The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-12-14
REronrs OF THE DEPARTMENT..

We copy the following abstract Of the Re-
ports NJ tho Secretaries FROM The Boston Cou-
rier
REPORT or THE SECRETARY or
WAR
This document r. even more concise shan
the President Message, bat il Is very able
and business ike, cWhrarlnga great variety
NJ f0picsal arc fregtcd with great prrspiruify.
The whole number Of men AZ present enroll
ed in the g. =. Army, We are told b. 1850.
including officers. Oftht.e, 7,79G are un-
der orders for Texas, New MrSico, California
and Oregon, thus leaving but 1850 IN al the
rest Gf the states aud territories, The Sccre-
tary rrnews The ~. 0mmcHdlfIon Of h- rrrl-
cccssur Tor the formation Of q retired llst ~
officers Of the army An asylum Tor disabled
aud destitute soldiers II also urged upon tho
attention Of Cougress.
DEPARTMENT or THE INTERIOR
The Report Of the Secretary of the Interi-
or comprises also great mass Of information
for the full understanding Of which We refer
the reader % the document Itself The whole
amount expended for pensions during The pat
wear ~ : 100000, The number Of land war
rants issued for revolutionary service Il p
6as--ior service IN the war Of 1879, 2s,87s.
aud the number of claims presented for ser
"
90 Ssi 10000, The public lands sold in 1919
amounted 20 5,lsi,4lO acres; during the first
three 'itsrt-r- 81 il''- f'F''-''''i year "a sHfB.-
500 acres, The Secretary recommends an
extension fThe land system over the posses
sions on theNyacfc, aud that the mineral
lands should be- DIVIDED into small tracts aud
sold ~ public autti0n lie urges the neces-
sity Of providing additional restraints upon
the hostile Indians, and tile appointment Of
Ii l.. -.
attention OF Congress Ia the importance Of
railroad or other communication between the
Missis-inui and tho HAciGc. md recnuulll..!--
the establishment Of bureau Of agricul-
turc,
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The Report of the Secretary of the Navy
contains a full aud clear account of the man
ncr in which the public ships have been en-
llnAel dIllnl- liz t4-l-i
gcstions for the further improvement Of the
service Tho Navy Of the Unitcd States now
consists of seven ships-oi-thc-linc, razce ~
iiigatcs, ~ sloops-oi!war, hrigs,2 schooner,
. steam ifigntes, steamers of the first class,
steamers less than the frst class . sturcships.
. OF these there are in commission ! race.
frigatcs . sloops-of- war. brigs, schooner,
(coast surVcy,) ? steam frigatcs, steamer Of
the first class, steamers less than the frt
class, ships-oi-thc-linc, a. receiving ships
! steamer do, sloop do. There are also on
the stocks four shps-Oi-thc-lino and two trig-
atcs
We have also n contingent naval force Of
vessels, owned by individuals, but built 10y
contracts with the Government, aud employ
| ed iu the transportation of the mail, and LA
] bic to be taken in any emergency at valuation
and converted into vessels Of war. This force
comprises four steamers of the first class, cm-
| ploycd on the line between New York and
! Liverpool. A fifth is'cmtractcd for but not
constructed. One steamer of the first class
| between New York and Panama 4 second
steamer on thi, line has been brought into
use, but las not been finished 80 ~ 10 under
| 90 inspection and be- received. The contract
on this line. as. an that TO Liverpool, provides
/ for five steamships.
/ The Secretary recommends the appoint
mcnt Of two Rear Adurals, in order that
officers Of the American Navy may rank with
/ the naval Ollie of the other maratmc pow
] prs.