Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-31


charge Of the public duties deVcyct on the de-
Parmenl. Oi the appropriations "iade for the
current year. The unCxpSn,!ed balances will, with.
Out Coub!, prove adequate 10 all hc wants Of the
service
deem it not Inappropriate 10 the occasion, as
illustrating the expenditures Of he Navy Depart
ment sirce the commencement ii he Mexican
War, 10 present comparative statement Ct ap-
pGcpiia,iCrs and expenditures Tor he last three
years under The heats OF appropriation OF "pay,"
contingent, increase and repair" provisions
aud clothing" and Surgeons ncccs.aiics and APP
planes" These may be dcnominaIcd the va!i-
able appropriations, aud Will show the increase OF
expenditure during The war, over hal Of d cores
pointing period in Lime OF peace
This comparison exhibits The following result:
For year end hrpr"pha- Avaiai'I. A. Expenditures.
June ls .s, sd i.1 50 y f igil Is ss 70
50 I5i6, 5,es5 s9a 90 G.5GiI2G - Gt7i,5ii 81
lai7, G,lai,3,9 ca 95i, 733 u Ga35,ilG So
And Of the expenditure TOT increase .ld repair
during the past year, ihicc huni:ed md tony-!iye
thousand one hundred and sevenfy-iiye dollars
have been paid for fifteen v,s>ci,, soreships,
steamers and schoOnefs, bic dtarshtoi wa
Ter, purchased and sent 10 The Gulf Of Mexico
Bv III" direction OF The act OF the )! March,
1917, measures were taken for building .our war
steamers OF The first class, ana they ale il course
Of rapid construction,
The models, tonnage, and machinery were
adopted on The report OF mixed board ot naval
officers, constructors, AMI en2inee:s; dnc have
no donbt he vessels will constitute mos. uaiaa-
bic accession 10 the navy.
By Tie same act contracts were authorized Tor
the transportation OF the mail in steamers baween
New York and Liverpool, between New fcIl;
and New Orleans. aud from Havana 20 Ctagus.
The contractors on these tTo routes were
named in The law; and the basis Of he contacts
was adopted hy Congress by reference j0rroro
sails heretofore submitted 10 The Postmaster Gene
raj by mcSsfs. Collins and S!oo, rcSpcci'ey.-
The contracts with these gentlemen have ben n
tered into, as directed by law, embracing conGi-
lions by which the steamers are 10 be Constructed,
under proper inspection, 50 as 10 he couleGlbe
into war steamers, and subject 10 bc ;aicn iur
public usc q, a lair valuation, at the pleasure o!
the department The oh section 81 he aCl uaGes
il The duty ci The Secretary OF The Nav y con.
tract on Tie part OF The government II Iae DGitec
States, "lor The transportation ci the mai! l'nm
Panama to such port rs he may select in til Ter
ri'oiy OF Orcgon Otice c month each may. So as io
connect with The mail from Havana to Cha..es
actoss Tie lslhmus- said mail 10 be transported
IN either steam Or sailing vessels as shall bt
deemed most practicable and cXpcdieni.'
The department did moi find any specific iirec
lion in regard 10 This contract, as 10 persons TO IL
employed, prices 10 be paid, u ibc duration If ihf
contract. Proposals were Therefore inyi'e! b,
advertisement, rcscrving 10 Inc department thC
right 10 take the bid deemed most favorable, ant
leaving 10 The bidders 10 propose their own rerms
as 10 the duration II line contract, the rae o
Compensation and tie desert Ition al vessels il
which the service wa 10 be rendered.
Astoria, in The Oregon Territory, was deter
mined on as the northern leiminrs OF The rou'c
with right OF changing it IcsctTei To The denaI
ineni; ana The law was Construed 10 ,fGHite
mail 10 be transported from one point - he olhc
within thirty days The distance is mere ,aay
three thousand miles, and the winds and cuiIcni.
known 10 be such as IL render il ilnpracticabc {,
perform he required service in said vessels. i
was, therefore, determined To empiOv S'eau:c!s.-
The great distance al which the Sc VIE is % /,
performed, the heavy expenses which mast he in
CURED BY the contractors in proviing on ihe Pa.
ciic COASTS the necessary shops and material,
ior repair, tie Indispensable iuci, an. Gepo,s ai
coal, induced me 10 adopt the term -! len yeaf'
as The dp:aiipn 81 This rnnirnc,. ..h;"h has LeeG
adopted by The Pos; Otcc u. department. loo il.
iuieiga mail contacts. But, 70 guard iayse
against Tic rc2roach o exec din. lie authority
which i was The intention Of Congress - center
clause is ju*ec.! in nc com'iac; csciving o Con.
eress the nigh! 10 amcoi the crnltac. n is so
preaching session O. Congress !iil shall b. deemed
/ proper or cXpcd;crt 10 do 50.
The contracts require lie vessels TO be ready 70:
sea in Oc olcr AMI November o! tie year us
and The right o pay will commence win liz
commencement OF tic performance OF the mail
service stipulated. The annual compensation
under these agreements, will be
To X. Collins SIS. oG0 ca
To A. G. S!co 290,040 90
To Arnold Harris l99 coo 90
hr,p,ron,;al;c, for ,avnsn.s urf.r ,b. cor.
tracts with Collins and Sioo, during III fiscal gear
commencing The Isl of july, 1918, ii! he con-
tractors comply win lheii nnheraking) ol ncary
| three fourth OF the annual Compensation Wli lc
! reqni!,d and about UnC-lonrth i'if that with liar.
ris; and as an act of justice 10 the contractors,
respectfully suggest Iiia IN making the arrrur:ia-
lion, Congress will declare It's approval OF The
term which has been adopted, and whether ne ic.
served power Of annulng The conIac; snail tg
exercised.
regard them as favorable CONTRACTS aud Tho
establishment OF a regular and speedy Intercourse
by mail, between he Atlantic cities aud Oregon
! as OF he highest National importance.
have cordially Co.oprrated in the establish
ment OF the several lines Of steamers 81 pua;cC
by those contracts. Thirteen new vessels viii b;
constructed in the riost ski!iul manner, which
may he used Us war steamers, and will be aydi'a
bic for national purposes on any emergency. Tic
contracts sipnla,c that mail Il: eni, 10 be ap
pointed by the Postmaster General shall 70 placed
and maintained on board; but. as the contract i,
made with this department aud The payments viii
be made from The treasury on bills approved here
unless otherwise directed, j, may BE- question
whether The law sufficiently provides Tor the fegu
| !aon and collecting OF poalaaes by the Post Oh
fec Department. and ho" iaf such receipts WuulI
be applicable 10 The payment OF these contractors
respectfully submit that the necessary legal ca-
actmen,s on The subject may be made By Con.
sress.
The observatory is in successful operation, and
its usefulness Ia the naval service i, contIIinei By
experience. respectfully renew the Iecommen'
daiinn contained in my last report that an appto
nfiation O! a sum, not exceeding six lhousard dol
ais. be made Tor the collection Of materials, Il
compile nautical almanac for The use Of Inc ma
w and merchant maine.
submit herewith communication from lhs
superintendent, on the subject cf duties paid iaif
The treasury on instruments imported for use al
The observatory. When the estimates were sub
inilled, and appropriations we're made, il was mol
fcresecn that these duties, amounting 10 Two hou
sard Two hundred and segenty-nioc dollars and
twenty GEMS would C chsrgeablc. | recommend
| that Congress direct that they bc refunded.
AZ The last session q. Congress, clause was
inserted in the navy appropriation bill, that the
superintendent Of the Observatory should be 4
captain commander, or lieutenant in he navy
anil while performing duly as such, bis ANIMAL
pay should b. three thousand dollars.
In the form in which The act passed, this pr0v
sion is So w0rtcd that The accounting officers a
the Treasury deemed it uncertain 10 whom af-
Piled, and recommended that Congress shou 4
! pass an explanatory law. No payment has been
made under the law Int The superintendent has
received only his duty pay as lieutenant in he
navy. respectfully recommend hat The clerical
error be corrected, and that The salary be allowed
as was intended, commencing with the present
fiscal year.
There are in attendance at the naval school
about ninety midshpmen, prosecuting their
studies under great advantages, preparatory 10
their examination with view TO promotion
The school is well conducted, and will unqnes-
lionably be OF very great advantage 10 the naval
service. The examinations which are there
made before an app!ican, can enter the service,
and these which determine MS qualification for
promotion, after five or six years OF service, ex-