The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-12-03

method may be arrived at to secure sfIch an
elasticity OF the currency as will keen en-.
ployed all the industries OF the country. and
prevent such an infation as will put ofY In
definitely the resumption OF specie nav.
ments-an object SO deyoutIy TO be wished
for by all, and by none more earnestly than
the, class Of people most directly interested "
those who earn their bread by the sweat
of their brow. The decisions of con'
gress on this subject will have IN.
hearty support Of the Executive.
INCREASE IN sHrP.BUlLDryg.
In previous messages have called attention
to the decline in American ship.buildinp
and recommended such legislation as womb
secure to us our proportion Of the carrying
trade. Stimulated by high rates and album.
dance of freight, the progress for the LAT
year in ship-building has been very satisf,c.
tory. There has been an increase Of ahnn,
three per cent. in the amount TRANSPORTED in
American vessels over the amount of I,.,
year. With the reduced cost of maieri,I
which has taken place, it may reasonably he
hoped that this progress vii! be maintained
and even increased. However. a. We nav
about eighty million dollars per anpum 10
foreign vessels for the transportation Of our
surplus products to market, thus increas-
ing the balance Of trade against Us 10 this
amount, the subject is one worthy Of your
serious consideration.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION
is a subject that has attracted the attention Of
both producers and consumers for the past
few years, and has contributed to, if it has
not been the direct cause Of, the recent panic
and stringency. As Congress at its last scs-
sion appointed Il special committee to nyes-
tigate this whole subject during the vacation
and report at this session, have nothing 10
recommend until their report is read. There
is one work, however, of national charac.
ter in which the greater portion Of the East
and the West, the North and the South, are
equally interested, to which | will invite
your attention.
The State Of New York has a canal con-
Meeting Lake Erie with tide-water OH the
Hudson river. The State Of I!noi, has
similar work connecting Lake Michigan
with nayigable water on the Illinois river;
thus making water communication inland
between the East and the West and South,
These great artificial water.courses are the
property of the States through which they
pass, and pay toll to those States. Would it
not be wise craftsmanship to pledge these
states that if they will open these canals tor
the passage of large vessels the General Gov
ernmeut will look after and keep in nayigable
condition the great public highways with
which they connecc-to wit: the overslaugh
OH the Hudson, the st. Clair flats. and the
Illinois and Mississippi rivers: This would
be national work, and one Of great value
to the producers Of the West and South in
giving them cheap transportation for their
produce to the ssaboard and 4 market, and
to the CONSUMERS ia the East in giving them
cheaper food, particularly of those articles Of
food which do not lind foreign market aud
the prices Of which therefore are not regu-
lated BY foreign demand. The advantages
of such work are too obvious for argu-
ment. l submit the subject to you, there
fore, without further comment.
In attempting to regain our lost commerce
and carrying trade | have heretofore called
attention to the States south OF us as Offering
A field where much might be accomplished.
To further this object suggest that small
appropriation be made, accompanied with
authority for the Secretary of the Navy 10
fit out naval vessel to ascend the Amazon
river to tue mouth of the Madeira; thence
70 eyplore that river ard its tributaries into
Bolivia, and to report TO Congress ut It's next
session, or rs soon is praclicahif, the aCce>Si'
bility of the country By water, liz resources,
and the population 30 reached. Such an eX'
ploration willTo,t but little. II can do no
harm. and may result IN establishing trade
of value to both nations.
In further connection with the treasury
would recommend revision
and codification of tic tariff laws and the
OF more minis for coming money.
With authority to coin for such nations aS
may apply.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress IS invited TO the
contained in the report oil
the Secretary of War, herewith accompany
ing. The apparent great cost OF supporting
the army is fully explained by TINS report,
and hope will receive your attention.
While inviting your general attention 10
all recommendations made By the secretary
of War, there arc two which l would c. pc
cialy invite you to consider FIRST the In.
portance Of preparing for war III time OF
peace by providing proper armament ior
our sea.coast deience<. Proper armament
is of vastly more importance than tortIhci-
tons. The latter can be supplied very
speedily for temporary purposes when need
ed the former cannot. The second Is the
necessity of re0peniDg promotion in the stan
CORPS of the army. Particularly is this ne
cessity felt in the medical, pay, and ord
nance departments. At this time 1t Is neccs'
sarv TO employ contract surgeons TO supply
the necessary medical attendance required
by the army. With the present force ot the
Paw Department it is now difficult 10 make
the payments to troops provided Tor by law.
Long delays in payments are productive OF
dssertions and other decentralization, and the
law prohibits the payment Of troops by other
than regular paymastcrs.
There are sixteen vacancies in the ord
nance Department, thus leaving that branch
Of the service without sufficient officers 10
conduct the business Uf The different ar>ena!s
on large scale, il ever required.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
During the last year our navy has Deem
depleted by the sale OF some vessels no
longer fit for naval service, and by the con.
dennation of others not yet disposed OF.
This, however, has been more than compen.
sated for by the repair OF six OF the Ola
wooden ships and the building OF eight new
authorized BY the last Con.
gress. The building Of these latter has &C.
Cured at doublr fortunate TIME. lhey are
about being completed III Il time Wien they
NAV possibly be much needed, and The Work
upon them has not only given direct EN-
pIoyment 10 thousands Of men, but has no
doubt been the meals of keeping oPeu
establishments for other work ut 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 our very seaboard,
while they illustrate most lorcib!y the neces'
sity always existing that Il nation like ours
should maintain in state OF possible eiti'
cheney navy adequate to its responsibilities,