Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-12-06

army was. in accordance with law, re-
duced to the maximum of $4,000 en-
listed men, being reduction
of 1850 below the force previously
authorized This reduction was made
as required by law, entirely from the
infantry and artillery branches of the
service, without any reduction of the
cavalry. Under the law, as it now
stands, it is necessary that the cavalry
regiments be recruited to one hundred
: men in each company for service on
the Mexican and Indian frontiers. The
necessary effect Of this legislation is tC
reduce the infantry and artillery arms
of the service below the number re-
quired for efficiency, and [ concur with
the secretary of war in recommending
that authority be given to recruit al
companies of infantry to at least fifty
men, and all batteries of artillery to al
/ least seventy-five men; in case of ener-
gency to increase the former to 100, and
, the latter to 125 men each. [ invite
your special attention to the following
recommendation of the secretary Of
, war: First, that provision be made fol
supplying to the army more abundant
J and better supply of reading matter;
, second, that early action be taken by
congress looking to complete revision
, and republication of the army regula-
tons; third, that section / ,25S of the
, revised statutes, determining the num-
Der of officers on the retired list. be re-
pealed; fourth. that the claims arising
under the act of July 4, 1864, for sup
plies taken by the army during the
war, be taken from the offices of the
quartermaster and commissarY generals
and transferred to the southern claims
commission, or some other tribunal
having more time and better facilities
for their prompt investigation and de-
cision than are possessed by these
officers; fifth, that congress provide for
an annuity fund for the families of de-
ceased soldiers, as recommended by the
: paymaster general of the army.
THE NAVY. $50 -.
The report of the secretary of the
navy shows that we have six squadrons
now engaged in the protection of oui
foreign commerce, and other duties
pertaining to the naval service
The condition and operations
of the department are also
shown. The total expenditures fo1
the fiscal Year ending June Both
1877, were $16,O77, 97454. There are
unpaid claims against the department
chargeable to the last year which are
presented to the consideration of con-
gress by the report of the secretary.
The estimates for the fiscal year COM
mencing July LIST, 1873, are SIG, 233,
40, exclusive of the sum of $231,-
443.11 submitted for new building. re
pairs, and improvements at the several
navy yards. The appropriations for the
present fiscal year commencing July
1877, are $13, 592, 1890 The amount
drawn from the treasury from july
LIST, to November LIST, 1877, is S., 343,
037 40 of which there is estimated to
be yet available ST ,029, $3.50, showing
the amount of actual expenditures du-
ring the first four months of the pre-
sent fiscal year to have been s.,
313, 500 10.
THE POST-OFFICE' DEPARTMENT.
The report of the postmaster gen
eral contains full and clear statement
of the operations and conditions of the
post-otfice department. The ordinary
revenues of the department for
the fiscal year ending June
3Oth, 1877, including recei pts from
the money order business and
from official stamps and stamped en-
yelOpes, amounted to the sum of $27,
531 1886. The additional sum of
81 ,013,000 was received from an ap-
preparation from the general treasury
for various purposes, making the re-
ceipts from all sources $34, 544 1856. 26.
The total expenditures during the fiscal
year, amounted to $50, 4S6, 322 A, leav-
ing an excess of total receipts over to-
tai expenditures of 81, 058, 562S2, and
an excess of total expenditures over Or
binary receipts of $5,945,737,1S. de-
Quoting from, the total receipts the sum
of $632, 618.41 received from interna-
tional money orders of the preceding
fiscal year, and deducting from the total
expenditures the sum of 81 ,163, Sis. 20,
paid on liabilities incurred in previous
fiscal years, the expenditures and re-
ceipts appertaining to the business of
the last fiscal year were as follows: Ex-
penditures, $50, 49,, 5O4 "a; receipts, or
binary, from money order bust
ness, and from official postage
stamps, 26,469, 323.42; excess of
expenditures, 81, o54,190.42 The Or
binary revenue of the postoffice
department for the year ending June
3Oth, 1879, are estimated at an increase
of three per cent. over those of 1877,
making 500, 034.09S.2 and the expendi-
lures for the same year are estimated
at $50, 427, III, leaving an estimated de-
ticiency for 1879 of 81 ,393, 392.O2. The
additional legislation recommended by
the postmaster general for improve
ments of the mail service, and to
protect the postal revenue from the
abuses practiced under existing laws, is
equally recommended to the careful
consideration of congress.
| THE REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
contains several suggestions as to the adj
ministration of justice, to which I in
vite attention. The pressure of business
III the supreme court Of the United
States is now such that serious DELAYS.
to the great injury and even oppression
of suitors occur, and remedy should
be sought for this condition of affairs,
whether it will be found in.the plan
briefly sketched in the report of increas-
ing the number of judges of circuit.
courts, and by means of
this addition to the judicial force
of creating an intermediate court of
errors and appeals,-or whether some
other mode can be devised for obviat-