Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-12-07

-.'...aN We hlAAt II Nt-t ENEAtl w
ened tor settlement and cultivation.
) The accompanying report Of the Sec
reiary OF the Navy gives sitislartor,
: exhibit OF the operations aud condition OF
That halnch of the public service.
e number OF small vessels, suitable for
, entering the mouth of rivers, wore iudici-
ously purchased during the war, and gave
great efficiency TO the Squadron in the
) Gulf of Mexico. On the return of peace,
/, when no longer suitable Tor naval purpo-
ses, and liable to constant deterioration.
they were sold, and the money placed in
the Treasury,
/ The number of men in the Naval SER
vice. authorised by law during the war,
: has been reducedby discharges below the
minimum fixed for the peace establish
ment. Adequate Squadrons are MAIN
tained in the several quarters of the globe
where experience has shown their services
may be most usefully employed; and the
Naval service was never In a condition of
higher discipline or greater efficiency.
| invite attention u the recommended
ton OF the Secretary Of the Navy on the
subject OF the Marine Corps. The reduc-
ton of the corps at the end of the war re-
CURED that four officers of each of the
three lower grades should be dropped
from the rolls. board of officers made
the selection; and those designated were
necessarily dismissed, but without any al
lodged fault. | coucur in opinion with the
Secretary, that the service would be i'm
proved by reducing the number of lands
men, and increasing the Marines. Such
a measure would Justify an increase of the
number of officers to the extent of the re-
duction by dismissal, and still the corps
would have lever officers than cores
ponding number of men III the army. The
contracts for the transmission of the mail
in steamships, convertible into War steam
ers promises to rerlize all the benefits to
our commerce and to the Navy which
were anticipated. The irst steamer thus
secured TO the government was launched
IN Janury, lS47.-There are now seven;
and in another year there will probably be
not less than seventeen anoat-W bile
this great national advantage is secured,
our civil and commercial intercourse is in
creased anG promoted with Germany,
Great Britain and other parts of Europe,
with all the countries of the West coast of
our continent, and especially with Oregon
and California and between the Northern
and Southern sections ofthe United States,
Considerable revenue may be expected
from hostages; but the connected line from
Chagress, and thence across the lsthmus
to Oregon cannot fail to exert benefi-
clal influence, not now to be estimated, in
the interests of the manufactures, COM
merce, navigation, and currency of the U.
States,
As an important part of the system,
recommend TO your favorable considera-
ton the establishment of the proposed line
of steamers between New Oorleans and
Vera Cruz. 1t promises the most happy
results i'll cementing friendships between
the two republics, and in extending recip
rocal benefits 10 the trade and manufac-
lures OF both.
The reports of the Postmaster General
will make known to you the operations of
that Department, for the past year.
1t is gratifying to find the revenues of
the Department, UNDER the rates of postage
now established by law, so rapidly incrca-
sing. The gross amount of postage dur
ing the last fiscal - amounted to s4,-
81 1877, exceeding e annual average re-
ceipts for the nine years Immediately pre-
cedlng the passage Of the Act of the 3D. of
March, 1915, by the sum of s6,453, and
exceeding the amount received Tor the
year ending the Both of June, lS47, by the
S94,672, allowed by Congress at its last
session to induce claimants, and including
the sum of 500, 500 paid for the services
of the line of steamers between Bremen
and New York, amounted to 81, 90, SIS,
which is less than the annual average for
the nine years previous TO the Sale of lS45,
by S30074S.
The mail routes on the 30th day of
June last were l63,208 miles III extent
being an increase during the last year of
$3.50 miles. The mails were transmit
ted over them, during the same time, A.
I0l2,519 miles; making an increase of
transportation for the year of 2,l24 $50
miles, whilst the expense was less than
that of the previous year by S4,235.
The increase III the mail transportatons
within the last 3 years has been 5,37S,-
$40 miles, whilst the expenses were redu-
ced S456,737-making an increase of
service at the rate Of fifteen per cent.
During the last year there have been
employed, under contracts with the Post
Office Department, two Ocean Steamers,
in conveying the mails monthly between
New York and Bremen, and one time
since October last, performing semi
monthly service between Charleston
and Havana; and contract has been made
for the transmission of the Pacific mails
across the lsthmus from Chagres to Pan
ANA.
Under the authority given to the Secre-
tary of the Navy, three Ocean steamers
have been constructed and sent 10 the Pa
ciic, and are expected tie enter upon the
mail service between Panama and Ore
gon, and the intermediate points on the
/ st of January next, and a fourth has been
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 Ill
| the mail service, should the revenue con-
tnue to increase the present year as ii did
the last, there will be received near $780,
900 more than the expenditures.
The considerations have satisfied the
Postmaster General, that, with certain
notifications of the Act of lS45, the re-
venue may be still farther increased, and
a reduction of postage made to uniform
rate of five cents, without an interference