The reasons for these recommendations are
obvious, and are set forth sufficiently in the reports attached. I also
recommend that the status of the staff corps of the Army be fixed,
where this has not already been done, so that promotions may be made
and vacancies filled as they occur in each grade when reduced below
the number to be fixed by law. The necessity for such legislation is
specially felt now in the Pay Department. The number of officers in that
department is below the number adequate to the performance of the duties
required of them by law.
The efficiency of the Navy has been largely increased during the last
year. Under the impulse of the foreign complications which threatened
us at the commencement of the last session of Congress, most of our
efficient wooden ships were put in condition for immediate service, and
the repairs of our ironclad fleet were pushed with the utmost vigor.
The result is that most of these are now in an effective state and need
only to be manned and put in commission to go at once into service.
Some of the new sloops authorized by Congress are already in commission,
and most of the remainder are launched and wait only the completion of
their machinery to enable them to take their places as part of our
effective force.
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