New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-02
WASHINGTON.
Nails on the 1Iississippl-FOrcign Ministers em-
missioner Of Patents-BehriBg's straits Expedition
-Wnshington Territory-Nayai Omcers on steam

ships.
Correspondence ofThe N. Y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON CITY Thursday, April p 1919
1t has been the custom of the P0st-Otiice Depart
men tOpay 50 for the delivery Of each way mail tho
Mississippi which covered all the expenses, | appre-
bend of supplying the river Offices along that great
route without including what is known the great
through mail As in addition 10 carrying the great
through mail express the contractors Glover and
Mather) of the great owpressure boat mail asO
carry daily way mail, stopping at 40 points on tho
route each way il they paid for that service alone
the rate such services cost the Department they
would receive the end Of the four years s632O0
than under their contract they to get for both
mails. So you will perceive that Postmaster. General
Hubbard has made lucky bargain for the Government
Those bidding for this contract seemed 60 make wild
calculations Thus, Western SteambOating Firm,
Benedict Il Arnold, proposed TO carry the Express Mail
alone for $730OOO per annum III their bid had been ac
cepted andthe Way Mail had been let at spending
rate the cost OF the service 10 the Treasury would have
been 373 200 per annum aggregate in tho four
years Of S5492,50O or more than Is 10 be paid tho
present contractors. The bid OfJOhn l.. Caldwell Esq,
of New. Orleans lowest next 10 the accepted BID,
being at the rate Of 100000 per annum, aggre-
gate in the four years of 100000 higher in that time
than the accep ed bid
have to believe that Glover and Mather are
most anxious to induce the Department TO allow them 10
dispense with low pressure boats Their labor 10 this
end will however be in yan great public purpose ia
involved in the experiment with pressure boats the
common use Of which on the Mississippi above New-Or-
leans iii can be achieved will doubtless save in four
years thousand lives and reduce the expense Of nsI-
rance there immeasurably.
Ii il understood that none Of the foreign mnders An
pointed and 70 be appointed by the present Admnistra
ton will 90 abroad until after the close of the present
fiscal year The for this is very obvious to me-
The appropriations out Of which they alone be paid
contemplated only payment for such services rendered
after June 80, next. That u.s. during the approaching
fiscal year Though all Of them are of course patriots
no enc Of them will be stupid enough trust to Con
ess 10 egslate hereafter specially for their payment If
they can avoid doing So
IL affords great pleasure TO be able 10 write that
the Commissioner Of Patents il expected to enter
the discharge OF the duties OF his office az early IA tho
10th pfOxImO, after which time t may be- expected that
some Of the many entertainments under which the pub
lie are suffering, OccaslOned by the present want of
head that most important Bureaux will be abated
1t not unlikely, however that it will require extra
labor for year Of all hands employed there TO O,yate
the difficulties arising from Mr. Commissioner MesOn's
prOtracted absence.
The expedition (nayaD for the survey of Behring's
Straits is expected sail very shorly-that H. if BY
hook by crook the Department can supply the vessels
10 be employed upon with the remainder Of the requ
site number Of These vessels are the Vncen
nes, Lieut.. R6andO tie John =. Kennedy (no Com
mander yetordered 10 her) the John Hancock (steam
err Lieut. John Rodgers plotboat Fennimorc Cooper,
Passed Midshpman Stevens; and the PorpOse, Lieut..
AlOnzO b. Davis. The many scientific officers % accom-
pany the expedition will be drawn from civil life; as yet
none 81 them nave been formally desl4nueh. TuI5ef
Boges IL 70 be the Purser AID Commander Rlnggod Il
10 be the Commodore. Very shortly the vessels above
named are expected 20 leave NeWfOrk har6Or for Nor
folk, where they will take in their prOyis0n armament,
&c, PREF aratye fox their final departure.
Olympia, az the headof Puget's Sound, will doubtless
be the seat Of the Territorial Government for the new
territory Of Washington. seyenty-four can always
safely ride az anchor within mile Of the bluff there,
and al certain tides she may approach the shore within
panhs length. IL il thought a the Department Of
the Interior that Olympia is 10 become the great com
mercia point in Oregon. Not knowing fully the data on
which they base this impression. j give Il 10 your
readers at It's true value.
The Navy Department are being somew5at eubar-
rassed BY the general ndispostoH q Ofcers T. again
enter tie discharge OF legitimate duties alter having
been detailed for service upon Ocean Mail Steamers for
length Of time Thus. instead Of the system proving
nursery for the instruction Of naval officers in steam
seaensLip for the eventual advantage OF the Govern
mept n i proving the Of abstractng more Or less
Of the best officers wholly from the public service an
order transferring any officer who is 80 employed 10
ether duties being apt be followed by his instant
Of bis position in the navy The cause is Of
course the higher pay they obtain in the service Of
the Mail Steamer Companies.
/ know positively that up 20 last night at midnight no
diplomatic appointment had been made since that of the
Hon Senator Boriand, though things had taken such
shapes in Cabinet Council discussions upon them al IN
render il certain that two three gentlemen would
surely get such places and that two or three others
would surely fail to get them. Thus Wm Reade OF
Va, vii get full mission, while neither Mr. George
saunders nor Nj Cory have the slightest chance Of