The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-08

such woods as We do not produce shoult
stimulate the manufacture Of good
requiring the use Of those We dc
produce and therefore would benefit homl
productions. There are many articles
entering into home manufacturers which
we do not produce ourselves, the tart
upon which increases the cost OF produc
ing the manufactured articles. All cor.
recllons in this regard arc in the direction
Of bringing labor and capital in harmony
with each other, and oil supplying one o.
the elements Of prosperity go much need
cd.
THE ARMY AND NAVY
The report OF tho Secretary oil War
herewith attached, and forming part o.
this message, gives all the Information
concerning the operations, wants and nc
cessilies oil the army, and contains many
suggestions and recommendations which
commend 10 your attention. There il
no class Of Government employees who
are harder worked than the army officers
and men; none who perform their tssks
moro cheCrlully and efficiently, under
circumstances Of great prlvations and
hardships. 1t Is desirable 10 render more
efficient this branch Of the public service.
All the recommendations OF the Secretary
OF War | regard as judicious, and |
specially commend 10 your attention the
following: Consolidation Of Government
arsenals; the restoration oil mileage
to officers travelling under orders;
the exemption OF money received from
the sale OF subsistence stores from being
covered into the Treasury; the use Of ap.
preparations Tor subsistence stores with
out waiting Tor the beginning Of the fiscal
year for which tho appropriations are
made; for additional appropriations for
the collection Of torpedo material; Tor lr-
creased appropriations in the manufacture
OIL arms; Tor relieving the States from in
debtedness Tor arms charged to them dur.
ing the rebellion; for dropping officers
from the rolls of the army without trial
Tor the Oil1nse of drawing pay more than
once Tor the same PERIOD Tor the discour-
agement of the plan Of paying soldiers by
checks; and the establishment Of pro.
lessorship OF rhetoric and English litera-
ture at West Point.
The reason Tor these recommendations
arc obvious. and are set forth sufficiently
in the report attached.
| also recommend that the staff corps of
the army be fixed where this has not been
done, so that promotions may be made,
and vacancies filled as they occur in each
grade when reduced below the number TO
be fixed by law. The necessity for such
a regulation is specially felt now in the
pay department. The number OF officers
in that department Is below the number
adequate TO the performance OF the duties
required Of them by law. The efficiency
OF the Navy has been largely increased
during the last year under the impulse
OF the foreign complications which threat
enCd us at the commencement OF the last
session o! Congress. Most Of our efficient
wooden ships were put 10 condition for
immediate service and the repair o! our
Iron Clad fleet were pushed with the
utmost vigor. The result is that the
most OF these are now in an elective
state and need only to be manned and
put in commission to go at once into
service. Some OF the new slOops Gu
thorized by Congress ore already 10 com.
mission, and the most Of the remainder
are launched and only wait the compile.
lion OF their machinery TO enable them to
take their places as part Of our elective
iorce Two iron torpedo ships have been
completed during the last year, and four
of our large double turrctted Iron Clsds
are now undergoing repairs. When these
are finished everything that is useful Of
our Navy as now authorized, will be in |
condition for service, and with the ad. |
vance in the science OF torpedo warfare,
the American Navy, comparatively small |
as II is, will be found at any time power
Iul enough for the purpose OF u peaceful
nation.
SCIENTIFIC AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.
Much has also been accomplished dur
ing the year in aid Of science aud to in.
crease the sum Of general knowledge and |
further the interests OF commerce and |
civilization. Extensive and much needed |
soundiDgs have been made for hydro.
graphic purposes, and TO fix the proper
routes for ocean telegraphs. Further
surveys of the great lsthmus have been
undertaken and completed, and two YES
sells Of the navy arc now employed, in |
conjunction with those of England,
France, Germany and Russia. in 0bser-
vatiOnS connected with transit OF Venus,
30 useful aud interesting TO tho scientific |
world. The estimates for this branch OF |
the public service do not differ materially
from those OF last ye8r-lh0se for the
general support OF the service being some.
what less, and those Tor permanent i'm.
provemGnts al the various stations rather
larger thsn the corresponding estimate
made year ago. For the regular mainte.
nance, and steady increase IN the ell
cheney oil this most important arm, in pro.
portion 10 the growth OF our maritime in.
tCresls and intercourse, il is recommended
to the attention OF Congress that the use of
the Navy in time Of peace might be fur.
Their utilized by a direct authorization of
the employment OF naval vessels in expert.
ments and surveys oil supposed navigable
waters OF other nAtionaliliCs on this Con.
tinent, especially the tributaries OF the
two great rivers OF South America, the
OronOcO and the Amazon. Nothing pre-.
vents, under the existing laws, such an
exploration, except that the expenditures
must DO made in such expeditions be-
yond those usually provided for in the
The field designated is
unquestiOnably one OF interest, and one
capable of large developments Of CONNER.
Cial interests advantageous to the people
reached and 10 those who may establish
relations with them.
Education Of the people entitled to the
exercise of the right Of franchise regard |
as essential 10 general prosperity every
where, and especially so in Republics,
where neither education or previous con,
dition enters into account in giving SUI
tragC. Next 10 the public schools the
Postoflice is the great agent Of education
over our vast territory. The rapidity |
with which new sections are being set |
tied ihua inrrpaeinp thn rarruinu nf TIM