Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-12-08

AnI nv law during the war, has been re-
thoT55ITIy discharges below the maximum fixed
ducea " 1eace establishment Adequate squad
for I1I no maintained in the several quarters of
Ton' G Tho where experience has shown their
the 5oos may be most usefully employed and
sew service was never in a condition OF
the i,'S mr discipline or greater efficiency,
h9u 1,to attention 10 the recommendation OF
J I oooretarv of the Navy on the subject Of
the 2or corps. The reduction Of the corps
the I"o and of the war required that four Off
al "I Zach of the three lower grades should
GERS o",nnpd from the rolls. A board of officers
be GIU .Ie selection; and those designated were
mau lss.oriIy dismissed, but without any alleged
3 rl, concur in opinion with the Secretary,
I Ss, fl. service would be improved by redu-
' ..r ,be number of landsmen, and increasing
Ll.o ,arines. Such a measure would Justify
Nv of the number of officers to the eX-
gu, ~ the reduction by dismissal, and still the
., arns would have fewer officers than cores
uooaJinp number of men in the army
The contracts for the transportation Of the
al in steamships convertible into war steam
~ nrcmise to realize all the benefits to our
nommerce and 10 the navy which were antci-
,.,ed. The first steamer thus secured to the
Tbera are now seven; and in another year there
will, probably, be not less than seventeen a
f3at While this great national advantage
is secured, our social and commercial liter
course is increased and promoted with Gef-
MANY, Great Britain, and other parts OF Flu
rooe, with all the countries on the west CodSt
Of our continent, especially with Oregon anu
California, ard between the northern anu
nm.
.Jo,able revenue may be expected from pos
,a,s.. but the connected line from New York
.".1Cbaores. and thence across the isthmus TO
0,sron, cannot fail to exert beneficial influ
oncs not now to be estimated, on the interest
r,bo manufactures, commerce, navigation,
0,,j currency of the U. States. AS an Impor-
,,nt mart Of the system, recommended to
-orr favorable consideration the establishment
4 JJC,bo nroposed line of steamers between n.
4 Orleans and Vera Cruz. 1t promises the most
4 {,annv results in cementing friendship between
4 tha too rppubIics, anG in extending reciprocal
benefits 10 the trade and manufactures of both.
Tbe report of The Postmaster General will
make known to you the operations Of that de-
+ rarnpnt for the past year.
Ills gratifying to find the revenues ofthe de-
nartmentlnndert the rates ofpostage now estab-
4 sbed by law, SO rapidly increasing. The gross
amount Of postage during the last fiscal year
Amounted to four million three hundred and
seypDty.one thousand and seyenty-seven dol
4 lars. exceeding the annual average received
Cqy The nine years Immediately preceding the
massage of the act Of the Sd of March, l9l5,
i nv the sum of six thousand four hundred and
i fhv.rhrpe dollars, and exceeding the amount
,ocaivpd for the wear ending the 3Oth Of June.
rai- nv the sum of four hundred and twenty
five rhousand one hundred and eighty-four dol
4 lars.
The expenditures for the year, excluding the
4 srp oF Sq4, 672, allowed by Congress at its
last session 10 individual claimants, and in
! elnding The sum of $l0O,5O0 paid for the SER
,icos Of the line of steamers between Bremen
and N. York, amounted to 81, l98,8 45, which
ia less than the annual average for the nine
years previous so the act of I845, by $300,7 49,.
The mail routes, on the thirtieth day OF
June last, were one hundred and sixty three
thousand two hundred and eight miles in eX-
tent-beng an increase during the last year
Of nine thousand three hundred and ninety
miles. The mails were transported over them,
during the same time, forty-one million twelve
thousand five hundred and scventy-nine miles:
wear of two million one hundred and twenty
four thousand six hundred and eighty miles,
whilst the expense was less than that of the
previous year by four thousand two hundred
and thgty-hve dollars.
The increase in the mail transportation with
in the last three years has been five million
three hundred and seventy eight thousand
three hundred and ten miles, whilst the eX.
4 penses were reduced four hundred and fifty-slX
i thousand seven hundred and thirty eight dol
! fascinating an increase of service at the rate
of fifteen per cent and a reduction in the ex-
PenseS of more than fifteen per cent.
s During the past year there have been en-
p.Oyed, under contracts with the Post Office
Department, two ocean steamers in conveying
the mails monthly between New York and
Bremen, and one, since October last, perform
ing semi monthly service between Charleston
and Havana and a contract has been mad;
Tor the transportation of the Pacific mails a
cross the isthmus from Chagres to Panama.
Under the authority given to the Secretary
OF the Navy, three ocean steamers have beer
constructed and sent 10 the Pacific, and are eX
pected 10 enter upon the mail service between
Panama and Oregon, and the Intermediate ports
on The first OF January next, and fourth has
been engaged by him for the service between
havana and Chagres; so that regular month
" mail line will be kept up after that time be
tween the United States and our territories OF
the Pacific.
Notwithstanding this great increase in thu
mail service, should the revenue continue t.
INCREASE the PRESENT year as it did in the last
mere will be received near four hundred ant
MY thousand dollars more than the eXpendi
lures
These considerations have satisfied the
postmaster General that, with certain modi
Hca'Ions OF the act of 1915, the revenue may
oe SUI further increased, and reduction o
PoSIages made to uniform rate of five cents
"ilhout an interference with the principle
winch has been constantly and properly en-
self.
A well-digested cheap postage system is til
best means of difusing intelligence among tn
people, and Is of so much importance in
country so extensive as that of the Unite
States, that | recommend to your favorab
consideration the suggestions of the Postmas
Ter General for its improvement
Nothing can retard the onward progress c
our country, and prevent us from assumn
and maintaining the first rank among nation:
Out disregard of the experience of the pas
ana recurrence to an unwise public policy
we nave Just closed foreign war by an hor
o'aoAe Peace-a war rendered necessary an
unavoidable in vindicaton OF the natons
lI and