The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-12-07

GERS to provide for all contingencies that may
arise during the time for which the estimates |
are made. Exclusive of the engineers esti- |
mates, presented in accordance with the act |
of Congress calling for surveys and estimates |
for improvements at various localities, the |
estimates now presented are about Sc, 600, 900 |
in excess of the appropriations for the years |
1874-75 and 1876. This increase is asked |
in order to provide for the Increased cavalry |
force, should their service be necessary, O. |
prosecute commenced work upon important |
public buildings: to provide for the arma-
ment of Notifications, and the manufacture |
of small arms, and TO replenish the working |
stock In the supply departments. The appro-
priatiOns for the last-named have for the past
few years been SO limited that the accumulat
tons IN store will be entirely exhausted DUR
ing the present year. and it will be necessary
to at once begin to replenish them.
/ invite your special attention to the follow
ing recommendations of the Secretary of War
First, that the claims, under the act of the 4th
of July. 1864, for supplies taken by the army
during the war, be removed from the offices Of
the Quartermaster and Commissary Generals
and transferred to the Southern Claims Com
mission. These claims are of precisely SINH
lar nature to those now before the Southern
Claims Commission and War Debt Bureau, and
they have not the clerical force for their exam
nation, nor proper machinery for investi-
that Congress sanction the scheme of an
annuity fund for the benefit of the families
of deceased officers, and that it also provide
for the permanent reorganization of the regu-
lar service, both Of which were recommended
in my last annual message third, that the
manufacturing operations of the Ordnance
Department be concentrated at three arsenals
and an armory, and that the remaining arse
nails be sold, and the proceeds applied to this
object by the Ordnance Department
Rivers and Harbors.
Tie appropriations for river and harbor
improvements for the current year were
$5,OI5,00O. With my approval, the Secretary
of War directed that of this amount So, O00, 900
should be expended, and no new works should
be begun, and none prosecuted which we're
not of national Importance. Subsequently
this amount was increased to $2;237 800, and
the works are now progressing on this basis.
The improvement of the south pass Of the
Mississippi river, under James B. Eads and his
associates, is progressing favorably. At the
present time there is q channel of 20 $40 feet
in depth between the jetties and the mouth Of
the passage, and 1917 feet at the head of the
pass. Neither channel however, has the
width required before payments can be made
by the United States. A commission of civil
engineer officers is now examining 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 be in
condition as effective as it is possible to keep
it with the means that the appropriations give
to the department.. It is, Of course, impossi-
BILE to rival the costly and progressive estab-
hshments OF the great European powers with
the old material OF our navy, to which no in
crease has been authorized since the war. OK
cept the eight small cruisers built to supply
the place of others which have gone to decay.
Yet the most has been done that was possible
with the means at command, and by sub
stantially rebuilding some of our old ships
with durable material, and completely
repairing aud reftting our monitor feet, the
navy has been gradually SO brought up that,
though it does not maintain its relative posi-
ton among the progressive navles Oh 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 account OF the
inadequacy Of the appropriations made last
year for the working bureaus of the depart
ment, which we're actually less in amount than
those made before the war, Notwithstanding
the greatly enhanced price of labor and ma
teTials, and the increase in the cost OF the
naval service growing out of the universal
use and great expense OF steam ma
chinery. The money necessary for
these repairs should be pro-
vided at once, that they may be completed
without further unnecessary delay and ex-
pense. When this is done, all the strength
that there is in the navy will be developed and
useful to it's full capacity, and all will be
powerful for the purpose of defense, and also
for offensive action, should necessity for that
arise within reasonable distance from our
shores. The fact that our navy is not more
modern and powerful than it is has been made
a cause of complaint against the Secretary OF
the NAVY by persons who, at the same time,
criticise and complain of his endeavOrs to
bring the navy that we have to it's best and
most efficient condition but the good sense
of the country will understand that it is really
to his practical action that we have at this
time any effective navy force at command.
The Postal Service.
The report of the Postmaster General
shows the excess of expenditures Excluding
the expenditures on account OF previous
years) over the receipts for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1876, to be So, Isl, 1886.
The estimate expenditures for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1885, are $36, 1923, 49,. 43, estl-
mated revenue for the same period is $780,
645, 165, leaving an estimated excess OF eA-
penditures to be appropriated as deficiency,
of SO, 078, 267.43. -
The Postmaster General. like his predeces-
sor. is convinced that change in the basis
of adjusting the salaries of Postmasters OF
the fourth class is necessary for the good OF
the service, as we'll as for the interests OF the
government, and urgently recommends that
the compensation of this class Of Postnasters
above mentioned be based upon the business
of their respective offices, as Sscertalneo from
the sworn returns to the Auditor of stamps
cancelled. IS III
A few Postmasters in the Southern States
have expressed great apprehension. for then
personal safety, On account OF their connec-
fion with the postal service, and have specially
requested that their reports of apprehended
danger should not be made public, lest it should
result in a loss Of their lives, but no positive
testimony on interference has been submitted
except in the case OF mail messenger atSPar.
tanburg. in South Carolina, who reported that
he had been violently driven away while IN
charge of the mails, on account Of his political
affiliations.
An Assistant superintendent of the Railway
Mail Service investigated this case ana re,
ported that the messenger had disappeared
from his post, leaving his work to be performed
bv substitute. The Postmaster General