The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-04
TEE ANNUAL REPORTS.

Rotary Of the Navy and the Secretary Of the Interior
These reports will appear in columns in full in the
course Of few days:
Report Of the PosHaastsr General
WASHINGTON, December 2.-rhe Postmaster Generals
report shows the number OF post Offices in June 80 1856
20 have been 25565beng increase Of 1864 in -four
wears On the 3Oth Of June there In operation
" 5000 ma-rOates the length q which Z estimated at
40 323 miles Of railroad l495l steamboat and 453
coach lines and nearly l54 900 miles OF inferior grades
The increase during the last sea year nearly 5000
miles Of railroad and $50 miles Of steamboat $50 miles
OF coach lines and $500 miles Of inferior grades In Ne
brska and Kansas 22ss miles added the length Of
routes Between the LIST Of July 1884, and July lst 1856
he railroad service was increased 10 1T miles exhibiting
the that within that time this description of service
was than doubled On the LIST OF December 1856,
the length OF railroad routes had increased TO n miles,
and total for this service at that date amounted to
$24O3T47 The whole cost Of the inland service the
lst Of July was S6,526,028.
The Secretary aludes TO the Panama Railroad Company
seizng the occasion Of the withdrawal Of the steamers
via Nicaragua force the department to pay what he
ders exorbitan price across the shmus and he rec
ommends the making OF regular exceeding
$4,000 per with that company and contract not
exceeding 100000 per annun, via Nicaragua Tehu
antepee to give weekly mail between the Atlantic
ports and California
The expenditures for the year 1855 1885, and
the gross revenue including annual appropriations for free
mail matter $7620,s2l showing deficiency Of @2,7ST,
o0O He recommends the abolition of the fankng pryi
ege and the compulsory prepay OF al transient print
ed matter Also the repeal Of the act Of ls45 which gives
new contracts for ocean steamship service.
He alndes to the fact that embracing tho branch nom
New Orleans to Havana there are now four ocean aiea
ship lines running Of New York. at expense to
the government of $l,a9a,000 per annu. No is
perceived why part of the country should be preferred
to the exclusion Of others Among other points, it 10
stated that negotiations in progress with view to the
reduction of the British transit charge United States
closed mails and the rate Of postage between the United
States and Great Britain to IL cents single letter or
of n NfD,Js RsuorL
The Secretary of the Navy gives detailed view of the
operations the during the last and its present
strength Among bis recommendations are: for another
squadron Pacific rendered necessary extend
ing for the adoption of the English and French
system of gunney practice shps and for the despatch
OF small to survey the Guano islands which
Commodore Mervine made unsatisfactory report The
Secretary regards the construction Of SIX steamers
naugurating in the naval service and repeats
his former recommendation for building steam sloops of
small draugh The sending out of seamen to relieve
distant spoken OF experiment and will be
continued if it shall work we'll The Secretary likewise
recommends the appointment of assistant pursers with
moderate compensation.
Secretary Of The Interiors Report.
The Secretary Interiors report the quantity
Of land surveyed since last report ard to the Sd of Sep
TENDER last 3699 acres exclusive of school sections
The execution of the graduation act has raised many
questions which call for the inerposon of Congress He
says is important that the matter be promptly disposed
Of either by sanctoning and affirming the action of the
Land Office directing the patents to be issued without
farther requirements.
The quantity of lands sold for cash during the fiscal year
$3.50 and the receipts therefor So
The total of land disposed Of is 80 000
600 He suggests necessity for further power being
granted the Commissioner Of Pensions suspend and
diminish and discontinue pensions where the for
granting them has wholly or partially ceased The num-
Der Of patents issued within the viii probably reach
$500. The report rays that during the present admins
aon 50 Indian treaties have been negotiated 20 OF which
remain to be acted upon by the Senate.
By these treaties Indian titles have been guished to
nearly l750oO of land The aggregate money con-
sderaion therefor Is The Indians within our Dor
ders supposed to number about 100000 The process
Of civilization among the Indians has already been attend
ed with the happest result and gives promise Of steady
progress in the ameoraton Of their physical and moral
condition
The Patent 0Fce
On the 30th of September last the interchangeable Commits
soner Of Patents Charles Mason esq furnished the Secr
tay Of the Interior with synoptcal statement showing
the operations Of his Office since the 4h OF March, 1853
At that period the amount Of exceeded
thousand which had been constantly increasing for
more than year previous II continued 70 increase until
the first Of July following With additional force Of
examiners and clerks authorized by Congress- the
ages well the rspdlyaccumuating current business
has been brought within limit entirely satisfactory
Previous the year 1883 the highest number Of pat
ents issued in any year l,076, which was in
ls49. In 1883 the number only 958. In 1854 1t
increased to 1904 and in 1855 1t was augmented to
202A
The large hall in the east wing Of the Office has been
completed and filed up with which afford space suf
hcent for the exhibition Of all the models OF
patented inventions in the Office The hall in the
west wing win also be in readiness for similar purpose
during the ensuing year. which will furnish convenences
for the full exhibition Of all the models Of rejected appltcd
hoHs for some years TO come.
On the 18th November last the Commissioner made
supplemental statement, follows:
From small beginnings the Patent Office has grown
into proportions comparatively gigantic half century
since the whole Of the Office did not exceed ST.
500 per annum, which all appropriated 70 the pay
Of clerk who transacted the entire business Of
the office The income Of the present year will be about
100000 which will still be scarcely sufficient 70 defrsy
the contingent expenses Of the Office with its hundred
examiners, clerks, and other employees.
II" compare the present condition Of the office with
what Il few years since shall find that during
the years previous 1883 the average annual number
Of applications for patents 2522 while for the four
years from 1853, inclusive such average annual number
will fall but little short OF four housandi
The number Of patents annually issued during the for
mer period averages 300 During the latter IL will be about
1880 For the current year the whole number Of appca
tons made the whole number Of patents granted and the
whole amount Of received viii respectively be at
least double what they were in any one year prior to
1853
"The number Of applications for patents in this Office
in 1885 greater than those in the Office Of any other
country earth having been 4435 against 955 In Great
Britain and AO56 In France For the present year tho
number q applications win probably not fall short Of fee
honsandf
The business Of the Office to have outgrown TIN
system upon which Al has TINS far been conducted which
adapted previous stage Of its existence The wis
dom Of Congress will be sdyantageouy exercised in
king such notifications present circumstances require
Instead Of entering into the discussion OF this subject
beg leave respectfully to refer to my report Congress Tor
the year 1856.
In addition 70 the business Of the Patent Office proper
Congress has deyoyed upon the Commissioner Of Patents