The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-06

mi,tse shall have been received and acted
on, By the act Of August 10, 1875, the
cavalry force Of tho army was IN
creased by $500 men with the pro,
vision that they should be discharged
on the expiration Of ho'ttlities. uader
this authority the cavalry regiments have
been strengthened and q portion oil them
are now in the field pursuing tho remnant
Of The Indians, with whom they have been
engaged during the summer. The ostl-
msteS of The War Department are made
unon the basis OF the number Of men au-
tbor;zcI by law and their requirements,
as shown BY yearsof experience, and also
with the purpose on the part OF the bu-
reau officers 10 provide for all eontingen.
cies that may arise during the time for
which tho estimates are made. Exclusive
OF engineer estimates presented In ac-
cordance with the acts Of Congress calling
for surveys and estimates for improve
ments al the various localities, the
estimates now presented are about six
millions Of dollars 10 excess Of the
appropriations for the years 1915 and
lS75-'TG. This increase Is asked in order
to provide for the increased cavalry force
should their services DO necessary; to
prosecute economically the work upon
the important buildings; to provide for
the armament Of fortiications and the
manufacture OF small arms and TO re.
plenish the working stock in the supply
departments. The appropriations for
these last named have for the past few
years been 80 limited that the accumula.
ton in store will be entirely exhausted
during the present year and 1t will be
necessary TO at once begin to replenish
them. | invite your special attention TO
the following recommendations Of the
Secretary OF War:
/. That the claims under the act OF
July 4, 1864, for supplies taken by the
army during the war, be removed from
the offices Of the Quartermaster and Com
missary Generals and transferred to the
Southern Claims Commission. These
claims are OF precisely similar nature
to those now before the Southern Claims
Commission, and the War Department
bureaus have not the clerical force for
their examination nor the proper ma.
chiuery for investigating the loyalty Of
the claimants.
2. That Congress sanction the scheme
OF an annuity fund for the benefit OF the
families Of deceased officers, and that II
also provide for the permanent organ.
iEation OF the Signal Service, both oil
which were recommended in my last an.
nual message.
8. That tho manufacturing operations
OF the Ordnance Department be concen-
trated ut three arsenals and IN armory,
and that the remaining arsenals be sold
and the proceeds be applied to this OBJ.
ect by the Ordnance Department.
RIVER AND HARBoB.
The appropriations for river and har.
Dor Improvements for the current year
we're $5,Ol5,0OO. With my approval the
Secretary OF War directed that Of this
amount, 100000 should be expended,
and no new work should be begun and
none prosecuted which were not Of Ma
tional Importance. Subsequently this
amount was increased to 2,237 600, and
the works are now progressing on this
basis. The improvement Of the South
Pass OF the Mississippi river under Jas.
B. Eads and his associates is progressing
favorably at the present time. There is
a channel Of 20 $40 feetin depth between
the jetlies at the mouth Of the Pass and
1871 feet al the head OF the Pass. Neither
channel however has the width required
before payments can be made by the Uni
ted States. a committee Of engineer Off
GERS are now examing these works, and
their reports will be presented as soon as
received.
THE NAVY.
The report OF the Secretary Of the
Navy shows that branch Of the service
to DO in n condition as efectual as II Ia
possible to keep it with tho means and
authority given the Department. It is
OF course not possible TO rival the costly
and progressive establishments OF great
European powers with the old material
Of our Navy TO which no increase has
been authorized since tho war, except the
eight small cruisers built 10 supply the
place Of others which have gone 10 decay;
yet the most has been done that was pos
Biblc with the means at command, and by
substantially rebuilding some Of our old
ships with durable material and COM
pleicly repairing and reftting our mon.
itor lee., the Navy has been gradually so
brought upthat though it does not main
tain its relative position among the pro.
gressive navics Of the world, it Is now in
condition more powerful and effective
than il ever has been in time Of peace.
The complete repairs OF our few heavy
iron.clads are only delayed on account Of
the inadequacy Of the appropriations
made last year for the working bureaus
OF the Department. which were actually
less in amount than those made before
the war, Notwithstanding the greatly en-
HANGED price Of labor and material and
the increase in the cost Of the Naval
service growing out Of the universal use
and great expense OF steam machinery.
The money necessary for these repairs
should be provided at once, that they may
be completed without further unnecessa.
ry delay or expense. When this ia done,
all the strength that there Ia in our Navy
will be developed and useful to is full
capacity, and It will be powerful for pur-
poses OF defense and also for offensive
action shoald the necessity Of that arise
within d reasonable distance from
our shores. The fact that our
Navy is not more modern, and
powerful than It is, has been made case
Of complaint against the Secretary OF the
Navy BY persons who at the same time
criticize and complain Of his endeavors
to bring the navy that we have 10 It's best
and most efficient condition, but the sense
Of the country will understand that It is
really due to his practical action that we
have at this time any etectual naval
force at command.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The report Of the Postmaster General
shows the excess Of expenditures, ex.
Guiding expenditures on account Of pre-
yious years, oyer receipts for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1876, to be S4,l51,.
9S8 &C The estimated ex penditures for
the fiscal year ending june 80, 1877, are
$50, 723, 49, 4S. The estimated revenue
Al