Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-12-21

involving great loss Oh Inc, mas PtOuuSeu Az
tense emotions of sympathy and sorro8
throughout the country. L may we'll b
doubted whether all these calamitous eventi
are wholly attributable to the necessary anc
inevitable dangersof the sea. merchants
mariners, and ship-builders of the United
States, are, it is true, unsurpassed in far-reach
ing enteTprize, skill, intelligence and courage
by any others in the world. But, with the in
creasing amount Of our commercial tonnage II
The aggregate. and the larger size and I'M
proved equipment of the ships now construct
ed, a deficiency in the supply Of reliable sea
men begins to be very seriously felt The IN
convenience may, perhaps, be met IN part, By
due regulation for the introduction, into oul
merchant ships, Of indented apprentices
which, while it wond afford useful and eligi
bic occupation to numerous young men, would
have tendency to raise the character of sea
men as a class And It is deserving of serious
reflection, whether it MAJ not be desirable ts
revise the existing laws for the maintenance
Of discipline at sea, upon which the security
of life and property on the ocean must to SC
great an extent depend. Although much at.
tention has already been given by Congress t.
the proper construction and arrangement oi
steam vessels and all passenger ships, still il
is believed that the achievements of science
and mechanical skill in this direction have moi
been exhausted. No good reason exists for the
marked distinction, which appears upon oul
statutes between the laws for protecting life
and property at sea, and those for protecting
them ON land. In most of the States severe
penalties are provided to punish Conductors Of
trains engineers and others employed in the
transportation of persons by railway, or steam
boats on rivers. Why should not the same
principle be applied to acts Of insubordina-
al, ,,,,eony1,,ot tho
part of masters and mariners, producing injury
or death to passengers on the high seas, be-
yond the Jurisdiction Of any Of the States, and
where such dehnquencies can be reached only
by the power of Congress?, The Whole sub
ject is earnestly commended to your eonsidera-
tion.
The report Of the Postmaster Gener-
al, to which you Are referred for many
interesting "details in relation to this i'm
portant and rapidly extending branch
OF the public service, shows thatt the ex-
penditure of the year ending June so,
1854, including one hundred and thir-
ty three thousand four hundred and
eighty-three dollars of balance due to
foreign Offices, amounted. to eight mill
lion seven hundred and ten thousand
nine hundred and seven dollars. The
gross, receipts during the same period
amounted to six million nine hundred
and fifty five thousand FIVE hundred and
eighty six dollars: 2 exhibiting an ex-
penditure over income of one million
seven hundred and ffty-fve thousand
three hundred and twenty-one dollars,
and diminution of deficiency, as COM
pared with the last year, of three hum
dred and sixty one thousand seven hun
dred and fifty six dollars. The increase
of revenue of the department, for the
year ending June 80, 1854, over the
preceding year, was nine hundred and
seventy thousand three hundred and
ninety y-nine dollars. No proportionate
increase, however, can be anticipated
for the current year, in consequence of
the act of Congress of June 23, 1854,
providing for increased compensation to
all postmasters.
From these statements it is apparent
that the Post Office Department, instead
of defraying its expenses, according to
the design at the time of its creation,
is now, and under existing laws must
continue to be, to no small extent, a
charge upon the general treasury. The
cost Of mail transportation during the
year ending June 80, 1854, exceeds
the cost of the preceding year by four
hundred and ninety-fye thousand and
seventy-four dollars. 1 again call your
attention to the subject of mail trans
portation by ocean steamers, and COM,
mend the suggestions of the Postmaster
General to your early attention. s4 M
During the ast,fscal year eleven mil
lions seventy thousand nine hundred
and thirty-fve acres of the public lands
have been surveyed, and eight million
one hundred and ninety thousand and
seventeen acres brought into market
The number of acres sold is seven mil
lion thirty-fve thousand seven hundred
and thrty-fve, and the amount received
therefor nine million two hundred and
eighty-fve thousand five hundred and
thirty three dollars. Z q The daggregate
amount of lands sold, located under
military scrip and land warrants, Sc
lected as swamp lands by States, and
by locating under grants for roads, is
upwards of twenty-three millions of
acres. ts-v~ .is-sEll .tTEI--.> ~
The increase of lands sold over the
previous year, is about six millions of
acres; and the sales during the two,
first quarters of the current year pre-.
sent The extraordinary result Of five and.
half millions sold, exceeding by near
ly four millions of acres the sales of
the corresponding quarters of the last
year, thus increasing to an extent un-
paralleled during any like period in our
past history the amount of revenue pro-
vided from this source for the FEDERAL
Treasury. "a .c& 10 5idsisrsV .
The commendable policy,of the gov
ernment in relation to setting apart public
domain for those. who have served their
country in time Of war, is Illustrated by
the fact. that since 1870 nolless than
thirty million acres have been applied
to this object. 2 sAfra8 in-3 f8ro4
The suggestions, which | submitted
in my annual message, of last year, in
reference to grants of land in aid of
the construction of. railways, were less
full and explicit than the magnitude Of