Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-12-13
proceeds applied to this opjec' "
the Ordnance Department.
IMPROVEMENTS.

| proceeds applied to this op)ec' ~
the Ordnance Department.
i IMPROVEMENTS.
The appropriations for river anu
harbor improvements the current
wear were s5,Ol5,OOO. With my ap,
prevail the Secretary of War directeu
that of this amount $4,000, 600 snouiu
be expended, and no new WORKS
should be begun and none prosecuted
which were not of national import
ance. Subsequently this amount
was increased to s2,376,OOO. me
| works are now progressing on TINS
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 channel OF ~
$40 feet in depth betwee the Jettie5.
At the mouth of the passes ls1 feet.
AT the head OF the pass neither chan
mel. however, has the width requir-
ed before the payments can he made
by the United States. A commits
sion of engineer officers is now ex-
aiming these works, and their re-
ports will be presented as soon as re-
ceived.
CONDITION OF THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary OF the
Navy shows that branch of the serv-
ice to be in condition as effective as
Is possible to keep it with the small
appropriations given to the depart
ment. 1t is of course impossible to
rival the costly and progressive es.
adjustments of the great European
powers, with the old material of our
navy, to which no increase has been
authorized since the war except the
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 subjstan-
TALLY rebuilding some of our old
ships with durable material and COM
pletely repairing and refitting our
monitor fleet the navy has been
gradually 80 brought up that though
it does not maintain its relative po-
sition among the progressive navies
of the world, it Is now in condition
more powerful and effective than it
ever has been in time of peace. The
complete repairs of our five heavy
iron clads are only delayed on ac-
count of the inadequacy of the appro-
priations made last year for the
working bureaus of the department,
which were actually less in amount
than those made before the war, not
withstanding the greatly enhanced
prices of labor and materials, and
the increase i'm the cost of naval
service growing out of the universal
use and great expense of steam ma
chinery. The money necessary for
these repairs should be provided at
once, that they may be completed
without expense. When this is done
all the strength that there is in the
navy will be developed, and if used
to its full capacity, will be powerful
for the purpose of defense, and also
for offensive action, should necessity
for that arise within q reasonable
distance from our shores; and that
our navy is not more modern and
powerful than it is, has been made a
cause Of com plant against the Secre-
tary of the navy by persons, who, at
the same time criticise and complain
of his endeavors to bring the navy
that we have, to its best and most
efficient condition. But the good
sense of the country will understand
that it is really due to his practical
action that we have at this time any
effective navy force at Command.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT.
The report of the Postmaster Gen.
eral shows an excess of expenditure,
excluding expenditures on account
OF previous year, ending June 3Oth,
1876, to be 81, l51 1886. Estimated
expenditures for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1878, are $36, 723, 432.43,
estimated revenue for the same peri
cd is $50, 645, 1865, 900, leaving an esti-
mated excess of expenditures to be
appropriated as discrepancy OF &c.
O78, 267. 43. The Postmaster Gener-
al, like his predecessor, is convinced
that a change in the basis of adjust
| ing the salaries of Postmasters of the
fourth class is necessary for the good
of the service, as we'll as for the in
terst of the Government, and urgent
ly recommends that the compensation
of the class of Postmasters above
mentioned be based upon the bust
ness of their respective offices, as as
certained from the sworn returns to
the Auditor of the stamps cancelled.
A few Postmasters of the Southern
States have expressed great appre-
hension of their personal safety on
sccount of their connection with the
postal service, and have especially
requested that their reports ofappre-
hended danger should not be made
public, lest it should result in the loss
of their lives; but no positive testi-
mony Of interference has been sub
mitted, except in the case of a mail
messenger at Spartanburg, in South
Carolina, who reported that he had
been violently driven away while
in the charge of the mails on
account of his political affiliations.
An Assistant Superintendent of tho