Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-12-17

orably employed in the protection of our commerce
and citizens in the Mediterranean, the Pacific, on
| the coast Of Brazil, and in the Gulf of Mexico.
small squadron, consisting of the lrigae Conste-
| lhtOn and the sioop of war Boston, under Commo-
| dole kearney. Is now on lis way 10 the China and
Indian seas for the purpose Of attending to liz
| terests IN that quarter; and commander Auck, in
the sloop of war Yorktown has been instructed to
visit the Sandwich and Society Islands, the coasis
| OF New Zealand and japan, together with other
ports and islands frequented by our whale Ships for
the purpose of giving them cOuntenance and pro-
tectIon should they he required. Other smaller
vessels have been, and still are employed in prose-
cutting the survey Of the coasts of the United States
| directed by various acts oiCnngress; and those
which heye baen completed will shortly bo laid
| before YOU
| The Exploring Expedition, at the latest date was
! preparing to leave the bay Of Islands. New Zealand
in further prosecution of bjecis which havelhus far
been successfully accomplished. The discovery of
ne W continent, which first seen in latitude
| SO deg Pin south, Longitude l54 deg 27m east and
| afterwards in latitude GO deg BIN SOUTH longitude
l53 deg 40 m east, by Loutenants Wilkes and Hud.
son. for an extent of eighteen hundred miles, but
on which they were prevented from landing by
vast bodies flee wi ich cmcompassed it, is one of
The most honorable results Of the enterprise. Lieu
| tenantl WiIkes bears testimony to the zeal and
good conduct IF his officers and men i; and il is but
justice to that officer To that he appears To have
PoD"ttu tHe uhiicS assigned MN, With an ardDr.
ability and perseverance, which give every assur-
| ance OF an honorable issue to the undertaking.
| The report Of the Postmaster General, herewith
transmitted, will exhibit the service of that depart
ment the past. year and its present condition. The
transportation has been maintained during the wear
10 the full extent authorised by the existing laws
some improvements have been effected, whichh the
public interest seemed urgently to demand but rot
involving any material additional expenditure; the
contractors have generally performed their engage
men with hdeli!y; the pOstmastrrs, with few ex-
ceptions, have rendered their accounts and paid
their quarterly balances with promptitude ard the
whole service OF the department has maintained the
efficiency for which it has for several gears been
distinguished.
The acts Of Congress establishing new mail routes
and requiring more expensive services on others,
and the increasing wants Of the country, have tor
three years past carried the expenditures something
hey ond the accruing revenues; the excess having
been met, until the past year by the surplus which
had previously accumulated. The surplus having
been exhausted and the anticipated increase i'm the
revenue not having been realized, owing to the de.
precision in the commercial business of the countr,;
the finances Of the department exhibit small def
cheney at the close of the last fiscal wear lis re-
sources. however, are ample and the reduced rates
Of compensation for tie transportation service
which may be expected the future lettings. from
the general reduction of prices with the increase
of revenue that may reasonably he anticipated from
the finances OF tho department in prosperous CON-
dition.
! Considering the unfivorable circumstances which
have existed during the past year, it is gratfy ing
result that the revenue has not Declined as com
pared with the preceding year. but, on the contrary,
exhibits small increase; the circumstances referred
to having Rad no other effect than to check the
expected increase.
| II will be seen that the Postmaster General sug-
gess certain improvements in the establishment,
designed to reduce the weight of the mails cbeapen
the transportation, ensure greater regularity in the
service. and considerable reduction in the
rates of letter postage--an object highly desirable.
The subject is one Of general interest to the COM
raunity and is respectfully recommended to your
! consideration.
| The suppression of the African slave-f trade has
received the continued attention Of the government
Tho b il Dolphin and schooner Grampus have been
enpl eyed during the last the coast of
Africa, for the purpose of preventing snch portions
OF that trade said to be prosecuted under the
American flag. A er cruising on those parts OF the
coast usually resored to by slavers, until the
com l.encemen Of the rainy season. these vessels
returned TO the United sta es for supplies and have
since been despatched on a similar service.
| From the reports of the commanding officers, it
appears that the trade is now principally carried
under Portuguese colors; and they express tie
opinion that the apprehension Of their presence
the slave coast has, In great Degree arrested the
| prostitution of the American flag to this nhuman
purpose. Ii is hoped that, by continuing to main
tain this force in that quarter, and by the exeitions
ofthe officers in command, much will be done to
put stop to whatever portion of this traffic may
have been carried on under the american flag, and
to proven. its use in trade which, while IL violates
the laws. is equally outrage tho rights of
others and the feelings of humanity. Tie efforts
of the several Governments who are anxousy
seeking 10 suppress this traffic must, however, be
directed against the facilities afforded by what
now recognised as legitimate commercial pursuits,
before that object can be fully accomplished. Sup
| plies Of provisions, water casks, merchandise aud
articles connected with the prosecution Of the slave
trade, are, it is understood, freely carried by vessels
of different nations TO the slave factories; and the
effects of the factors are transported openly from
one slave station to another without interruption
or punishment by either of the nations to which
they belong engaged in the commerce of that
region. submit to your judgments whether this
Government, having been the first to prohibit, by
adequate penalties, the slave tradethe first to de-
clare it piracy-should not be the first, also, TO
forbid TO its citizens all trade with the slave facto
res on the coast of Africa giving an example to
all nations in this RESP ec, which, If fairly followed,
cannot fail to produce the most effective results in
breaking up those dens Of inqnity.
Nj. VAN BUREN,.
Washington, Dec 5, 1910.