The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-12-07


that may arise during the time for which
the estimates are made. The estimates for
service and estimates for Improvements in
various locations, now presented, are about
six millions in excess Of the appropriations
| for the years 1874 1916. This increase is
asked in order 70 provide for an increased
cavalry force, should their services be
necessary; to prosecute, economically, work
on important public buildings; to provide
| for the armament of Notifications
and manufactures of small arms, and to
replenish working stock in the supply
deposs. The appropriations of these last
named have for the rast few years betn 80
limited that the accumulation of stores will
be entirely exhausted during the present
year and it will be necessary to at once
begin to replenish them.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
l invite your special attention to the
following recommendations of the Secretary
of War. First. That the claims under the
act of July 4, 1864, for supplies taken
by the army during the war be
be removed from the Offices Of Quarter
master and Commissary Generals, and
transferred to the Southern Claims Com
mission. 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
machinery for investigating the legality Of
the claims. Second. That Congress sane
ton the scheme of an annuity fund for the
benefit of the families of deceased officers,
and that it also provide for the permanent
organization of the regular service, both Of
which were recommended in my last aunu-
al message. Third. That the manufactur-
ing operations of the ordnance department
be concentrated at three arsenals and ar.
mories, and that the remaining arsenals be
sold and the proceeds be applied to this
object by the ordnance department.
The appropriations for river and har5or
improvements for the current year were
$5,Ol5,OO0. With my approval the
Secretary of War directed that of this
amount 100000 should be expended
and no new works should be begun and
none prosecuted which were not of national
Importance. Subsequently this amount
was increased to 1921, 900 and works are
NJ" progressing On ILLS ooocs
CAPT. EADs' JErTIEs.
The improvement of the South Pass of
the Mississippi river, under j. B. Eads and
his associates, is progressing favorably.
At the present time there is channel OF
| 20 10 feet in depth between the jetties at
the mouth of the pass, and l89 feet at the
head of the pass. Neither channel, how.
| 10 IL Lafo,
ment shall be made by the United States.
A commission of engineers and officers is
Row examining these works and their re
ports will be presented as soon as received.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the Secretary of the Navy
shows that he believes the service
to be in as effective a condition as
it is possible to keep it with the means
appropriated to the Department. 1t is
of course impossible to rival the costly and
progressive establishments of the great
European powers with the old material OF
our navy, to which no increase has been
authorized since the war except eight
small cruisers, built to supply the place Of
others which had gone to decay, yet the
most has been done that was possible with
the means at command, and by substan-
tally rebuilding some of our old ships with
durable material, and completely repairing
and re6tting our monitor fleet, the navy
has been gradually so brought up that,
though it does not maintain its relative po-
sition among the progressive nations of the
world, it is now in condition more pow
erful and effective than it ever has been 10
time of peace. The complete repairs of
our FIVE heavy irosclsds are only de
layed on account of the inadequacy
of the appropriations made last year for
the working divisions of the department
which we're actually less in amount than
those made before the war. Notwithstand |
ing the greatly enhanced price of labor aud
materials, 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 I
these repairs should be provided for at
once that they may be completed without
further unnecessary delay and expense.
When this is done all the strength that
there is in the navy will be developed and
useful in its full capacity. and all will be (
powerful for the purposes of defence, aud
also for offensive action should necessity
for that arise within reasonable distance
from our shore. The fact that our navy is
not more modern and powerful than it is, t
has been made cause of complaint against
the Secretary of the Navy by persons who,
a; the same time, criticise and complain OF /
en9eavors to bring the navy that we have
to its best and most efficient condition. but
bo IS III ~.
stand that it is really to his practical action
that We have at this time any effective
naval force at our command,
PosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
shows an excess of expenditures, excluding
on account of previous years.
over the receipts for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1876, to be $4,l5l ,9sS.66. The
expenditure for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1873, is $50, 723, 432.43.
The estimated revenue for the same period ,
$ 30,645, los, leaving an estimated excess
If expenditure, to be appropriated as a de {
iciency, of SCOTS, 267.43. The Postmas
er General, like his predecessor, is con
7inced that change in the basis OF
adjusting the salaries Of postmasters of the |
ourth class is necessary for the good of the I,
ervice, as well as for the interest of the I
and urgently recommends that a
he compensation of the class of postmss s
ers above mentioned be based on the q
BUSINESS of their respective offices as ascer /
aimed from sworn returns to the Auditor :
f stamps Cancelled. T
BULLDoZED PosTMAsTERs. il
A few postmssters in the South
IN States they have expressed great :
pprehensions of their personal safe /
7 on account of their connection :,
18th the postal service, and have =
pecially requested that their reports of !.
pprehended danger should not be made =
ubic lest it should result in the loss of .
,elr lives, bnt no positive testimony of any :,
Interference has been submitted except in y
he case of mail messenger at :"
in South Carolina, who re- r
Orted that he had been violently driven .,
way while in the discharge of his duties, :;
D account of his political affiliations. The . .,
ssistant Superintendent of the Railroad y
srvice investigated this case, and reported r
at the messenger had disappeared from ~
8 post, leaving his work to be performed W