The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-12-12

come under this class. The introduction,
free Of dues, Of such woods as we do not pro
ducc, should stipulate the Manufacture of
goods requiring these, as well as of those we
do produce, and therefore would be q benefit
to home production. There are many articles
entering into home manufactures which we
do not produce oul Sclyes, the tariff upon
which increases the cost of producing the
manufactured article. All corrections in this
regard are in the direction of bringing labor
and capital in harmony with each other, and
of supplying one Of the elements of prospect.
ty so much needed
THE ARMY.
The report of the Secretary OF War here.
with attached, and forming part of this
message, gives all the information concern.
ing the operations, wants, and necessities of
the army, and contains many suggestions and
recommendations which | commend to your
special attention. There is no class of Gov.
eminent employees who are harder-worked
than the army officers and men,--nonc who
perform their tasks more cheerfully and Ell.
cicntly, and under circumstances Of greater
privations and hardships, Legislation is de
sirablc to render more efficient this branch of
the public service
RECOMMENDATIONS OF TIE SECRETARY OF
WAR.
All The recommendations of the Secretary
of War regard as judicious, and ! especial.
" commend To your attention the following
the consolidation of Government arsenals;
the restoration of mileage to officers travelling
under orders the exemption of money re-
ceivcd from the sale of sui sistence stores,
without waiting tor the beginning Of the tis'
cal year for which the appropriation is made
for additional appropriations for the collec-
ton Of torpcdo.material for increased ap.
organizations for the manufacture OF arms
for relieving the various States from indebt-
cdness for arms charged to them durIAg the
Rebellion; for dropping officers from the
rolls of the army, without trial, for the otlenSe
of drawing pay more than once for the same
period for the encouragement OF the plan to
pay soldiers by checks and for the establish
ment OF rrofessorsh.p of Rhetoric and En-.
glish Literature al West Point, The reasons
for the recommendations are obvious and
are set forth sufficiently IL the report attach.
ed
TIE STAFF CORPS.
| also recommend that the status of the
Staff Corps of the army be fixed, where
this has not already been done, so that pro
motions 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 legislation is specially felt
now in the Pay Department-the number of
vacancies in that Department being below
the number adequate to the performance Of
the duties required of them by law,
THE NAVY.
The efficiency Of the navy has been in.
creased during the last year. Under the i'm
pulse Of the foreign complications which
threatened us at the commencement of the
last session of Congress, most of our efficient
wooden ships were put in condition for i'm
mediate service, and the repairs of our iron
clad fleet were pushed with the utmost yigor.
The result IS, that most Of these are in an et.
iectivc condition, and need only to be mann
ed and set in commission TO go at once into
service. Some Of the new sloops authorized
by Congress are already in commission most
of the remainder are launched, and wait only
the completion Of their machinery 10 enable
them to take their places as part of our eilec.
tive force. Two iron torpedo-shlps have beeo
completed during the last year, and four of
our large double-turreted iron-clads are now
undergoing repairs. When these are finish
ed, everything that Is needful of our navy as
now authorized will be IN condition for ser.
vice; and with the advance in the science Of
loIpcuO-N llt -lIllCl ttul NOHiIdi
atively small as it is will be found at any
nation.
SCIENCE.
Much has also been accomplished, during
the year, in aid of science, and TO increase the
sum of general knowledge, and further the
interests of commerce and civilization. EY-
tensivo and much-needed soundings have
Il l,I rrnnhip auJ N
fix the proper routes of oceantclegraphS Fur
Their sur veys of the Daren lsthrpus have been
and completed and two vessels
of the navy are now employed, in conjunction
with those of England, France, Germany, and
Russia, in observations connected with the
transit of Venus, useful and interesting to the
scientific world.
NAVAL ESTIMATES.
The estimates for this branch of the public
service do not differ materially from those Of
last year, the general support of the service
being somewhat less, and those for improve
ments at the various stations rather larger,
than the corresponding estimate made Il year
ago. The regular maintenance, and a steady
increase in the efficiency, oithiS most impor-
tant arm, in proportion to the growth of our
maritime intercourse and interests, are re-
commended to the attention OF Congress
NAVAL EXPLORATIONS.
The use of the navy during peace might be
further utilized by direct authorization Of
the employment of naval vessels in surveys Of
the supposed vigable waters of othcrnaliou-
alities on this continent, specially the trih-
utarics of the two great rivers of South Amer
lea, the Orinoco and the Amazon. Nothing
prevents, under existing laws, such cXplor'-
lion. eycept that expenditures must be made
in such expeditions beyond those usually pro
vided for in the appropriations. The field
designated is unquestonably one of interest,
and one capable of large development OF com
mcrcial interests, advantageous TO the people
reached, and TO those who may establish re-
IatiOns with them.
THE Po>roFF1CE.
Education of the people eattlcd to exercise
the RIGHT of franchise, I regard essential to
general prosperity everywhere, and especially
81 IN Republics. where education and pre-
viouS condition do not enter into account in
giving suffrage Next 10 the Public School,