amounted to $22, ,996, 741.57 and the expenditures of all kinds to $29,- 084, 945.67. The increased revenues over 1872 were $1 ,O81, ,31520, and the increase of expenditures $2, ,426, 753.36 Independ- ent of her payments made from special appropriations for mail steamship lines, the amount drawn from the general treas ury to meet deficiencies was $5, ,265, 475. The constant and rapid extension of our postal service, particularly upon railroads and the improved facilities for the collec- ton, transmission, distribution and de- livery of the mails which are constantly being provided, account for the increased expenditures of this popular branch of tuS pltDlIC ScISISo. 1HO UObdA uuluDcI Ol post-offices in operation on the 30th of June, 1873, was B, ,244, a net increase of 1,381 over the number reported the pre- ceding pear. The number of presidential offices was 1868. an increase of 163 during the year. The total length of railroad mail routes at the close of the year was 63, 457 miles, an increase of ,, ,546 miles over the year 1872. Fifty-nine railroad postoffice lines were i'll operation on the 30th of June. 1873, extending over IA, ,S66 miles of railroad routes and performing an aggregate service of 34, ,925 miles daily. The number of letters exchanged with foreign countries, 27, ,459, ,185, an increase of 3, ,096, 685 ove1 the previous year, and the postage thereon amounted to $2, ,021,- 310.86. The total weight of correspond ence exchanged in the mails with Euro pean countries exceeded 912 tons, an in- crease of 92 tons oyer the previous year. The total cost of the United States ocean mail service, including $7, ,000 paid from special appropriations to subsidized lines of mail steamers, was $l. 047, 271.3 New or additional postal conventions have been concluded with Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Newfound- land and Japan, reducing postage rates on correspondence exchanged with these countries, and further efforts have been made to conclude satisfactory postal convention with France, but without sue cess. invite favorable consideration of congress to the suggestions and recon mendation of the postmaster general for an extension of tho free delivery system in all cities havinga population of not less than 10000, for the prepayment of postage on newspapers and other printed matter of the second class, for uniform postage and limit of weight on miseella- nanua matter. for adiusting the compen-