The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-02-06
Department Reports and Stats.
tics.


tics.
BOUNTY LANDS During the year
ending September so, 1855, the follow
ing bounty land warrants were issued:
Under acts prior to l847, 81 warrants
covering 8,4s0 acres under the act of
1872, 1913 warrants covering 1920
acres under the acts of 1850 and 1852,
3.64S warrants covering 257,036 acres;
under the act of 1855, 81, S35 warrants
covering 4,o93, $50 acres making a to-
tai for the year of Ss,429 warrants COW
ering A ,4o4, l60 acres. The total mum
Der of acres embraced in all the war
rants issued up to this time, is $685.
4l2. During the year there were nine
convictions of fraud on the department,
and there are nine prosecutions pending
for the same offence.
PENsIoNs.-The following statistics
embrace all that is important in the re-
port of the Commissioner of Pensions
for the year ending June 20, 1855
There has been added to the roll efzar=
my pensioners, 1,7I6-new names, and
1858 have been withdrawn by deaths
and neglect to claim the pension, prob
ably owing to deaths not. reported, and
there are now 1880 on the roll; 343
revolutionary soldiers have died during
the year.-The payments of the year
were 81, 1866, 06l-S126, 379 was to revo-
%lutionary soldiers, $3.50, ia to widows
of revolutionary soldiers, S218,978 to
half. pay widows, S454,5 58 to inYalids.
There were 1877 new applications for
increase admitted, to whom Sl37,362
were paid for the year., and S357,944
for arFearages.
The navy pension roll contains 85s
names-65 new ones having been added
and 60 withdrawn through the year-to
whom SI39 $50 was paid, divided as fol-
lows- S22, 770to invalids, S4,454 to the
navy pension fund, sl05, 254 to widows
and orphans, 1851 to privateers. On
original applications and increase allow
ed SI6,3I8 we're paid. The pensioners
include 500 invalids, 478 widows and
orphans, 20 privateers.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy recommends the construction of
additional steam sloops-of-war. 1t ex-
presses entire satisfaction with the result
of the apprenticeship system and with
the legislation of the last Congress in
bahalf of the navy. 1t maintains the
abolition of corporeal punishment and
recommends an increase of the marine
corps and an increase of seamen to TO-
600 men. The Secretary sustains the
general action of the naval retiring
board. but intimates his readiness to
aid in restoring any officers in special
cases who have been unjustly treated.
The Postmaster General suggests that
the franking privilege be restricted to
public documents, and letters on public
business merely also the charge offull
rates upon newspapers in all cases, in
stead of half rates when paid quarterly
in advance. He recommends compulso-
ry prepayment by postage stamps on
books, pamphlets, circulars and all 9th
er transient matter. He again urges
the six months notice to the Collins
steamers of discontinuance of the extra
compensation voted them in July, 1852.
presses this subject at some con-
siderable length.
The Secretary of War urges an in
crease of compensation to army officers,
and the revision of the law respecting
their allowances; also that the provis-
ion of the act of the last Congress in
creasiDg the pay of the rank and file be
extended to all enlisted men. He re-
commends an increase of the medical
corps, and an addition of five military
storekeepers. He recommends the ju-
dicious c~ontiAuances of sea-coast defen-
ces; and especially renews his sugges-
tions for the defense of Ship Island, to
protect the approaches to New Orleans.
He presents also a neat and forcible ar
gument in favor of the Pacific railroad,
as a means of defense, but avoids ex-
pressly recommending its construction
by government aid, although he distinct
ly ntimates a disposition to favor such
aid.
New YoRK, Jan. %.
Tho Trihune h.s n letter from Gov