The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1848-12-29


three lower grades shonld be dropped fro
the rolls. A board OF officer made Il
selection; and those designated we're net
oesarily dismissed, bot without any aliel
ed fault. 4 .concar in opinion with II
Secretary, that the service would be im
proved by reducing the number Of land
'men and increasing the mariner. Such
measure would justify an increase of It
number Of officers to the extent of III
reduction BY dismissal and sliIlthe eorE
will have fewer officers than correspou
ding number Of men in the army.
The contacts for the transmission {
the mails in steamships, convertible int
war steamers, promise to realize all ,b
benefis Of our commerce and 10 the nav
which were anticipated. The first siea
mer was securod TO the government, an
launched III January, le47. There az,
now seven, and in another year there
viii probably be not less than sew
enteeh afloat. While this great ua,iona
advantage is'secured, pud our civil an,
commercial Intercourse is increased ant
and promoted with Germany, Great Brit
ain and other ports Of Europe, with al
the countries on,tLe west coast Of ouI
continent, and especially with Oregon
and California, and betw ecu the northern
and southern sections OF the United
States.
Considerable revenue may be expect.
ed from postages, but the connected line
10 Chsgres and thence across the is,hmus
10 Oregon, cannot fail TO exert beneG
cial influence, not now TO be estmat ed
upon the interests Of maDufa ctures, cons
merce, navigation and currency of the
United States. AS an important part OF
The system recommend TO your fayora
BILE consideration the establishment Of
The proposed line of steamers from New
Orleans to Vera Cruz. 1t promises the
most happy results in cementing friend.
ship between the two Republics, and in
extending reciprocal benefits TO the trade
ana manufacturers OF O0th.
The report Of the Postmaster General
will make known to you the operations
of that department for the past year.
ii is gratifying TO Gnd the revenues OF
the department, under the rates Of postage
now established BY law, so rapidly in
creasing-the gross amount of postage du.
ring the last fiscal year amounted to $4,.
37I OFT, exceeding the annual average
receipts for the nine years Immediately
preceding the passage Of the act of the
Sd March, 1915, by the sum of Sc ,453,
and exceeding the amount received tor
the year ending the Both Of June, 1s47,
by the sum of $425, 1874.
The expenditures for The year, exclu-
ding the sum Of 1894 ,672, allowed by Con.
gress at its last session TO individual
claimante, and including the sum OF $le0,.
600 paid for the services Of line of stea
mers between Bremen and New York
amounted TO $4,l9S S45, which is less
than the average for the nine years pre-
vious to the &C, of 1916, by o,74s.
The mail routes. on tho 30ih day of
June last, were l63,20s miles in extent,
being an increase during the last year of
9,S90 miles. The mails were transpor,
ed over them, during the same time, Al,
Ol2,579 miles. making an increase Of
transportation for the year of 2, l24, $50
miles, whilst the exspense was less than
that of the previous year by $f235.
The increase in the mail transportation
within the last three years has been s.
$3.50 miles, whilst the expenses were
reduced $456,73s making an increase of
service at the rate of Is per cent.
During the past year there have been
employed under contracts with the Post
Office Department, two ocean steamers
in conveying the mails monthly bstween
New York and Bremen, and one time
since Octo ber last performing semimonth-
ly service between Charleston and Hav.
ana; and a contract has been made for
the Transmission of the Pacific mails
across the isthmus of Darien, from Cha.
gres to Panama.
Under the authority given to the Sec.
retary Of the Navy, three ocean steamers
have been constructed and sent to the
Pacific, and are expected to enter upon
the mail service between Panama and
Oregon and the intermediate posts on the
lst Of January next, and fourth has beer
engaged BY him for the service between
Havana and Chagres, so that a regular
monthly mail line will be kept up after
that time between the United States and
our territories ON the Pacific.
Notwithstanding this great increase In
the mail service, should the rev enue con.
tinue TO increase the present year as it
did 10 the last, there will be received
near $450, 900 more than the expenditures
These consider ations have satisfied the