The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-12-12

Raw of San Francisco. invite your atten-
,;on 10 the recommendation of the Depart.
men, touching the establishment Of q navy
On ri in conjunction with this dock en- the
Pacific. Such station IS highly necessary
IN The convenience aud eff ciiveness Of our
fleet in that ocean. which must be expected
to increase with the growth of commerce.
and the ropd extension Of our whale hshe'
ries over its waters.
The Naya, Academy at Annapolis, un.
der a revised and improved system of re-.
pulatlons. now affords opportunities OF cd
uca,iun aud in .truction To the pupils quite
eoual. i, is believed, for professional i'm
movement, 10 those enjoyed by the cadets
in the Military Academy. A large class OF
acting midsbipmen was received al the COM
mencement of tho last ACADEMIC term, and
a practice. ship has been attached 10 the in
sti,u,ion, to afford the amplest means Tor
regular instruction in seamanship, a. well
ms for cruises during the vacations Of three
or four months in each year.
The advantages of science in nautical al
fairs have rarely been more siri"'ng'y lis
Illustrated than in the fact stated in the re-
port of the Navy Department, that, by means
of tho wind and current charts, projec-
ted and prepared by Lieut.. Maury, the Su-
pern,e dent of tho Naval Observatory, the
passage from the Atlantic TO the Pacific
ports of our country has been shortened by
about forty days. =,
The estimates for the support of the Ma.
v, and Marine Corps the ensuing fiscal
ye,r will be found 10 be S. s56,472 10. tie
estimates for the current year being $3,9OO,i
62l.
The estimates for special objects under
the control Of this Department amount 10
$26S4, 800 80, against So 2lO.9oO for the
present year. the increase being occasion"d
by the additional mil service on The Pacific
coast und The construction of the dock in
California, authorized a, the last session of
Congress. and some slight additions un'e
the head Of Improvements and repairs ~
navy yards, buildings and machinery.
| deem it of much importance tOa Just
economy aud a correct understanding OF ma
val expenditures. that there should be an
entire separation Gr the appropriations for
tbs support of the naval service proper from
those for permanent improvements al navy
wards aud stations, and from 0cenn steam.
mail service, and other special objects a.
signed 10 the supervision Of this Depart
ment.
The report of the Pos master General,
herewith communicated, presents All inter-
esrng view Of the proer .ss, operations,
aud condition Of his Department.
Attire close Of tho last fiscal year, the
lenytn of mail routes within the United
Suites was LOG. 800 m les; the annual trans
portaiion thereon 50 272 .252 miles, the am
+ nu i cos, of such transportation $3.42l,70i
The length OF foreign mail routes is es'
timalcd al lS,349 miles; and the nnnnn
transportation thereon at 6l52O6 miles
Tho annual cost of this service is 5 ,472.'
lS7, Of which S44S 937 il paid by the Post
Der artmrnt. and 5 ,O23, 1850 is paid lhroug'
the Navy Department.
The annual transportation with the Uni.
ted States excluding the service in C'alitor'
nia and Oregon, which is now, for the first
time. reported and embraced in the 'abulaI
statements of the Department. exceeds that
of the preceding year 6,l62 500 miles, q
an increased cost Of S547,l ITO.
The whole number of post Offices in thu
United S. a:es, on the Both day OfJune last
was 1896. Thera were l 500 post Offices
established, and 256 discontinued, during
the year.
, The gross revenues of the Department Fl"
the fiscal year, including the appropriation
for the franked matter Of Congress. Of thu
r Departments, and officers of Government
, and excluding the foreign hostages, coliec
!. ted for and payable to. the British post Ofc'
amounted to S6,727. sG6 10.
The expenditures for the same period (rH
, cluting $50, 500 40, paid under On aware
, ot the Auditor, in pursuance OF resoln
= ton of the last Congress, for mail servIc'
D on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in 1873.
!, and 1888, and the amount p lt to the Bri'
tlsI, pos, office for foreign p"s,nges COLLECTED
F.. for and PAYABLE 10 that Office) amounted II
e S6.O2l, 566 70; leaving balance oFrevrn
. ue ov = the p,oper expenditures OF the yen
e Of S7O3. 300 80.
e The receipts for hostages during the yea
(excluding the foreign Po'tages collected {"
n and payable to the British po>tofiice) amour
a.. 10 S6.3l5.747 81, b"ing an Increase u
= S997, Gl0 10 or 1855 100 per cent over III
e ike receipts for the preceding year.
# The reduction Of postage. under the net Il
:. March last, did not take effect until TN
= commencement: Of the present fiscal year
n The accounts for the frs, quarter, under tn
e operation OF the reduced rates, will not b
c settled before January ncxi; and no reI'u
y BILE estimate Of the receipts for the preSen
Q year can ye, be made. 1t IS believed. how
!. ever, that they will fall short OF those of III
last year. The surplus Of the revenue
l. now on hand is, however. 50 large that n
!. further appropriation from the treasury. i
!. aid of the revenues of the Department, i
II required for the current fiscal year; bu, nj
}. additional appropriation for the year end
$ ing June 80. 1853. will probably be foun
: Necessary when the receipts Of the first tw
It quarters Of the fiscal year are fully ascer
/, tanned,
: In his last annual report the P"smaste
q General recommended reduction OF pos,
e age 10 rates which he deemed as low n
: could be prudently adopted, unless Congress
= was prepared to appropriate from The treu
!. sury, for the support of the Department,
~ sum more than equivalent, to the mail serv
!. ces performed by it for the Government
/ The recommendations Of the Postmaste
l. General, in respect 10 letter postage, e,
- cept on letters from and to California an