Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-12-12
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
1VI7-M INGTON. n. C., MONDAY. DEC. sllsb6.
The Reports.

al
for purposes as follows
Civil foroipn intercourse and miscellaneous ~
Interior pensions, and Indians az 800 Ga
1'I17 81 -
Redemption of the public debt interest and pre- 90
MUM .'''iZ''o' "0'"0
Total S1z,94o,91
The receipts for the current fiscal year, ending
June 3Oth 81 are estimated at S72955,3lO 81 and
for the fiscal year ending June 3Oth, 1858, the re-
ceipts are estimated at the same amount
The domestic and foreign goods exported during
the fiscal wear ending June both, 1856, amount to
1926 1881, and the imports 10 S314,639,942.-
The continued growth of our trade and the conse-
quent increase OF our imports and exports show that
the receipts from customs must each year become
greater, and demand reduction of the existing rates
of duties and the admission duty free of several ar
ticIes of raw material. The Secretary believes in
ad valoreo duties but goes for raising revenue by
duty on imports rather than by direct taxation.
In regard 10 the wooden manufacture, various sta
tscs are given in reply to resolutions OF The House
of Representatives 1t appears that in 1910 we man
ufactured wooeL goods to the value OF S2O,o96,999,
and in addition, imported manufactures OF wool to
the value of 1862, 1856 amounting, in ALL 10 con-
sumption of wooden goods at the rate OF 81 II TOT
each person in the United States. In 1880, the
amount manufactured was $43, 545, and the i'm
ports of the same 16,976,57 making, in ALL an av-
craze consumption of 50 59k worth of wooden goods
for each person. The manufactures for 1855 are es-
tmated at $50, 4O6 1885, and the imporaons at $685.
296 1888, or, in ALL an average consumption Of So SO
worth of wooden goods for each person IN the United
States The Secretary urges the admission OF wool
duty free.
The Secretary gives the statistics OF the iron bust
ness but does appear 10 favor any change in the
tariff on that article. From the census Of 1910, it
appeared that we produced and manufactured IRON
and steel that year the amount of 5000 1862 and
imported iron and steel and the manufactures of iron
and steel 10 the amount of 81 088,739 In 1850, We
produced and manufactured iron and steel to the
amount of $50, 1866 and imported then to The
amount of SIT, 524,459 AT the ratio of in
crease in 1855, the produce and manufacture of iron
and steel would amount to SIS, 406, 538, and the i'm
ports TO 1913 945,2 74.
1t would appear that the more general employ
ment of steam tonnage, in the between the
United States and foreign nations and especially
Great Britain and France, has a tendency to serious
" diminish the sailing tonnage employed in the
trade; and as the steam tonnage is, 10 a great ex
tent in the hands of the British the result has been
a temporary reduction, or, at least, check, to the
growth of our tonnage. The Secretary thinks that
the burden of light money to which tonnage is
subjected in the ports OF Great Britain and oher com
mercal nations, should be removed by mutual agree
ment or met by countervailing legislation on our
part SO also with tonnage duty in the ports of
France and some other commercial countries.
The product of the agriculture and manufactures
of the United States during the last year estina-
ted at $2,Ol2,52 500.
The Secretary renewS substantially his recommen-
dations made in former messages, for tie smplifca
ton and modification of the tariff and the reduction
of the revenue.
The Postmaster Generals report shows the num-
Der of post offices in June 3d. 1856 to have been 25-
565-being an increase of 1864 in four years On
the goth of June there in operation nearly g.
600 mail routes, the length of which is estimated al
239 642 miles, costing sc, 356 474 divided as follows:
90 1928 miles of railroad, 1881 steamboat and so :
453 coach lines, and nearly $4,000 miles of inferior
grades The increase during the last fiscal year was
nearly 10000 miles OF railroad, and 1872 miles Of
steamboat, $3.50 niles of coach lines and $500
miles of inferior grades. In Nebraska and Kansas g.
238 miles were added 10 the length OF routes. Be-
y,
railroad service was increased 10,177 miles, eXhib
ting the fact that within that time the description
service was more than doubled. On the Isl of De
cember, 1856, the length OF railroad routes had in
creased to 2l,31O miles, and the total cost for this
service at that date amounted to S2,403 747. The
whole cost Of the inland service the LIST of July
was Sc 526028.
The Secretary alludes to the Panama Railroad
Company Selling the occasion of the withdraw
of the steamers via Nicaragua to force the depart
ment TO pay what he considers an eXorbitant pric
across the isthmus and he recommends the making
q regular contract not exceeding $4,000 per annun
with that company, and contract not cXceedin
$4,000 600 per annum, via Nicaragua or Tehuante
pee, so to give 6 weekly mail between the Allan
tic ports and California"
The expenditures for the year 1856 were SIC, 4O5
286, and the gross revenue, including annual apprO
pria1ions for free mail matter 81 900 S21, showing
deficiency Of $2,787, 900. He recommends the abo
ton of the franking privilege, and the compulsor
pre- payment of all transient printed matter; alsC
the repeal of the act Of 1915, which gives the Post
master General discretionary authority TO make ne1
contracts for ocean steamship service
He aludes to the fact that, embracing the branc
from New Orleans to Havana, there are now fou
ocean steamship lines running out of New York, at
expense to the government of 81 49S 900 per annum
No reason is perceived why one part of the countr
should be preferred to the exclusion of others
Among other points, it is stated that negotiations ar
in progress with view TO the reduction of the Brit
lsh transit charge United States closed mails an
the rate OF postage between the United States an
Great Britain to II cents a single letter or more.
The report Of the Secretary of the Nav
gives detailed account of the operations dul
ing the year, and its present strength Anon
his recommendations are some for another souadro
IN the Pacific for the adoption of the English an
french system OF gunnery practice in ships and TO
the dispatch of a small steamer to surveylhe guam
Islands, on which Commodore Mervine had made