The New York Herald Newspaper, December 5, 1866, Page 5

| | purchased, and there is little ‘that much of it was cut and taken from the tim- weervations which had for years been protected by government agents, at groat annual expense to the gov- NAVAL PENSION FUND, & the date of the last annual report the naval pen- fund amounted to nine million dollars, There has added during the year the sum of two,miliion indred and fifty thousand dollars, making the at the present time ped | firty thonsand doilars. ven million seven hun- By one-half of the net is of all ‘when the captured vensol is of iiterior forte is di othe U: States, and it is enacted @all be and remain for ever ‘a fund for the payment of aces to the officers, seamen and marines who may ‘entitled to recelve the same, and if the said fund shall be insuMcient ne be purpose the public faith is pledged to make up the defi ; bat if it should bo than sufiicient the surplus s! be applied to the ing of further provision for the comfort of disabled seamen and marines.’ ‘The efficient and active vigilance of the navy in cap- turing prizes, and the promptness with which thelr ad- ition has been en! has placed in the treasury ind the income of which is more than sulficient vo the pensions at present rates, Further legisiation is required in order that ‘‘the surplus shall be ‘epplied to the making of further provwion for the coin- fort of disabled officers, eeamen and marines." The subject is submitted for consideration that the econsary jon may be made to carry into eifvet the Pledged faith of the government. 4 PENSIONE. On the 1st of November last the navy ponsion roll was as follows: — 1,067 invalids, with annual pensions amounting eee $78,637 192,102 0,265 persons receiving a total annual amount of $270,739 ‘This amoont will be somewhat increased by virtue of provisions of the acts of June 6 and July 25, 1666. COMPENBATION OF CLERKS, The compensation to the clerical force of the depart. ment fs mall for the service rendered, and insufficient for the support ina manner becoming their ition of to olorks and their famuies, All persons who have fixed imoomes are injuriously affected by our expanded cur. With the ruling pied, prices for rents and the no- a HH fency. cossaries of life, the struggle of such as havo low salaries end \t families is extremely severe, A fair com- Eonsatton on the part of the government to those who fully serve it is undoul ly the best policy. An extra allowance, if made to the employés of any department, should be extended in ike manner to the @icrke in the other departments, who are as faithful and @ meritorious, and subject to the same expenses as faose who have received tho special benefaction of Con- om The di: jon which is made {s not only Maggie MAI In its effect most discouraging upon those Jaboring with equal Adelity and assidutty in jtions, are denied corresponding remunera- We money of the government is more judiciously than that which is paid to the capable and ful clerical force in the departments; and that of am tion. wy ent I earnestly commend to the ‘@pecial consideration of Congress. RXPENSES 45D ATER. ‘The available resources of the department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1566, ‘were. + $142,201,919 Bxpendivures + 48,024,626 @ balance at the dommencement of rear ts 18,976,667 riationa, which wil! be ample for seme time to come, 4 have sealgne eOeee for the fiscal year ending The following amounts are asked of officers and men of the navy... $10,826,280 for isbor and superintendence in Navy esos seeesesescorsces oe 1,976,192 to seamen. 600,000 cinseeatetes apap cess “* necessaries it expenses. j fs tH Jast fiscal year is embraced in appropriations: than one bundred different heads. Many” are continvous, have been made for years, expenditare will be protracted through years to though asstating to make up a large balance, ‘dispensed with. There arc large amounta, under the heads of “construction,” ‘steam nance,” “provisions and clothing,” can with propriety revert to the appropriations und r these heads current year, and for the ensuing year o In the course of time the appropriations ‘hansted, but it is not believed to he in accord- 4 sound public policy in time of peace to continue amounts ‘the disposal of the depart- Me HH 28 » z 4 z i : $ the war, but the funds of the always carefully and eoonomically ex- by thefnum>rous claiins of ‘ongress; t i i u | i HH i i | ? iN i | | il HI i i | i i i | g 4 i ! ge is i y2tee id tl i Hl i i eg al A f im gun carriages & do- has been made in the substitution cumbersome wood ones so long in use, carriage has recently been designed upon which & ly handiea in any weather ia be fou, io pment and Recraiting bundred and thirty-one tons of hemp, of $206,450, have been used at the govern- mentropewalk at Chariestown, A Board has been or qaniwd to oxamine and test the comparative strength of ‘wire ind hemp rope, with @ view to ite more general in- troduction into the shou id the report be favorabie, It ia delieved that, by use of wire instead of hemp rope, a vessel of the Wabash clare will be relieved of owr four tans’ weight aloft, and that thore wil! be a saving im the origt Cost, as well as increneed durability im the rigging Of a versel. The coal contracts for the current year are (or 40,000 tone delivered at Phila. Gelpiia, at $5 61 per ton, and 12,000 tons delivered at Now York, at $7 28 per ton, But little coal has beew dread during the your, Hepecial attention is in- ‘Vitedto the suggestions relative to the enlistment of services. g% ff i fa chiefly ocoupied with the prospec iw department. ‘lo place the government in such @ condition as the experience of the ears has ebown to be necessary for efficient require the erection of a number of Lew ‘The views of the chief of the bureau are do- some minuteness, and sboold command at the war it became neo wo bull Seasoned Liuiber, but wach vessel trae economy will be con- are wae 9 iarge supply, partie- Ine timber. #perial appropri- are recommended = 3. ? tantly emp ‘constan(!) 4 pen ihe Welle ef tho new eens ae been mado hy ee metry reports it during the rear new work under construc the Close of the war, and ® for which the le wil) be taken of 1864, collected by the Auditor, The estimated expenditures for the year ending June The revenues, estimated at 5 per ct. rate for the various articles he ts compelled to purchase is now so that when a sailor has rece! his ad- vance in Fa ery drawn his hing and small stores, he finds e of about a hundred dollars stand- ing against him, which he cannot ct to work out, after leaving haif-pay allotment for his family, in lesa than a yi lef of the bureau recommends the appropriation of $150,000 additions! to the amount already appropriated to build a hospital at Mare Island, to the growing necessities of that distant station. Ho represents that the buliding in which the naval laboratory is carried on is small, and eo tneonventent as to seriously embarrass its operations; that the ma- ebinery, apparatus, manufacturing department, store packing and dispensing rooms, are all crowded in one email building, He submits an estimate of $80.000 for additional laboratory accommodations, Interestin « tables connected with the casumities of the navy during the rebellion, and showing ita sanitary condition, are given, The number of persons wounded during this period was 4.030, of which 8,266 were from gunpowder, 456 were scalded in battle ani 308 drowned in battle. ‘Tho casualties inctdent to service ia the navy, not con- nected with battle during the same time, were 2070. The aggrecete number of deaths in the navy froin casnaltiog of all kinds during the rebeliion was 2.272, as followa:—From gunshot fractures, 496; from gunshot flesh wounds, 1,809; from incidental casualties, 373; died {n rebel prison pens, 05. The colonel commandant of the marine corpg reports that at his annual inspection he found good order and discipline sufficiently marked to reflect credit upon both officers and mov. One-half of the strength of the corps 1s attached to vessels upon foreign service; the remain- der is employed in guarding the navy yards and naval Magazines and being instructed in the duties of soldiers. No difficulty is exparienced in getting a sufficient num- ber of recrnits, and of n better class than formerly. The commandant of the corps recommends that new barracks be erected m Washington to displecs those at Present occupied, which were erected in 1805, and be- sides, being dilapidated and not adapted to the bealth red wholly inade- It ts also recom- quate for the wants of the service. mended that steps be taken towards securing a conve- nient site fof marine barracks at Nerfolk, where there are no enitable accommodations for the marines, Attet tion is catled to the fact that, although the corp is organization numbering some thirty-six hun- its commandant holds but the commission of Strong interest is felt that the grade of brig general should be conferred upon the highest officer in # corps whose numbers and service would seem to jus- tify it, jcularly at a time when so many army offl- cers are honored with that position. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy. REPORT oF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL. Post Orricn Darantuest, Nov. 26, 1966. Sin—The revenues of this Department for the year ending June 80, 1868, were $14,836,086, and the oxpend!- tures $15,352,079, showing an excess of the latter of $965,008. Anticipating this deficiency, a special appro- priation was made by act of Congress approved July 28, 1866, ‘The decrease of rovenue compared with the previous year was one and one fifth per cent, and the increase of expenditures twelve per cent. Including the standing appropriation for free mai! matter, $700,000, as a legiti- mate portion of the revenues yet remaining unexpended, the actual deficiency ror the past yoar is only $265,093; within $51,141 of amount estimated in the annual report ‘That portion of the revennes accumulated in deposi- tory and draft offices, under the supervision of the “finance office’ of this Department, was $6,751,655, $2,641,074, and retained by postmasters for salaries and office oxponsea, $4,994,256. ¥ ESTIMATES FOR 1868, 30, $17,582,000 Over Hast ORF anon eo SLD ION ABD jon for free matter . ord —-—— 15,806,335 Excess of expenditnres........4.. $1,776,608 For this deficiency no special appropriation will be required. The standing sppropriations for free matter, unexpended for several years, aro deomed sufficient. The following amounts will, however, be required from any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, viz:— For overland mai! transportation between Atchison and Folsom, and for marine mail transportation betweeen New York and California... ++ $900,000 For steamship service between Aan Franciron, bs oy and China, for one year from July 1, For steamship service between tho United Biates and Brasil, for the same period 150,000 Total .......--+ tik es cs «$1,680,000 For detailed information as to the finances of the de- referonce a made to the full end satisfactory report of the Auditor, hereto appended. POSTAGE GTAMPS AND ST\MPRD ESVELOPRA. eS atang Bo Gon cates ca Tardoper eagle carat roms in! col and requests bi | cont pa oe ss foraed during ibe peer, onda June. 80. Tee, 007 26 ; on increase wes To. 004,125, momesentt $1 apnoue! cost. Another table is annexed showing the number, ter- mini and length of Southern railroad routes not in operation September 80, 1866; the number being only fourteen, and the aggregate length 696 12-100 miles, Comparing this with ninetv routes in operation, having ‘an aggregate length of 8,1703/ miles, shows a remarka- ee fo the resuscilation of the railroad system of the Sovth, There being two thoovand two aundrod and fifty routes in all the States enumerated, there state- ments show more than half the whole number to be in Operation, comprising nearly ninetonths of the raiiroad routes. All the routes in these States were duly adver- tiaed to be let to contract, a part from let of January, 1866, and the reaiduo from Ist of July, 1866; buton a large nutnber of thom no proposals were received under the advertisement, at on many others the bide were extravagantly high, In the latter case, offers of the highest admissible rates were submitted by the Gepartment tothe lowest bidders; and in some in- Stances négotiations were opened trough special agente, postmasters and leading citizens. By al} these means combined the amouut of service here stated has been obtained, Vio existing contracts in all the States named, exeapt Tennessee, will expire on the 20th June, 1867. New ad- verticaments, inviting proposals far four years’ service from Ist July, 1867, are now being issued, under which it is hoped ali routes of real utility in the whole section will bo let. OVERLAND ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA. By a recent order of the department the overland mail route to, California, of which Atchison, Kansas, had been the inftlal point, has been changed go as to bn two points of departure—one from Junction City, Kansar, on the Union Pacific Railroad route (eastern division), running from Wyandotte, Kansas; and the other from Fort Kearney, Nebraska, on the Union Pacific Raitroad routs, ronning from Omaha City, Nebreska, The lines from these two pointe meet at Donver City, in Colorado Toreitory. POST ROUTE MAPR, Tho preparation of post route maps for publication has been continued by the topographer, and is well ad- vanced. Two sheets, exhibiting the post offices and mail service of the Now Knaland States, are in the hands of the engraver, and will be readv ior distribution and sale carly this winter, ° FIRES AND DEDNCTION®, The amount .of fines imposed and deductions mate from the Led of contractors for failures and other de- linquencies during the year was $62,956, and the amount remitted for tho same period was $6,654, leaving the net amount of fines and deductions $56,302 MAIL BAGR, LOCKS AXD KRYS. A table is annexed showing the number, description ‘and cost of mail bags, locks and keys parchased during the year; tho amount expended for mai) bags of all kinds being $59,627. This, compared with the expendi- ture of the preceding year ($91,715), ehows a curtall- ment of $38,085 FOREION MATL. EFRVICR. The acuregate amount of postage, sea, inland and for- eign, upon the correapondence exchanged with fornen countries, was $2,280,219, being an increase of $469,200 as compared with the previous year. Of this amount $1,840,800 accrued upon the mails exchanged with Great Britain, France, Prussia, Bremen, Hamborg and Rel- ginm; $328,341 on mails exchanged with the British North American Provinces, and $120,077 on the cor- ‘Tespondence transmitted to and from the West Indies, Mexico, Central and South America, The transatlantic mail steamship lines employed tn the sorvice of foreign governments conveyed maila the poat- ageson which amounted to $975,100; and those em- Dioyed In the service of this department conveyed mails the postages on which amounted to $865,601. ‘The United States portion of the poatages upon the correspondence exchanged with Great Britain and the continent of Europe amounted to $775,647; with the British North American Provinces, $183,883; with the Wert Indies, Mexico, Central and South America, $120,077. The number of letters exchanced in the maila with for- eign countries was 9,490,546; of which 4.596,916 were sent from, and 4,543,630 received in the Tnited States, Of this number 8,564,847 were exchanged with European co mntries, an increase of 1,851,230 over the number ox- changed in 1865. The nomber of newspapers rent to foreign countrics Was 2,804,442, and the number received from foreign countries 1,381,724, making & totalof 4,196,166. Of this number 3.828.135 were exchanged with Europe, ting an increase of 29,157 on the number in 1965. ‘The increased correspondence with foreign conntries, particularly with the continent of Enrope, during the Year is unprecedented, amounting to more than twenty- five per cent aa compared with the previons year. OCEAN TRANKPORTATION. The cost of transatlantic mall service performed by stenmsbipsemployed by this department, under the provisions of the existing law, which allows the sea and inland postage to Amerionn and the sem postage only to foreign steamers, wae $525,207. Tho cost of ocean transportation of maile to and from the West Indies, by steamers recetving different rates of compensation within the limit of the portages, was $57,871, being $20,742 less than the amount of United States postages upon the maila conveyed. ‘The amount paid for rea and txthmus transportation of the mails exchanged with Central and South America, via Panama, was $17,377. BALANCE DI IGN POST DEPARTMENT. The excens of postave collected In the United States upon the correspondence exchanged with Great Britain and the continent of Europe was $500,627; causing Delances against the United States on settlement of the International postage accounts, amounting i the aggre gate to $278,714. For full particulars of the operations of the foreign service reference is made to the appendix, and to the report of the Audit@r annexed hereto. PORTAL CONVENTION WITH ITALY. ' A liberal postal cor tion has been concluded with the kingdom of Italy, whieb adopts the leading reforms tn Interpational intercourse, recommended by the postal conference held at Paris in May, 1963. Tt war no- gotinted and signed at Turin on the Bth of Jaly, 1963, ‘and the ratifications thereof were formally exchanged at Florence on the 14th of Juno, 1866, This convention, a copy of which ie annexed, will ne s00n as notice Is received from the post department of Ttaly of the ronte or routes of transit by which the ex- change of correspondence tn cloned baga can he effected. BASIS OF NEW PORTAL CONVENTION WITH GREAT BRITAIN. Notice was given by the British government, under date of July, 25, 1866, of its purpose to terminate the ex- bing peat convention between this country the United Kingdom on the Ist of Janoary, 1868, simulte- neously with the expiration of the mail aubsidy contract with the Conard line; accompanied with sn as- suranes of the of that government to conclude & new convention on @ Mbderel and granting enlarged mall necessary steps were at once taken to lich that object, and I have the satisfaction of annon a that @ Preliminary basis for @ new portal convention has been agreed pon the two poet departments, redocing the internstional on @ single letter from twenty-four to twolve cents; admitting into the mails priated matter of every kind, and patterns of merchandise, at such rates as the hing country shall establieh; and 1 , the right to Coan onus omen th pvr orin aa November, are $360,766 in exc a corresponding of lant year, being at rate of avoiding entirety more than $1,000,000 per anpum. ereonnte ‘The incraased demand since let July for envelopes rednetion ‘with printed cards and requoste for returning direct to from the sender, if not promptly delivered to the address, ia co i® transmitted in the British mail, very notable, being about sixty-six and two-thirds per iadom. 6 The cont. The general use of such envelopes will tend charges for the largely umber of dead letters. senand territorial transit of nce in closed FORCES Daring the year sixty-#:x cases of claims, on seooant vy armed forces, involving aa amount of have been acted upon. Fifty.seven of these amounting to $3,852, have been allowed under of the acta Approved April 20, 1864, and March 8, 1965, and nine, amounting to $374, have beeo rejected ax not coming Within the provisions of the law. TRANAPORTATION STATIOTION— CONTRACTS Thore were in the service of the department on the 80th of June, 1866, 6,089 contractors for the transporta- of the maila. Of mail rontes in operation there were 6.030; ne 180,021 ; Aggregate annual transportation, ny 14 miles; aggregate anoual cont, $7,630,474, In- eluding the compensation of route ageata,local agent», mals Ta, postal railway clerks and me tore in of mails, via:-—$779,710, the gate annual cost was $5,410,164 This service was divided as followa:— | allroad routes—Length, 32,092 miles; anngal trans. Pertation, 90,600,407 miler; annual coat, $5,901,002 about eleven cents per ma'!*. Steamboat rontes-Length, 14,346 miles; anneal transportation, 3,411,062 miles; annual coat, $440,544, about thirtesen cents per rile. Colerity, &e.—Routes’ length, 154,483 miles; anncal transportation, 37,816,485 miles, anawal cost, $5,705,008, about ten cents por mie. The length @f routes was Increased over the preeading your 38,581 miles; the annual transportation 14,726,420 miles, and the coat $1,003,500, the tnorease arising prin- cipaily from the restoracion of service in te Souchern = 5 H MAM. SERVICE IY THR LATE WRORORNT @TATER. Atable herewith annexed shows the rate of pay per unum for mail transportation iw operation in the late insurgent, 20th Jone, 1866, $I ), com. ‘with the amount due for service actually rendered Btates ‘n the year ending with that date, 218; the difference, $401,311, resulting from the tue service was in operation bey #14 those net postal rece from period bm: pen sal, ine Liabilities (with. the fompenaatou foote agents, local mails; and granting to each post departinent the right to make une of all mall communications established under the anthority of the other, for the itch of corres. pondenes, either in or closed mails, on the ° terme as those appl! le to the Inhabitants of the coun- try providing the means of transmission, @ The post- age of all international letters to belong wholly to the doapa'cbing country, and no charge whatever to be made by the epi | country on delivery. 7 Each post de- partment to 0 ite own arrangements for the of mails to the other, by well appointed from mI wailing on stated days, and to pay the owners of ships for the conveyance of the mails which it despatcbes. No time has yet been agreed upon for ve | the new convention into mm, but it is combdently ex- pected that the British office will consent to name aa early @ date aa practicable, that the public ro without unnecessary delay, the it of the rates of postage, aa Well as of more frequent means of mal) communication between two countries, PORTAL OONVRNTION WITH VRVERUELA. the last report, was executed on the part of Veneaucia on the 26th of Jane, and went into operation on the Ist of October laet. A copy thereof is annexed. FROPOORD CONVENTION WITH MRAZ. Negotiations have been commenced with the post de. partment of Brazil for portal convention to regulate the exchange of correspondence with that empire, by means of the direct line of subsidized rai! packets ply between New York and Rio Janciro, vin St Thomas, Pars, Pernambaco and Bahia The draft of articites wubmyltted by this departmentas the basis of the con. vention proposes the establishment of low rates of postage both upon letters and printed mativr, the avoid- cof postage accounts between & postal conference, A copy of the contract for the mail service to Brazil, which wan erected by the United | Mai! Steamsetip Company on the Sth mall messengers) excerd the receipts by Hy a6, is annexed show! mati service in opera. | annexed. The high tation of this company, their ‘ mt Soy on kod wadouvied rewonrens, and. the Seal and My et 1806, compared with service in the mame States Novem the statements on thie the last annual report. that there are (n operation nety railroad routes, with 8.170% miler, at a cont of 2 Meamboat toutes, with at a cost of $196,505 wt router (oelerity, 46,4425 rovlom, at & ing the whole all grades, Mepeth of ©0170 )5 muse, be carried into execntion, wing ore over tone the extreme ao 4 second stearssalp, of similar size and into be Ianuched poe % December of tea seen aod « I be Prepared tor service about the 1st of July, 1867, andthe machinery (or two others of like dimensions is in course of constriction, AB inspection of tl a chinery of these ships, a8 well us @ general knowledge of the preparations making by the contractors, bas satis fied me thot every possible exertion is being used to fui! the requirements of the law and contravt. The company bave tenderod thelr first class steam- ship Colorado to take thé mails from San Frapoisco on the Ist of January, 1867, the day named in the law, This ship, which bas been withdrawn from the Panama and San Francisco line to prepare hor for service oy the China route, in of the required tonnage, and will, it is believed, fully comply i other respects with the terms of the law and contract, although the report of ber in. #pection by a naval constructor, under instructions lately given by the Secretary of the Navy, has not yet besa reveived. In the building of steamships for this line the con- troctors encountered @ practical difficulty, arising out of two conflicting conditions—firet, the necessity of con- Stroeting ships that could make the long vovage of 7,087 Tiles between Sea Francwco and Hong Kong by the Tonte named in the law with safety and success as re- gards (he matn object for which Congress authorized the eatablisiinent of the line; and, apcondiy, the practica. bility of securing that object without making the suipe 80 large as to preclude, by their heavy draught, the por- aibitity of entering the barbar of Honolulu, which has depth of water, under favorable cireuinstances, of barely twenty-one fect, These two cond.tic were found to be mconsistent; ant they ¢ - Summed the respousipility of #6 consteucting 1oe ships @# to attain the more important ol { tho subsiay while necessarily placing a prastiea! di in the way of the accomplishment of the lover, believing be to be the only course open te them © t disregarding the main ends of thelr contract woll as the wisest for the public iaterests to be pre by the ostablishment of the line, @uey are eo).4eq ly building ships of much greater cost, by reason of in creased eie, and proportionally more expensive to keep in service, than was necessary to meet the minimum re- quirements of the law, Although the law aud the con- tract executed in pursuance thereof name Honolulu as &n Intermediate port, the fact appears to be well estal- lisbed by reliable official information that the laws which govern the navigation of the Pacific Ocean ren- der it unwise, if not incompatible with the complete success of the enterprise, to require ips to touch at the Sandwich Isl on their pages be. tween San Francisco, Japan and China, is is conclusively shown by the report of my predecessor to the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, dated June 11, 1866, in which are em- bodied explanations furnished by Rear Admiral C! B. Davis, Superintendent of the United States Observatory, respecting the propor routes to be pu: Dy steam vessels navigating the Pacific Ocean between San Francisco, Kanagawa and Hong Kong. Adruira! Davis, referring to the advantages of the great circle, or direct route between China and San Franciseo, #0 clearly defined by natural laws, uses the following explicit ian- guage :—It is impossible, in establishing @ route between two continents for the improvement of intercourse and trade, to overlook er neglect such advantages as ‘ose. It is bardly too much to say that it would amount to an absurdity to velect the models of our abips with special reference to speed; and to propel them through the water with engines of enormous power, aud then to pretermit those aids and advantages which mature offers to us as her own means of co- operation. At any rate, if we are prepared to do so, ‘we must also be prepared to ieave this eid of enterprise ‘at no distant day to those who will obey te laws go’ ing the navigation of the great seas, These voi tions with regard to theeastern Worage appear to dispose of the whole question, They show that touching at the Sandwich Islands on the retura from Chine woul pro long the voyage 80 many days unnecessarily; that an additional line of steamers must soon be established, pro vided the Intercourse between China and America iv to acquire that tmporiance which # coniidentiy expected A careful consideration of the enbject has satiet ° Of the correctness of the views éxpreased by my prede- cessor in that report. That the sicamsbips of the tanin line between san Francisco, Japan and China should net be requ red W touch atthe Sandwich Islands does ip my judyment, adwit of roamnable doubt; but conditions upon winch euch release xbould be grante’ & question exeluslvely A wise and liberal polley towards a nat! this magnitude would seem to justify imposing onerous cond. aiid ratio creased expenses {ver ing #bipa for th vice of great riK6 ai peed, ax well ax oF important pubsc inverests invelved in the success of the ine. & Sree, established daring the Inorease of offieo....ie.-+ Number of post offices 1a operation on June, 1865... aKass Total number in Number of post in the rebellion 3 Number in the tate insurgent States 2,778 were ro-apened during the year.......... Number of offices subject to appointment by the President .......+++0++ Pas Nambor by the Postmimter ¢ Number of ofiices reopened in the so! peration o June, 1466 Etates not engaged of which | up to November 1.....+.006+ : socmopagiy Appointivent® made to fill vacancies by revigua tion of postmasters..... ps 4679 To fill vacancies in suspended offices 2778 By rermovald .....sseserscceeeens 1,008 By change of names and sites 192 By donth of postunasters.......... * ome By estadiisument of new offices. . ie Total number or appointments 10.074 Number of cases acted upon... 2. 10,816 BVRCIAL, WOUTE AND LOCAL AGENTS. Number of special agents... . ica ae Number of postal route clerks a ate agenta........ ** 6 Nuwber of local mali agents. ered | Number of baggage inasiers, Py ‘The free dolivery aysten is in operation in forty-six of principal ciden The nawnber of carriers employed the was 963. at an aggregate wmpensation 96. ‘mode of delivery ine iu favor with soveraiof the cities, where ita most muked, the postage chows Exerience hes shown tte superi- cow the re- me the postal service, Its effects in permanet' saving ti wo the 1B insuring the correct deliv. ory ae ae ina toe abit YE 4 ‘The whole number of dad letters received, examined and 4) of during therear wan about four and « baif miliiove, upwards of Drty per cent of which were from forty-seven of the kruer post offices About six hundred thourand other letera were received, being an- mailabie for went of ‘mentof pomtage, or on ac- eount of misdirection of tigibie sddrene, During the year there wee registered and retailed to the respective owners, as ecloning money in aums of $1 end opwards, 32,514 leters, containing an ageregato of $244,550, of which sumber 27,048, containing 066, were delivered, ting ninety per cent. The Bumber of lettera enclowingsume Of money lose than § Temailed 10 the reapectiy owners, was 10,834, o: taining an aggregate mous of $4,662 Of these 11,) containing $2,001, were devered. ‘The number of letters cotaining papers of valoe other than money, a0 deeds, billmf exchange, drafts, chek, regimered au returned for delivery to the owners, wos 26,610, and thnominal value of the en. clogures therein war $7,.82081 The lettern delivered war 24, ~ | ae tg yon daguerrectypes ad articles of #F 6, of which 62,572 wer sent out (contain! meat phe apdlaguerreaty pen), part, photogra OF 8 per cent, delivered A large number of packees coptaining miscellaneous articies, for which no owne could be found, were sold At public svetion, the precede amounting to $3,544 number of letters rvw naopened, Wo foreign the amerint of conntrios during the Fh ‘94,7 ‘Unpaid portage on ch wt 90.479 The number re ceived from foreign countes in the rame condition during the ame period 440, aad the amount of unpaid powtage thereon ; number of Congremipal and offelal papers re- turned to the proper depertents was 17,606. The numper of letters etioming soldiers’ discharges And other military papers mt to the Adjutant Georral's Oficn, «eo, wan 6,918 ihe number of ordinary Were rematied to the writers was 1,746,106, being #9 lrense of GA5.472 over the number of the mame charter returned the your pre Of these 1,276,448 wre delivered. imber @ot aaring the were delir be! weir aes oe ane cordaece with the Is @ighty tnree per cent were Hivered, being an increas Of neventenn per #208 igs 3 ed a5 i ‘ 3 if : ‘t Fo ai Fi ‘| t i f E f # ! é iH Pd 5 | & materially eb Te ~ ‘ORDER SYSTEM. number gen oo operation is hundred sixty-six, being updred and Sretanee nen hes a ae of the last aunual re. port, and measures have recently been taken to establish ries, The number of orders issurd during tho Tin weaver pod wae was,124, of puml was Garis tae $3, To which is to be added amount of orders repaid to purchasers $3,977,250 Excess of issues over payments From ihe establianine st of the #ystem on November 1, 1866, to July 1, 1865, @ period of eignt months, the orders issued amounted to $1,060,122, and the orders paid and repaid to $1,513,577. On comparing these amounts with the corresponding transactions of the last fiscal year tt appears that the business has been almost trebled. The average amount of each order issued dur- Ing the year was $16 12, ‘he whole number of duplicates was 1,482, of which 1,124 were inaued to replace oriyinals lost in the mathe or otherwise, 206 were in lieu of orders iavalidated by age, und twelve to replace orders illegally endorsed. The sum of $2,710,685, belag #arplus fonds averaing at the smaller offices from’ the tion of the money- order business, was transmitted to first claw offices used as depositories, either by gational bank drafts or ju rog fatored packages by muail, Tho recelpts and expenditures for the Inst flecal yenr, as adjusted and reported by the Auditor, were as follows, viz >— Receps. Fees on orders ieeved Premium reosived on exchan, Total. . Commissions to Olerk | Hooke and station r :, 1,286 Mischiianeous, including firmitare and xtures ‘ py oe 863 Rewittances lost in the mail... i 28 004 | 7b 4 Rxcers of recelpts over expenditures. .... $7,138 This sum represents the gross amount of rov- enue derived from the transaction of the der business for the past year, and deduct therefrom the amount of the de- ficiency tn the receipts as compared with the expenditures duriug the period of elpbt months ending July 1, 1865, as stated in the Jest annual report, via. ates There remains the sum Of.,....-++ —as the proceeds of the eyetem tro! up to the close of tho last fecal year, ‘Tho. cost of blanks for tina whieh are fur nished by the Department of Public Printinggis not to cluded in the foregoing statement of expenditures, ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION: RRCOMMEN DED, The present charge or fee establinhed by law for an order of $20 or less Is ton cents, and for an order ex cooding $20 twenty-five cents, These rates are defective in this respect, that an applicant who desires to remit apy snr under $40 could do it more cheaply by two orders than by che, inasmuch us two orders for $20 6x ty would cost him but twenty cents, while fora single oror of $40 be would baye to pay twenty couts, The manifest tendency of thia vtate of things !s to augment unnecessarily the number of orders iasued, Involving a waste of time and of clerical labor at bouh the hesuing and paying off «well aa incroasing the Mability o error. fhe adoption of an additional rate of Afteen cents for all orders of more tah $10, tut Bot exceeding $00, without any change of Lhe present fees for orders of $10 tis commencement or leas, of for orders excepding $20, would remedy the defect in question and promote expedition and accu recy in the transaction of the business. At son port officer, particularly thove located at cen tres of trate and comluerce, the number of orders pald vere prenti: oxoveds the number sesued, 80 that the pay oontitutes the eblof business of tlese sinasier ® Compensation for paying .of one per cent on the amornt ban for tsauing them, for which 1 she foes, It te recominended that aving orders be inereased Crom of one per cont, #0 aa to aMord luces & compensation proportionate ment thereot, bay he reeetven « the comin of a mousy order, the owner, in te thereof, is required “to far order to meh oO state « or afirtwation,’’ geting forth the lorv or destruction of the original, together with ae ate postinaster by whom i was 1 und will not be paid. A oer n the lasulng postinas In question had not been peyeble weato m tar that ‘the 0 will not ped to the parcharer, Jn * the applicant's Informa eof the original order is lim. mp wMixed to suc use 18 burdensors who Is rerely to be blamed for the loxs of origina! order, for which the requtar fee had alrenty beon paid to the department, and the latter having un cortaken, in consideration of that fee, to transfer thronph the maits the «um of money reprereated by the order, whould perform that dety without exacting any further { compensation. Experience, mnoreover, shows that tho ertificn oth powtmasters alfurd complete security againet the erroneous isene of a daplicate in lea of an onier that had once been paid. It would seom, there fore, that the legal requirement from the appli ant of a #worn ¢iatermnent as to lows or | destruction of the original is entirely unnecessary, i well as onerous, aod should be abolehod Fogsimilar reasons po charge whatever should be made for the inaue of & duplicate order to replace an original that har become invalid because not presented within one year after its date, oF becanse tmproperly endorsed. In snca casce the invalidation of the order is in iteel! a penalty for any negligence of the holder, who, on appt! cation, should receive payment of his money by means of a duplicate without @ s*cond fea. During Uhe last Geen! year five cases have occurred of the payment of orders to persona who had forged the signatures of the payees. These persons hnd previ oualy, through lack oo precaution of tojudicions cont dence of the remitter or payee, been put in poseaeion of all the information required to obtain payment of th order, To forge or counterfeit a money order ix made penal offence by the act of May 17, 1864, but there t repeated, expecially at the large officer, there ts a ny: Conatty for additional legislation to provide an adequate ponisment for it, ae well as for any attempt to obtamn pay ment of & money order by fraudulent means A reto)ttance of sarplus money order funda, amou ing to §61T, sent in o registered package from | Nate Mira , to ot Missouri, wer low by the des truction of the mail steamer ty of Memphis, on the Slat of May, but in consequence of deley in obtaining satisfactory evidence that thie wm had been counted, registered and malted, and bad suteequentiy been totally destroyed, theciaim of the portmaster Natcher to be credited (herewith wea not allowed by ibis department and traueinitied to the Auditor in ume Ww be inserted in bie report. CONDITION OF THR DRrAnrMeyT. Tn addition to the dotaila of this report Lenbinit a few jons:—The condition of all branches of thir cv. partment # mort encouraging. The genere! plan pro ong es yf predecessor for re-ertablishing portal er vice in inte insurgent States bas been, (o — large ax tent, carried out, and efficient service, with economical expenditures, has resulted Just an rapidiy @* the con dit on of the country and the necemitien of the people ‘will warrant, Dew post ofices Will be opeued and mall service increased. rplus of revenwes over expenditures for the fea ¢ Jone 90, 1865, war not anticipated for the ear ending Jane %, 146% The expense inertent to re. ing mai! ein the Routhern States, whe ch service had been interrupted by the rebellir own would increape |e department beyond wh of the preceding four years There « no better evidence of national property than the constant inorease from year to year of revenues de rived from demertic and form@n postagen There is no better evidence of the Inereming general inte gence of the Atnerican people than thet furniabed by the joadet fhe change in modes of conveyance from carrier pigeons and *pe ai monnencers, ‘ villete and email packages and af 0 Abd ptrambon every day handreds of tone of lettere and newspapers and boo! and breadth of the ian4, lw an upon the increosing wealth » and the ener intelligence of the people. The few thoarand pownde of postal revenue tn Franklin's time for lane now tu $16,000,000 annuniiy, « ned of the federal gow ration of Joba Quiacy J through the iengtts recrdinasy comamentary broeperity of the nation ‘This service, enter th vers! patronage of the gow orpment, has doue more to aid ih developing the re. sources of the eoantry than anything else exeept the cultivation of the eoil, It has duos more to aid im en- lightening and Christianizing the people then anything tlne exeayt the mpelling book and Hible, The Port Office aod mali route treve! with ctvilizetion, and mark tw Progress 08 dietinccly 08 the whol Louse O64 meeting house Tt has alwayt bern an erroneons theory in the history of the postal service f the United Rates that it ens ean abet of eumtained on the prinewpie of wholly to (ray ing 4 OWN expanses out of ite Own Fevenume. ut, fn other words, Of Lhe principle that it wold be welt ep porte lt me great pubic macmetiy to scrommotete private citizens; and it will got do Ww ey roate shall be opened, oF Moat Office emabiiehes Une tromtinems on tne “4 Peute or tue propet often #hall pay all osponoes, neigh alate Gene ot teas ave putt every year to contre - carrying ae oud oat fr wikdernens te Telopment, @ tbat there comer beck t the poopie im ree) Wealth simont as ineny millicwr of Golare af the thevescde ie th'9 parvoular brane b € has wisely appropriated $100 00 per year to from fen Freecom to Oh — gh t@ be a liberal expenditure for extending mail facilities land and by sea, DATION VOR DICRFARMD BALARING OF FOR! OPMOB acne To another T recommend more iberalty. R.- | clerks and em) ‘bs of the Post Office Department Ot Leen weil paid for the services they have The salaries of clerks in the Post Oflee “alarien were, Red. tu times of peace, and low. prices They wore not raised when war raised prices, Fn eamptlied to run im debi and, In smeany case thele families suffered from went, They worked faithfully apd skulfwily and Lovestly in ducharring important du- Mes for the government, I eubmit that they ought to have ¥ome Teasouale allowance for the past, and am in- GFease of luy in the tutura, #8 In postoffices, letter carriers and route agente aro not paid what (hey ougnt to be paid. Honest, indas- (riogs men wre required tor all these duties, and ought to be pee “ fe id Living compensation for their or, mploymont ie uninterrupted, except sicknesa The letter carrie ‘aim peculiar cna the ton. They travel overy day from early in the morning untib late et night, ioes and cold, and main and snow, all through the cltios, distr vuting | with- out compensation enouyt to rent I foel that the government ought to pay nil these employes better, because they earn More, ont locawe the government can afford to pay more, I plex! tro cause of ali there employ? beckuse itty fast to them tat! should, and I earnestly ack permission and weans to pay thom better. AUTHORITY ASKED TO APPOINT & BUPRLLTONDENT OF FOREIGN 4. The foretgn postal service Las grown to RuCl magni tuds that tnereased cary and responsibility (il upon thou having the dirces charge of it; and T reepacttuily atk What auchority be given to appoint & superiavendent of foreign maila, apd ao additional clerk for thas ranch of the service jso recommend that authority be given to appotnt a wperintendoat of the opening and distribuiion of dead Jetbers, THR FRANKING PRIVILFOR, ‘The law regulaing the franking privilege ought, in my opinion, be omend ido not think the privilege should be aboliehed. Ltbink it a necessity forthe dit. ferent departments, as well aa for Congres, But groat adusea have grown up under it To avoid frands and @ saisuse of the privilege, I recommen mone change In the law af to require the written signature exorciing the privilege upon the matter ‘ranked, nad to relieve the beads of departments and bareans labor, that a fr ‘ deparimont of all matter pert appointed. Ke ALEXANDER W. RANDALL, Portmanter General, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. Deraeroet ov tam Lerman, Wasuizurox, D. G., Nov. 19, 1866. } Sin: have the honor to submit the following exhibit of the operations of this department, and of the various and diversified interests connected with the branches of the pablic service committed to its supervision, PUMLIC LANDR During the fiscal year ending June 80, 1866, pablio lands were diwposed of as follown:— Sold tor cath... +. mene #otored under die hom Located with military wa Approved to States ax eva Approved to States for railroads... .. Located with agricultural college scrip , During the same period 6,423,084.18 acron wore offered for eale, The cash receipts from sales and other sonrees were $924,665. The number of homestead entries o1- ceeded that of the proceding year by more than sixty por cont, There are rizty.ono land districts and ton surveying departmenta, Dufing the past year sarveying operations have been prosecuted with energy {n Minnesota, Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, California, Oregon, Nevada aod Waehington, but have been deferred, on account o Indian howulities, in New Mexico aad Arizona Th anomalous condition of effairs in Utah haa prevented any rveye there since the year 1857, 00.000 sores had been surveyed. In order that vay be dieyored of, it i# recommended that & land die- trict be ereated in that torrire The entire amount of the public domain ta 1,485,408 806 Of Which 474,100,051 acres have beon surveyed The attention of Congrens is again respectfully invited to the expediency of making early provision for the ad~ justment of elsims wituated in New Mexico and Arizona, ari#ing under the laws of Spain or Mexico. The net of July 22, 1864, directs the barveyor General to ascertain the 0 and extent of the laws, ueages and ¢astone to make a full report op all # riginated before the copun of the Territory to the Uutted States by the trea of Contalape Hidalgo, Congress reserved phe right to confirm, by tte action, tema Ade grants, and to give (ull eflect to the stipolations of that treaty, Until rach ae- ton the inode covered by those claims are reserved from sale or ocher Glapossl by the government, The act toes not apply that valuable region of count wired vy the treaty concluded at Merion, December 30, 3) The indary betworn New Merieo end ae well hat between Callfornia ard Nevada, should be permanently eetabiiehed, and the Hate between Fioride end Georgia finally adjasted. A fou tracta have been entered tn California at the micimam price of twenty detiare per sare, onder the of Maret 8, 1866, tor the dispanal of coal The propriety of uetng thle mininam, where ml in of inferior qvality and cannot be obtained yat ditientty, te aabtuitied for consideration. The the ena! lands of the United States te entimated at upplemental ac Janda proved werved exclanively period of two yrar from the date of ti passage, only Sighty Reren can be entered by one person, The grant to lows for the im Maines river han been 693,079 90.100 acren Thore still remain onaold seventycoven tote, situate within the Fort Howard reervs, in Weeenim They Will be dicpaned of im accordance with the act of July 4, or) 1 Tp to Jane 90, 1860, 4,204,774 screw of ewarmp iande bad been pateniod to the severe! Slates, and the aggre gate infdomoliy t» them on secount of euch lands pold Or otherwise dinpomed of vy the United Aiates waa, in cath, $007.21, and, in other lands, 67M, 100 wren Tt it reeommended that the Gime meaning slections of such lands be limited te two yeare afar the officiel plat if reeetvad at the local oMfien, and thet the paryoss of Congemas in relation tw thie subject eapicily declared Inetrwrtions hav: horn immued tn Ure and the local officers im California w give fall mary effect to the provimona of the tally astisted. ii and enim. eet of July 1866, “to qatet land titles tn California CN yo} ‘The registers and reeeivors wet tected In ia rights A bona Ode setter eallowed w the timber on bie claim only so far ae may for nAmpensable veew The Com mningioner ‘we traportance of promoting by togal ing and growth of trees on the | thames leg! tion i* teen mended io enfores Le earvey of Oem its on which ertticment eae made prot to the public mervers Toelve bowdred Indian palents were ianund during the lam Aeral your, for 208,266 weree of innd Attention haa been ovited by this depart ment \o the mmenee «a! aepeman tnetale WICbIR Our territorial |r ou toe Pacifier atope beng | nat provided for wal of then, oF far 4 ich they contain Ae tn the ned With Me teeth om. y individeals, vest of Vebroary 1, 1% 0 overs of the Unteed Mates for + potting title, oF Cor Cnemagee theres Whe fart thet the perne er noe of (he Loheral govern. meet The exploration 4 workieg of these mines have largely contr tories lo (he notional wealth, 604 oar ie wm whoo, | ot 04 Tigh! and ine ete, whieh are the roe of wor poiey of nection, The wietem prow cam devine mencores which, by placing thie ints reat onder (he comtrol of pmive iow, fenier Lrotary im 8 groauer degree \ (he publie prempertiy — hy roman of the ineroeued rales fh pentnt, mere 929.07 0 ill Oe required for Chin wrmmem a the wer view dary tue gent Sol Pamoet ening, hale ™ Tort, to the caty torviving color of ee Pvtione, Hie tome wae metverientiy omitted te the jaet anowsl ort (he Veruwtom Bareea Vi thin department names ot OSL widuws of revolutionary withers E that miner RMA TeR whe Peete ® pemeon cor van ant Benth of tows ee Dertag tps tals Gendt “year na! apptiretions Dar og for \evend ation oe neal raie of @ibe Mia Sow ese os. ome Were inereaset wes 1,29, ot am me omoont toertase of et The Wel Smee rye ereite (he pene tows appears ie Oh Drormg the mume peret 7 00t or ginal app eat cat CONTINUED Of ZIGKTH PAGE