Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-10

S@SSSNo
The entire coinage of the mint to st October last has
been 1870 1927 the gold coinage from the LIST Janu-
airy TO the 3lst October of the year 1853 has been
SAT, $685. 945 and the silver coinage So $685. OBS which
proves active and growing demand for gold and silver
as currency for actual The imports of gold and
silver including what is brought to the Atlantic from
California, without estimating for that brought in by
emgrants compared with the exports of gold and silver
prove that within four years the large amount of
has been added to the gold and silver coin
remaining in the country The Secretary thinks that if
this increase shall continue for short term of years this
country will be able dispense with banks of issue and
! have gold and silver currency.
The branch mint at San Francisco has been contracted
for be furnished and ready coinage of
per by the first of February next The consruc-
ton of the assay Office at New York has been
and all the necessary implements ordered to be prepared
by the 1st of February next with the expectation to get
it into operation by the 1st of March
| The buildings belonging to the Bank Of Commerce and
the Bank of the State of New York. adjoining the custom
house, and well calculated for the accommodation of its
officers and also the officers Of the assay Office have been
rented for the term of fifteen years. rent of $50 900
per annum, with the privilege should the appropriation
be made, of purchasing within two years at $3.50 OOO
The Secretary explains with much particularity the
administrative affairs of his Department including
the method of transacng the business of its various
bureaus and suggesting some changes to the manner
of keeping its accounts, &c.
Referring to the accounts rendered and unsettled in
each Office in the month of March, 1853 and the amount
Of them which outstanding the books of the Soil
citor of the Treasury, the Secretary says:
There were accounts unsettled to the aggregate of
S132 52l, 7O4 o. and that there had been settled
aggregate of $50, 500 154 so, leaving balance of
$l02 $40 SO still outstanding but of these there
802 36 the books of the Solicitor of the Trea
sury most of the accounts having been stated by the
Auditors"
In 1872 after the duties became payable in cash. the
duty bonds remaining unpaid the debit of the
collectors were passed to the debit of their successors
and continued to cucumber their and embarass
settlements. On the 9th September last the Commits
sioner of Customs directed credit the collectors
accounts with these bonds and open for them
the books of the Treasury. These bonds constitute
an additional outstanding the books of the Soc
tor All claims due the United States after failure or
refusal to pay are put in suit in the district where the
parties of them reside and except Post Office
SUITS go upon the books of the Solicitor of the Treasury
and are collected under his direction.
" These uncoected claims, including duty bonds on
the books of the Solicitor have accumulated from the
commencement of the Government and now amount to
the large aggregate of 21 247 $40 80 No commission
or compensation is allowed to district attorneys for their
collection, and authority given to the Secretary upon
the subject to disencumber the of these
cumuating balances 1t is submitted to Congress that
authority might be given allow compensation for the
collection Of these debts and compound them when
the parties unable to pay in full and there is no
fraud and TO have the lost balances carried appro
pirate account"
The Secretary says that proper arrangement Of bust
ness in the different Offices requires that it shall be clas
sifed and allotted to certain number of clerks, and
competent clerk placed in charge of each class that the
head clerks of these classes should have better salaries
than those under them that the third and fourth classes
do not furnish the requisite number of clerks for this
purpose in of the Offices and that the salary Of the
first class is not sufficient compensation for any clerk
fit to be employed in the Department. large number
of the clerks he says do receive sufficient compen
saton and, the of living has greatly increased
he recommends that this class of officers be better
pensated.
regard to the operations Of the Coast Survey
the superintendent Of Professor BAcHE the report
alt will be that the work has made good progress
during the past year. The furnished appear TO
have been carefully and economically used by the Super
inendent and to have produced ample results The ope
rations in the field afoa and in the Office, have
tended all the States and Territories of sea-
the Atlantic the Gulf Of Mexico, and the Pac
fc On the Atlantic the rangulstion reaches with an
interval Of twenty-five miles, from the mouth Of the Ken
nebec river Maine, Boyne sound, North Carolina. 1t
is commenced in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida
and extends from Mobile nearly New Orleans and from
the head Of Galveston bay to Matagorda bay in Texas
The other operations follow it closely. photographic
reconnaissance OF western coast has been made from
San Diego to Frazers river and preliminary surveys Of
Of the harbors with charts Of them have been pub
shed in progress 1t is believed that the history
Of such does not present parallel to the prompt
with which the execution and publication Of the
work that important coast has been made, keeping
pace with the development Of commerce itself without
parallel One hundred and forty maps and charts
have already been issued from the Coast Survey Office
including sketches Of examinations Of dangers the
coast where the regular surveys have not reached the
localities The report Of the Superintendent for the past
year is accompanied with ffy-fve maps and sketches
showing the progress Of the work. and giving informa
ton important 10 navigation and commerce. The
sty Of publishing the observations accumulated
in this work. and upon which the results founded is
respectfully urged upon Congress Besides the usual
sketches map ordered by Congress showing by coors
the progress Of the different parts Of the work. Is ready
for transmission The present period of prosperity should
be used to furnish all reasonable for the
peton Of this great work Of science and utility and in
order TO facilitate its final completion Il is recommended
that the estimate presented by the Superintendent be
granted The Department has derived important assist
from the Coast Survey in the surveys relating to
lighthouses and in the location Of surfboats In the dis
trbuton Of the reports papers, &C. the Superintendent
and his assistant should be vested with the frankng p
vlege."
The duties Of the Lighthouse Board have been dis
charged with promptitude and efficiency and IL Is be-
lieved with economy
There in operation 347 lighthouses; 81 are
in the Of construction and A authorized
but not yet commenced. There Al ght-vessels in
operation and FIVE in the Of construction. The
estimate for this service for the fiscal year ending June
go 1854, 1890, 033 AZ; and for the year ending
June so 1855 il is 5000 6l A. These lighthouses and
light-vessels extending Atlantic aud Pacific
and lakes add greatly the security Of
lighthouses and ghtvesses, and consequently for in
/ creased expendture.D