The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-12-10

sons to have been sustained on small
farms and plantations are not only far be-
yond the possible yield of those places for
any one year, but, as every one knows who
has had experience IN tilling the soil and
who has visited the scene of the spoliation,
are, in many instances, more than the indi-
vidual claimants were ever worth, includ-
ing their personal and real estate. The
report Of the Attorney General, which will
be submitted 10 Congress at an early day,
will contain a detailed history of awards
made and of claims pendirg Of the class
here referred TO.
ARMY OPERATIONS.
The report of the Secretary of War, &C
companying this message, gives detailed
account of the army operations for the year
lust passed, expenses for maintenance, etc,
with recommendations for legislation, to
which / respectfully invite your attention.
To some Of these invite special attention.
First, to the necessity OF making $50, 900
Of the appropriation for the subsistence de-
partment available for the beginning of
the next fiscal year. Without this
provision, troops AT points distant from
supplies and productions must either go
without food or existing laws must be viO-
lated. 1t is not attended with cost to the
treasury. Second, his recommendations
of an equitable system Of annuities for
families OF deceased officers by vOlun-
tary reductions from the monthly pay Of
officers. This, again, is not attended
with burden upon the treasury, and
would, for the future relieve much
distress which every old army OH
Ger has witnessed in the past officers
dying suddenly or being killed. leaving
families without even means of reaching
their friends, If fortunate enough to have
friends to aid them. Third, the repeal of
the law abolishing mileage and return to
the old system. Fourth, the trial with tor
pedoes under the corps of engineers and
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 defense of
harbors and also in aggressive operations,
that we can have. Hence it is advisable
TO learn by experiment their best construc-
ton and application as well as effect.
Fifth, permanent organization for the
Signal Service corps. This service has
now become q necessity Of peace as well
as war, under the advancement made by
the present able management. Sixth, a
renewal of the appropriation for completing
the official records Of the war, etc.
THE NAVY.
The condition of our navy at this time
is a subject of satisfaction. It does not
contain, it is true, any of the powerful
cruising iron-clads which make so much of
the maritime strength of some other ma
tons, but neither our continental nor our
foreign power requires that we should have
u large number of ships of this character;
while The situation and the nature of our
ports continued make those Of other nations
little dangerous to the United States under
any circumstances. Our navy does contain,
however, a considerable number of iron
elads of the Monitor class, which, though
not properly cruisers, are powerful and eff
fectiVe for harbor defense and for opera
lions near our own shores. OF these,
all the single turretted ones, fifteen in mum.
Der, have been substantially rebuilt, their
rotten wood beams replaced with iron, their
bulls strengthened and their engines
and machinery thoroughly repaired, so
that they are now in most efficient
condition and ready for sea as soon as they
can be manned and put in commission.
The FIVE double turretted iron-clads belong.
ing to our navy. by far the most powerful
ships for fighting purposes, are alsoiR hands
undergoing complete repairs, and could be
ready for sea in periods varying from four
TO six months. With these completed ac-
cording to the present design, and our two
iron torpedo boats now ready, our iron.
clad feet will be for the purposes
of defense at home equal TO any
force that can be readily brought against
it. OF our wooden navy, also cruisers Of
various sizes, to the number Of about forty, in
Guiding those now in commission, are in
the Atlantic, and could be ready for duty
as fast as men could be enlisted for those
not already in commission. OF these, one
third are In effect new ships, and though
some ofthe remainder need considerable re
pairs on their boilers and machinery, they
all are or can readily be made effective. This
constitutes q feet Of more than fifty wal
ships, of which fifteen are iron clad, now
in hand on the Atlantic coaat. The navy
has been brought to this condition by q
judicious and practical application of what
could be spared from the current appropri
atoms Of the last few years, and from thai
made TO meet the possible emergency Of
two years ago. 1t has been done
quietly, without proclamation or display
and though it has necessarily straitened
dhe Departmen Mt in its ordinary expenditures
and, so far as the lron-clads are concerned
has added nothing to the cruising force o
the navy, yet the result is not the less sat
lsfactory, because it is to be found in 6
great increase Of real, rather than appar
.snt force. The expenses incurred in tn
snaIntainAnce of an effective. naval force il
all its branches are necessarily large, bu
such force is essential to our pc
aition, relations and character, ant
affects seriously the weight of on
principles and policy throughout the whole
sphere of naval responsibility. The est
mates for the regular support of this brancl
Of the service for the next year amount Il
u little less in the aggregate than thOs
made for the current year, but som
additional appropriations are asked for oh
iects not included in the ordinary mainten
ance of the navy, but believed to be Q
pressing Importance. 1t would, i
my opinion, be wise to at one
afford Sufficient means for the imme
date completion ofthe five double turrete,
monitors now undergoing REPAIRS, whic
must otherwise adva nee slowly, and onl
as money can be spared from current ex
penses. Supplemented by these, our nav
armed with the destructive weapons Q
modern warfare, manned by our seame
and in charge of our instructed officers
will present a force powerful for the hom
purposes Of responsible though peaceful
nation.
TuE pnSTnpPIt,E DEPARTMENT