The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-08

Oh Tie next UsChl wear ltuouL Wis
provision troops at points distant from the
supply of production must go without
food or the existing laws must be yiolat-
ed. 1t is not attended with cost to the
troosury. Second, his recommendationsiof
the enactment OF system otannutles for
families of deceased officers by voluntary
deductions from the monthly pay of
officers. This, again is not attended with
the burden upon the treasury and would
for the future relieve much distress,
which every old army officer has wit
eessed i'll his post, OF officers dying
suddenly or being killed, leaving families
without even the means of reaching th,i'
friends, if fortunate enough to have
friends to aid Third, the repeal Of the
law abo!ishing mileage and u return to
the cid system Fourth, the trial of
torpedoes under the corps of engineers
and an appropriation for the same. Should
war ever occur between the United
States and any maritime power, torpedoes
will be among, if not the most effective
and cheapest auxiliary for the
defence of harbors and also
in aggressive operations that we can
have, hence it is advisable to learn by
experiment their best construction and
application as well rs effect. Fifth,
permanent organization for the signal
service corps. This service has now be-
come necessity of peace as well as war,
under the advancement made by the pre-
sent able management. Sixth, q renewal
of the appropriation tor the Official
records of the war, etc.
The Condition of Our Navy
At this time is a subject of satisfaction.
1t does not contain, it is true, any OF the
powerful cruising iron clads which make
50 much OF the maritime strength of some
other nations, but neither our continent
tai situation, nor our foreign policy,
requires that We should have larger
number of ships of this character while
this situation and the nature of our ports
continue to make those Of other nations
little dangerous to us. Under any cir
cumstanccs our navy docs contain, how
ever, a considerable number Of ironClads
of the monitor class, which, though not
properly cruisers. are powerful and ctlcc-
tive for harbur defence and for OPP
cr4tions near our own shores.
or these all the single
turrctted ones, fifteen in number, have
been substantially rebuilt, their rotten
wooded beams replaced with iron, and
their hulls strengthened and their en-
gincs and machinery thoroughly repair
ed SO that they are now in II most eili-
Gent condition and ready for sea rs soon |
rs they can be manned and placed in
commission. The five double turrettcd
ironcaIds belonging to our navy, by far
the most powerful Of our ships for fight
ing purposes, are also in hand undergo.
ing compate repairs, and could be ready
for sea in periods varying from four to
six months: With these completed
according TO the present de-
sign, our two iron torpedo boats
along with our iron-cIads, will be for the
purpose of defense ut home, equal to any
force that can readily be brou sht against
1t. OF
Our Wooden Navy,
also cruisers of various sizes to the num-
Der OF about forty, including those now
in commission and those which are in
the Atlantic, could be ready for duty as
fast rs men could be enlisted for those
not already in commission. OF these
one.third are in effect, new ships, and
though some of the remainder need con-
siderable repairs and others boilers and
machinery, they al are, or readily can be
made effective. This constitutes q fleet
of more than fifty war ships, Of which
fifteen are ironclads, now in hand on the
Atlantic coast. The Navy has been
brought to this condition by a judicious
and practical application o, what could
be spared from the current appropri-
ations of the last few years and
from that made to me two years ago.
1t has been done quietly, without proc
lamation or display, and though it has
necessarily Strengthened the department
in It's ordinary expenditures, and rs far
as the iron-clads are concerned, has add
cd nothing to the cruising force Of the
navy, vet the result is not the less salts
factory, because it is to be found in n
great increase of real rather than ap-
parent force The expenses incurred in
the maintenance Of an elective naval
force in all it: branches are necessarily
large. but such force is essential to the
United States position, relations, and
character, and affects seriously the
weight of our principles and policy
throughout the whole sphere Of naval
responsibility. The estimates for the
regular support Of this
branch of service for the rest of the
year amount to little less in the aggre-
cate than those made for the current
year, but some additional appropriations
are asked for objects not included in the
ordinary maintenance of the navy, but
believed to be of pressing Importance at
this time.
1t would, in my opinion, be wise to
afford sufficient means tor the immediate
completion of the five double turrettcd
monitors now undergoing repairs which
must otherwise advance slowly and only
MS money can be spared from the current
expenses. Supplemented by these our
navy, armed with thedesLructlre weapons
of modern warfare, manned by our sea-
men and in charge of our instructed otii-
GERS. will present force powerful for the
home purposes OF responsible though
pcaCcablc nation.
The Report OF the POstmnStcr-t'cn-
herewith transmitted gives n full his
tory of the working of the department
for the year Just past. 1t will be OBJ
served that deficiency to be supplied
from the general treasury increased the
amount required for the preceding year.
In a country 30 vast in area rs the United
States, with large portions sparsely set
tied, 1t must be expected that tins I'M
porlant service will be more or less a
burden upon the treasury for many years
TO come; but there Is no branch of the
public service which interests the whole
people more than the cheap and rapid
transmission of the mails to every
inhabitable part OF our territory. Next
to the tree school, the post office Ia the
great educator OF the people, and it may
I ,rt of he truuaTni