The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-12-09
Grncrn Sbrrmnn's annual Report TIL"
POStu,Atcr,Gencrai Figurcs-.Thc
Director Of the MINIS
Report.


ANNUAL REPORT DF THE illEF hI''h
OFFICER.
The chief signal officer Of the army IN hI
annual report says. "Ihc display Of eau
lionnry day and might signals on tn" N"N''
and nj The great ports u the nlt"1 HH''''
has hrcu made systematically on 1rraHIpl' ~
]snppuscd especial danger at ~ inherent N'''
lions. OF the total number "l 'nllIoN'fS
signals thus displayed, ~ per cent nave br'll
n~Ctcrwarl reported Hs Justified, III me eases
rrnorlcJ ms failures Of Justification following
lbr displny, The winds did not attain, ut the
uIocc Of display, n violence held TO justify
H. while in isolated instances the signals have
mot been displayed when they ought to have
been. Tine records show that no great storm
has swept over any considerable number ol
the ports of the uitcd States without pre-,
announcement. In instances Of disasters To
vessels occurring during the year the fact.
have proven that the watch kept by the srry.
Ice aud the prompt transmission in times oI
danger uf u lcw messages have saved prop.
prty amounting to more tIInu the cost oI the
liuc.. The .clnty force Of the signal service
will not permit il to occupy lines greater in
extent than those contemplated in existing
lrpisIatiou."
The report earnestly recommends lreisIn.
ton for a more complete organization II the
signal service as necessary now, both for tn"
interest ui the United State, and Il, simple
Justice 10 the officers and men who have
served So long and faithfully upon it, with
duties now as extensive, rs important, and
reaching directly more interest," ~ the pro.
PIE oI me hli'H states, IMAM any "'h'I
bureau OF lh' war department. u 'NI'I'
without Jaws browning Tor tue permanent
employment ana Eild'S 81 It's "lirri, or lI'
promotion q lt' cIllI0IrH II'i' I'M, '"UI,
non is Iuuhd 10 seriously 'lIIu'IIl" IIl' Worn
ol ih' oi'l''' inv ~t'INIc' ''I'U"' -" Jus
success upon " r"pilIIl ~ ''I"I "UI'U II''
haEr minutes 81 UNIV '"I,I'' "' '"'
tiJrIy 9unidrI hfilh'i P"r'lhI' h'"'P'II"3''
ANNUAL EErOEr on TINE C~UIEFENGINEl.E
OS ~HEA.CONSr DErE$sEs,
The chief Of engineers reports: "lhr
work now in progress on our sclroast de-
lenses consists exclusively Of the c"nsIrlr'
ton Of powerful carihrn b%arbctir batteries
Tor guns 81 I've "',''r'' '"''''' ""',l va,
an, ,o ,ac nLIrr r,scmrntcJ worEs. ar nrc
notifications and cnIurpcmcnty Of the bur.
bette batteries Of former times. These c]artIcu
barbptlc batteries with massive parlpcts,
trtycrsrs ON either side Of each gun, and
strong uaradoS where needed, will furnish
WIFI II iliIII''0nlIIE. EllII"lUlI lUEf NV EIiuIinl
protection for the armament aud cannonccrs
that can be- obtained outside Of iron ease.
mate constructions. The necessity for the
continued preparation Of these massive bat.
trrics has been presented in the annual re-.
uort Of the department from wear to wear.
Their size, the weight of their %urmnmrnts,
aud the time required for their completion
form the reason WHY these works must be
prepared in advance, and not upun the nd.
vent Of war. Among the accessories for the
defense Of our hnrhors, and the channel WAYS
LEADING to them, are turprdorg or sea mines
planted across the channels, and in such
numbers ms 10 bar the entrance of the enc.
my's vessels, and hold them under the fire Of
the batteries. This subject has received very
careful attention, The system which has
been perfected is believed to possess every
quality requisite for success when the tor.
rcdocs are planted and handled hy men
trained in its dctail,,n
,yyrn prrnrr nr rur ,uur or ,pr
'' ''' VI Wv"
NANCE OF THE NAVY,
Captain WIN, n. Jrtirrs, chief Of the hu.
rcau Of ordnance Of the navy department,
reports; "Th" experiments which have
been made by the army ordnance at Sandy
Hook during the present year have proved
u w I'''N ~ 'N''lIIll w ''IIN'IllllE NV
army tcn-inch smooth bore, Of about the
same weight and general dimensions Of the
navy cIrycn-inch, into Il powerful rirht.inrh
rifle. The burrau there iorr urnrnsrs IA cam.
Inrncc with the conversion Of 4 sufficient
number OF the clcNcn-lnch to arm the new
SIooP trenton, "nI supply pivot guns to the
larger irlgatcs' u we are to keep pace with
other maritime" nations, the necessity of Il
general rrarmo'urht OF our ships with rilcd
cannon Is evident and so strongly is this
impressed ur"n an commanding officers who
meet l"rriH'l 'n'hs, lhil the bureau is IN con
SlaIi' receipt % r'""tls making dcprcclatory
comparisons b,.w',d their own and foreign
arlnahIcnls Although we can convert the
rI'yrn'Inrh t'yols into powerful mulaIc-
loading rifles tor upper decks, they are by no
means so efficient rs new guns specially de-.
signed for the purpose, while for broadsidc
and gtttlI ulitg Ir..nI, I.,I IA, ... e..