Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1848-12-26
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
[coNcLuDED.1

.-.
The accompanying repor: of the Sec
rotary Of the Navy gives satisfactory
exhibit of the operations Of that branch
Of the public service. ......
A number of small vessels suitable for
entering the mouths Of rivers were iudici-
ously purchased during the war, and give
great efficiency to the squadron in the
Gulfoc Mexico. On the return Of pc ace,
when no longer suitable for naval purpo-
ses, and Liable 10 constant deterioration,
they were sold and the money placed in
the treasury. arE. ..,-....
The number of men in the naval SER
vice, authorized by law, during the war,
has been red uced by discharge below the
maximum fixed for The peace establish
ment. Adequate squadrons are manifest
ed in several quarters ofthe globe, where
experience has shown their services may
be most use(ulIy employed, and the naval
service was never in condition Of high
er discipline or greater efficiency.
invite attention to the recommends
tion Of the Secretary ofthe Navy, on the
subject Of the Marine Corps. The reduc-
ton Of the corps at the end Of the war,
required that four officers Of the three
lower grades should be d:oppec from the
roll. A bard Of officers made the selec-
ton, and those designated were necessa-
rily dismissed, but without any alleged
fault. concur in opinion with the Sc
cretary, that the service would be impro-
we'd by reducing the number Of landsmen
and increasing the marines. Such mea-
sure would justify an increase of the
number Of officers to the eAten; of the re-
duction by dismissal, and still the corps
would have fewer officers than CORES
ponding number Of men in the army.
The contracts for the transmission Of
the mail in steamships, converted into
war steamers, promise TO realize all the
benefits to our commerce and to the navy,
which were anticipated. The first steam
err, thus secured to the government, was
launched in January l948. There are
now seven, and in another year there will
probably be no less than seventeen afloat
While this great national advantage is
secured, our civil communication and in
tercourse are increased and promoted
with Germany, Great Britain, and othe
parts Of Europe--with all the countries
of the west coast Of our continent--and
especially with Oregon and California
between the northern and southern sec
tons Of the west. Considerable revenue
may be expected from postage; but the
connected line from Chagres and thence
across the lsthmus 10 Oregon cannot fail
to exert most beneficial influence moi
ndss i i6 be be est:.1,ated, in~.he intercourse
the manufactures, commerce, navigation
and currency Of the United States. As
an important part Of the system, recon-
mend 10 your favorable considerable con-
sideration the establishment of the propo-
sed line Of steamers between New Or.
leans and Vera Cruz. 1t promises the
most happy results in cementing friend
ship between the two Republics, and in
extending reciprocal advantages to the
trade and manufactures Of both.
The report Of the Postmaster Genera
will make known TO you the operations OIL
the department for the past year.
I 1t is gratifying to find the revenues Of
the department, under the rates Of post
age now established by law, so rapidly
increasing. The gross amount of post
age during the fiscal year amounts t
$4,37l OF, exceeding tie annual aver
age eceipts for the nine years immedi
ately preceding the passage Of the act o
the Sd Of March, l845, by the sum o
$l6,453, and exceeding the amount re
cei,ed the year ending the 3Oth Of June
l847, by the sum Of $425, l84.
The expenditures for the year, cxclu
ding the sum Of $24,67 allowed by Con
gress, at its last session, to individual
claimants, and includingthe sum Of $500
500, paid for the services ofline of steam
ers between Bremen and New York, a
mounted to $4,l98,849, which is less thar
the average for the nine years previous
to the act Of l845, by $2UO,784.
The mail routes on the 3Oth day o
June last, were 163,208 miles in exten
an increase during the last yea
Of nine thousand three hundred and nine
ty miles. The mails were transporte,
over them during the same term Al ,Ol2,
$40 miles, making an increase of trans
portation for the year, of g, 124, $50 miles
whilst the expense was less than that O
the previous year by four thousand tw'
hundred and thirty-five dollars.
The increase Of the mail transporta
ton within the last three years, has beer
5,378,3l0 miles, whilst the expenses wer.
reduced 1857, ,37--naking an increase
Of service at the rate of Is per cent. Du
ring the past year, there have been EN-
| ployed in contracts with the Post Office
Department two ocean steamers, in con.
veying the mails monthly between New
York and Bremen; and one, since Octo
Der last, performing semi-mon,ly service
between Charleston and Havana.
! A contract has been made for the trans
mission Of the Pacific mails across the
isthmus, from Cbagres to Panama. Tn.
der the authority given to the Secretary
Of the Navy, three ocean steamers have
been constructed and sent to the Pacific
and are expected 10 enter upon the mail
NJ ryic. hefwee Panama and 0.ooon ond