The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-10

By the acts of March 3d. Is47, and August 3D. 1913,
$4,000 were appropriated for these objects, and an
estimate is submitted for $3.50 900 for the next fiscal
In the contracts for such costly work. and espe
cially as the appropriations made were known to be
insufficient to meet the whole cost, it was deemed
proper to provide for partial payments the works
progressed with such securities to indemnify the GO
verDment in the event of failure to comply on the
part Of the contractors as 1t was thought reasonable
to require.
Another years experie nee has confirmed the anti
cpation Of most valuable results from the establish
me ut Of the observatory In report, which had the
honor to make from this department, under date of
Nov. 9Th, 1914 expressed the adent opinion that
process of time most perfect set of charts may be
supplied from the depot to the navy and to the COM
mercia marine entirely to be relied for accuracy,
at the mere cost of publication" The time has ar
rived sooner than | anticipated. The Chambers Of
Commerce. of our principal cities, and Intelligent mer
hants and navgstors from all parts of country,
for publication Of corrected and verified charts
readily communicating the results of their observation
and experienced, and charts from the observatory
looked on with increasing interest Besides these i'm
portant advantages, most valuable services
dered at the observatory by the and adustmen
chronometers and other nautical instrume nts for
the navy. The establishment is superintended and
conducted with credit and by naval officers,
who have shown themselves entirely adequate to its
duties,
Estimates are submitted, with view to to the pub
LEGATIONS of charts and a nautical almanac recon-
mend them to the favorable consideration, and q
means OF refunding part of the expense and that
none need be restrained from applying for them
commend that authority be given to sell them, when
published, at the cost of publication.
Under the several cont, acts made with this depart
mep for the transportation of the mails in steamships
convertible into war steamers the party Interested
have made great progress the construction of their
vessels and machinery.
The assignees of the contract for the route tn
Pacific have completed the number of steamers re-
qured by the contract They have bee n inspec ted,
reported favoraby and by the epartme
and have sailed from New York to engage in their
most interesting service The California the first of
ia tad will he at tha AZ NJ
January next, ready to make her first trip up the
coast the other two will follow and there is
to apprehend that, in the hands of the enterprsng
propretors the contract will not be satisfactorily
cuted.
The proprietors of the line from New York to New
Orleans touching at Charleston, Savannah, and Ha-
vana and from Havana to Chagres have two Of their
large steamers launched and in state Of great for
wardness and have made extensive preparations for
the construction of the others registered by their
tract.
regarded it as matter of great public Importance
that this line should commence its operations at least
to the extent Of q monthly communication between
Havana and Chagres, In time to connect with the
wishes of the Department proposed to place on the
route temporarily the steamer Falcon and she
has been inspected reported favorably and accept
ed fer the service the steamers under
the contract shall be ready to take their places the
route
The Falcon has sailed from New York. will touch at
the intermediate points of the route, and deliver her
mails and passe myers in time to the sthmus
join the steamer at Panama on the LIST Jan'y.
pected be in successful operation early in the ensuing
spring, and regular communication established be.
tween New York and Oregon. The time occupied in
the passage will not exceed 35 days. and at distant
day, it ia conde ntly believed that regular commu
nicaton will be established by connecting line Of
steamers between San Francisco and China, making
the passage in rs days This may readily be effected
by Of the war steamers now being constructed
parts of the squadron on the East Indies and the
Pacific until individual enterprise shall have intro
duced steamers better suited for freight and
gers.
The transit of intelligence merchandise aud passen
gers from China to Europe, by way Of New York; can
be effected when these several lines sha be in opera
ton in connection with the line from that city to Lii
verpool, in less than one-haf the time occupied
in the voyage between those countries.
The communication by stesmers regularly plying on
the two r0utes about to commence, cannot fail to
increase general commerce. and to bring to At
lantc cities large import Of the precious metals aud
this with the facilities Afforded nterprising
countrymen visit or emgrate to the rich te.rito
res on the Pacific more than the expense
of the undertaking
that authority be given to contract for the trans
portation Of the mail between New Orleans and Vera
Cruz, in steamships tibe into steamers L.
will tend by promoting social and commercial later
course. to consolidate frieudshp between Mexico and
the United States, promote the introduction of
great staples and ma ufactured goods into Mexico and
invite her rich products Of specie to cities U will
add too, to the mails on all the connecting lines in
crease the postal profits and make available for public
dsIenc", an additional number of war steamers.
The contractor for the line between New York and
Liverpool has his vessels in state of forwardness He
has two steamers, each OF $500 tons measurement,
ready for launching and the aines Of two others ready
to take their places the building ways,
launched and the machinery in q responding state
of forwsr dnees. The Department has not urged the
contractor to undue haste in the construction OF his
steamers In the present state of alton with
Europe by other means the thorough ind skilful
cution of the work the hull machinery Of the
thips, is Of Importance to the government than
their speedy completion. The contractor is prosecu
ting his undertaking with energy and Judgment.
BY the execution of the 18th section of act of Au-
gust g. 1S4S measures have been taken to the
insane of the navy and marine corps from the naval
hospitals to institutions established for the and
Of persons thus sadly afflicted It is be-
ieved that the object be satisfactorily attained
the moderate terms prescribed by law. The whole
number Of insane persons in the hospitals is 49, and
some Of them quiet and harmless that 1t may
not be necessary to remove them
contracts already existing render it unnecessary to
advertise for any additional quantity for the present
year. That American hemp can be prepared in quality
equal to any in the world has been established by
perments under the most rigid test The heavy out
lay necessary in preparing for the production Of the
descrip IONS suitable naval purposes has pre-
vented many planters from engaging in annual con-
tracts The joint resolution Of Congress, Of 9th May
last, made great improvement by authorizing navy
contracts for American water rotted hemp for term
not exceeding five yesrs, At o remu nerating price.
! propose to invite, by advertisement the hemp
growers themselves to contract and by accepting
posas for % tons and upwards and in of equality
Of bid to give the preference to the farmer who grows
it, to encourage the general adoption Of the most i'm
proved process of preparing this important supply for
Proposals for furnishing machinery for the rope
walk at the Memphis navy yard, have been invited,
by advertisement and soon as it can be manufsc
tured and delivered, that important establishment will
be put in operation.
The place for the delivery OF hemp for the Of the
navy will be far conve nent for domestic hemp
growers generally than that at which cordsge is
mi ufactured, and the facility of will justify
the farmers in selling their produce directly to the
government, without the introduction Of agencies,
the expense and loss of more distant sportaon
an frequent tran.hipmept.
ha mill Ia in of
Mexico at ports and places in the military occupation
OF the naval forces, amount to Sl3l ,S35.
From the squadron In the Pacific the accounts have
not been received ana adjusted
At Mazstlar, then in the occupation of the navy,
Jones reports to the department, that up
the 18th June, lo4S the contributions collected at
that port amountedt TO S254,368.
1t is not probable that any considerable collections
we're made by officers Of the navy at any other point
Of the Pacific coast.
The plan ofsettement adopted required the officers
1rst to settle at the Navy Department on Vouchers