The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-20 00:00:00

AMERICAN TOPICS.

Our depressed commerce is a subject to which I called
your special attention at the last session, and suggested
that we shall in the future have to look more to the coun-
tries south of us, and to China and Japan for its revival.
Our representatives to all these Governments have
exerted their influence to encourage trade between the
United States and the countries to which they are
accredited. But the fact exists that the carrying is done
almost entirely in foreign bottoms, and while this state
of affairs exists we cannot control our due share of the
commerce of the world. That between the Pacific
States axd China and Japan is about all the
carrying trade now conducted in American vessels.
I would recommend a liberal policy toward that line of
American steamers, one that will insure its suooess and
even increased usefulness.

The cost of building iron vessels, the only ones that can
compete with foreign skips in the carrying trade, is so
much greater in the United States than in foreign
countries that, without some assistance from the Govern-
ment, they cannot be successfully built here. There will
be several propositions laid before Congress in the course
of the present session, looking to a remedy for this evil.
Even if it should be at some cost to the National Treasury
I hope such encouragement will be given as will secure
American shipping on the high seas, and American ship-
building at home.
The report of the Secretary of War shows a very satis-
factory reduction in the expenses of the army for the last
fiscal year. For details you are referred to his accom-
panying report. •

The expenses of the navy for the whole of the last year,
i.e., from December 1, 1869, the date of the last report,
are-less thau $19,000,000, or about $1,000,000 less than
they were the ,previouS year. The expenses since the
commenceme-at of this fiscal year, i.e., since July 1,
chew for five months a decrease of over $2,400,000
from tli.se of the corresponding months of last
year. The estimates for the current year were

$28,205,671 37. Those for the next year are
$20,683,317, with $955,100 additional for necessary
permanent improvements. These estimates are made
closely, for the mere maintenance of the naval establish-
ment as it now is, without !midi in the nature of per-
manent improvement. The , appropriations made tor
the last and current years were evidently intended by
Congress, and are sufficient only, to keep the navy on its
present footing by the repairing and refitting of °lir old
ships.
This policy must, of course, gradually but surely destroy
the navy, and it is in itself far from economical, as each
year that it is pursued the neceeity for mere repairs in
ships and navy-yards becomes more imperative and more
costly ; and our current expenses are annually itcreased
for the mere repair of ships, many of which must soon
become unsafe and useless. I hope, during the present
session of Congress, to be able to submit to it a plan by
!which naval vessels can be built, and repairs made with
great saving upon the present cost.
It can hardly be wise statesmanship in a Government
which represents a country with over five thousand miles
of coast line, on both oceans, exclusive of Alaska, and
containing 40,000,000 of progressive people, with relations
of every nature with almost every foreign country, to
rest with such inadequate means of enforcing any foreign
policy, either of protection or redress. Separated by the
ocean from the nations of the eastern continent, our navy
is our only means of direct protection to our citizens '
abroad, or for the enforcement of any foreign policy.
The subjects of education and agriculture are of great
interest to the success of our republican institutions,
happiness, and. grandeur as a nation. In the interest of
one a bureau has been established in the Interior Depart-
ment—the Bureau of Education; and in the interest of
the other a separate department, that of Agriculture.
I believe great general good is to flow from the operations
of both these bureaux if properly fostered. I can not com-
mend to your careful consideration too highly the reports
of the Commissioners of Education and of Agriculture, nor
urge too strongly such liberal legislation as to secure their
efficacy.
In conclusion, I would sum up the policy of the Ad-
ministration to be a thorough enforcement of every
law; a faithful collection of every tax provided for
economy in the disbursement of the same ; a prompt pay-
ment of every debt of the nation; a reduction of taxes as
rapidly as the requirements of the country will admit ;
reductions of taxation and tariff, to be so arranged as to
afford the greatest relief to the greatest number ; honest
and fair dealings with all other peoples, to the end that
war, with all its blighting consequences, may be avoided,
but without surrendering any right or obligation due to
us ; a reform in the treatment of Indians and in the whole
civil service of the country ; and, finally, in securing a
pure, untramelled ballot where every man entitled to cast
a vote may do so just once at each election without fear
of molestation or prescription on account of his political
faith, nativity or colour.

COUNT BISMARCK ON THE CONFERENCE.
The note addressed by Count Bismarck to the Prussian
Ambassador in London, respecting the Conference, has
been published in the Berlin papers. It is very brief and
to the purpose. The Chancellor begins by recalling his
circular of the 26th ultimo, in which he requested
the Courts of Vienna, Constantinople, Florence, and
St. Petersburg to send accredited. representatives to
London for a Conferende upon the questions opened by
the Russian Cabinet in its circular of October 31st. This
invitation was sent after he had learned the assent of the
Britannic Government 0 doßussell, and he considered
himself justified in saying that the Cabinet of St. Peters-
burg was on its side ready to accept counsel of England.
Bismarck then states the order in which the replies from
the several courts were received. The envoy at St. Peters-
burg announced the consent of the , Russian Cabinet the
very next day. The Italian Government replied on the
28th. The Grand Vizier, on the Ist December, informed the
Prussian Ambassador at Constantinople that the consent
of the Porte was already in the hands of the Turkish
representative in London. Lastly, on the 2nd, the Aus-
trian Government intimated that they were fully agreed
with England on the subject: Count Bismarck expresses
his satisfaction at the favour generally accorded to his
proposal, and his hope that the British Government will
now take the affair in hand, and fix the time of meeting.