The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08
WAR DEPARTMENT.

The report of the Secretary of War
accompanying this message gives de.
tailed account OF army operations for the
year j sst passed, expenses for maintain.
anCe, etc., with recommendations for leg.
islation which | respectfully invite your
attention to. Some OF these l invite
specially:
/. The necessity Of making $500 600 Of
for the Subsistence Depart.
mcut, available before the next fiscal
year. Without this provision troops al
points distant from supply or produc
tion must either 60 without food or exist
To-; laws must be violated. 1t is not
attended with cost to the Treasury.
2 His recommendation for the enact
ment of system of annulties for th.
taluilies of deceased ofi,ers by
70 uutary deductions from the
monthly pay of offers. This
agMn is not attended with burden
upon the TT asury, and would for the
tu ure remove muoh distress which every
old arm officer has witnessed 10 the past,
of officers dying suddenly or being killed,
lea wing families without even the means
of reaching their friends if fortunate
nough to have friends to aid them.
3. The repeal of the law abolishlng
mileage aud return to the old system.
f. The trial with torpedoes under the
corps OF engineers, and appropriations
for the same. Should war ever occur be.
tween the United State, land any mar
time power, torpedoes will be among. il
noc the most, effective and cheapest aux
Iliaries for the defense of harbors, and
also in aggressive operations, that We can
have. Hence, it is advisable to learn by
experiment their best construction and
ap piication, as we'll as effect.
Permanent organizations for the signal
service corps. This service has now be-
come necessity of peace as well as of war
uu1er the advancement of the present
abe management.
&. A rene Wal of the appropriation fol-
coupling the Official records of the war.
etc.
THE NAVY.
The condition of our q IVY at this time
is subject of satisfaction. 1t does not
contain, it is true any of the powerful
cruising iron cIads which make so muct
OF the maritime strength of some other
IA ions. but neither our continental situs
zion nor our foreign policy require thai
We should have large number OF ships
of this character, while this situation
an the nature of our ports continue tl
make those Of other nations little danger
ous to US under any circumstances. Ga
navy does contain however a considerable
numb r of iron-clads of the monitor class
| rpi, .hn,,ah ,roDarIr
powerful and efficient for harbor defense
and tor operations near our own shores
Or these all the single turret ship
tor lighting purposes are also in hant
undergoing complete repairs, and coulC
be ready for sea 10 periods varying from
four to six mouths. With these com
pluted according to the present desigI
and two torpedo boats nowready, our irol
clad feet will be tor the purposes of de
ten>e at home equal to any force that Cal
be readily brought against it. Ou
wooden navy, also cruisers. of variou
sizes to the number OF about forty, inclut
ing those now in commission, are in thu
Atlantic, and can be ready for duly a
last at men could be enlisted for those al
ready not 10 commission. vi these. On
third are in effect new ships, and thouRl
solue Of the remainder need considerable
repairs to their boilers and machinery
they are or can readily be made efficient
THIS constitutes feet of more than & t,
war ships, Of which fifteen are iron-cl DIS
no on hand on the Atlantic coast. Tn
navy has been brought to this condition
ny judicious and practical application @
What could be spared from the curren
appropriationsof the last few years, an
from that made to meet the possibl
emergency of two years ago. 1t has bee
done quietly. without proclamation Q
display, and though it has necessaril
Enlightened the department in its ord
nary expenditures, aud as tar as tn
number is concerned has added nothin
TO the cruising force Of the navy. yet tn
result is not the least satisfactory b. caus
it Is to be found In a great increase {
real rather than apparent force. The e1
( penses incurred 10 the maintenance of a
IF Give naval force in all in branches al
J necessarily large, but such fore
Is essential to our positio
, ami relations and character, and affecj
! seriously the weight OF our principles an
r policy throughout the whole sphere
naval responsibilities The estimates fl
: the regular support of this brancn OF Il
sci vice for the next year amount to lit
J. less 10 the aggregate than those made f
y the current year, but some additional a.
!. preparations are asked for objects not i
: cIuded in the ordinary maintenance of Il
n oavy, but believed to be Of pressing in
). portance at this time. IL would, in n
q op MON. be wise at once to afford sufi
+ ieEt means for the immediate complete
OF the Ave double turreted monitors no
= undergoing repairs. which must otherWi
advance slowly and only as money can
= spared from current expenses. Suppl
e mcn,ed by these our navy, armed wi
Il the destructive weapons OF modern Wa
h fare, manned by our 8eamen and in char,
o of our instructed officers, will present
!. toI ce powerful Tor the home purposes oil
? RET ponslble though peaceful nation.
re THE PosToFFICE.
Z The report OF the Postmaster Gener
re herewith transmitted, gives full histo
y of the workings..of the department forIt
81 year just past 1t will be observed tn
re the deficiency to be supplied from t
a. general treasury has increased over t
lie amount refunded for the preceding YET
ut In country of so vast an area as {
IN United States. with large portions sparse
Al II