The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-12-11

the manufactured article. All eorrec-
tions in this regard are in the direction
of bringing labor and capital in har-
money with each other, and of supply
ing one of the elements much needed.
THE WAR REPORT.
The report Of the Secretary of War
herewith attached and forming a part of
this message gives all the Information
all the operations, wants and
necessities, and contains many sugges-
tions and recommendation which |
to your special attention.
There is no class of Government en-
ployes who are harder worked than the
army officers, and none who perform
their tasks more cheerfully and more
efficiently, and under circumstances of
greatest privations and hardships.
Legislation is desirable to render more
efficient this branch of the public ser
vice. All the recommendations of the
Secretary of War regard as judicious,
and | especially commend to your atten-
tion the following: The consolidation
of Government arSenals; mileage to Off
GERS travelling under orders; the exemp-
tion of money received from the sale
of subsistence stores from being covered
into the Treasury; the use of appropria-
tions for the purchase of subsistence
stores without waiting for the begin
ming of the fiscal year for which the ap-
preparation is made; for additional ap-
preparations for the collection of torpedo
material; for increased appropriations
for the manufacture of arms; for reliev-
ing the various States from indebted
ness for arms charged to them during
the rebellion; for dropping officers from
the rolls of the army without trial for
the offense of drawing pay more than
once for the same period; for the dis
couragement of the plan to pay soldiers
by checks, and for the establishment of
professorship of rhetoric and English
literature at West Point
The reasons for the recommendations
are obvious,and are set forth sufficiently
in the report attached. l also recon-
mend that the status of the staff corps
of the army be fixed where this has not
already 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. The ne
cessity for such legislation Is specially
felt now in the pay department-the
number of vacancies in that department
being now below the number adequate
to the performance of the duties requir-
ed Of them by law.
NAVY REPORT.
The efficiency of the Navy has been
largely increased during the last year,
under the impulse of the foreign COM
plications which threatened us. At the
commencement of the last session of
Congress, most of our efficient wooden
ships were put in condition for imme-
diate service. and the repairs of our
ironclad fest were pushed with the ut
most vigor. The result is that most OF
these are now in effective state, and need
only to be manned and put in commits
sion, to go at once into service. Some
of the new sloops authorized by Con-
gress are already in commission, and
most of the remainder are launched
and wait only the completion of ma
chinery to enable them to take their
places as part of our effective force. Two
iron torpedo ships have been completed
during the last year, and four of our
large double-turreted iron clads are un-
dergoing repairs. When these are fin
ished, everything that is needful to our
navy, as now authorized, will be in
condition for service, and with the ad-
vance in science of torpedo warfare, the
American navyy comparatively small as
it is, will be found powerful for the pur-
poses of a peaceful Nation.