The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1857-12-24


it is stated that Board consisting Of Of
icers of each department of the service
is now engaged at Washington 10 per-
forming this duty.
An expedition has been sent to verify
the survey of the Atrato and Turado riv-
ers, with a view to canal between the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and snoth-
er expedition is on the point of departure
for the La Plata to survey the Paraguay.
The war steamer building at Hoboken
By the Stevens family, which was not to
exceed in cost $3.50 900, has already con-
sumed 50u,U0n; aud commission ap
pointed to examine into ber condition re-
port that it will require Ssl2, ,O336 6S to
CON plete her. This Atupendous affair
was commenced iu the year ls42. The
executors of 4. L. Stephens say that
S7O2 900 has been expended upon the
vessel, and it is proposed the government
pay over to them Ss6,7l7.s4, the balance
of the unappropriated money for this pur-
pose.
The naval Academy at Annapolis is in
6ourisbing condition; there arc now at
tached to the institution l76 acting mid.
shippen; during the past year 3 have
graduated aud SO have been admitted.
No Information is giving concerning
the Naval courts, except reference to
the report furnished to the President of
the action of the courts, and which, it is
stated be has approved. 1t also appears
that certain officers have been restored to
the active list, and from the furlough to
"leave pay"
The policy of changing the old system
of three years cruises to two years has
been adopted. The five new steam sloops
of-war authorized by the last Congress
are to be Immediately constructed, and
with water tight compartments. The
construction of ten steamships of a light
draugbt of water is recommended. The
cost of ten would be 81, 10000 Larger
appropriations are recommended for spe-
cial exper.aental purposes,
The expenditures of the Department.
for the last year were Sl2,632 $50 81;
the appropriation demanded for the com
ing year is sl4,6I6.29 .23, of which 50,
749,5l50 OIL is for the support of the Ma
Wy and Marine Corps, and 81, 4,s66, 1922
for special purposes.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
This report is long compilation of de-
tails in relation to his department. There
is little iD it of a novel character. The
number of post Offices is 27, las. On the
Both OF June last, Z, ,sSS mail routes we're
in operation, with an aggregate length of
242, ,60l miles; of which 22,530 miles
were by railroad, l5,245 by steamboats,,
aud AZ. .329 BY coach. The total annual
OF mails was "A, ,9O6, ,067
costing S6,22,046. The cost OF trans
portatiou was relatively as follows: By
railroad, ten cents and five mills per mile;
by steamboat, twenty-five cents mile
by coach, seven cents and four mills a
mile. The length of railroad routes has
been increased by 294 miles. The num.
Der of mail contractors is 6,576 Com
pared with the service last year, there ap-
pears decrease OF 7g4 miles in the length
Of routes, and $3.50 miles in the an
nual transportation, while the cost is in-
creased Sl20,034.
The estimates for SIS are as follows:
Expenditures. SI2,063,2i7; Revenue,
SlO.5S4.074; leaving the sum of 81 ,469,-
l73 to be appropriated by Congress to
ieiray the expenditures of the coming
year.
The ocean mail service is discussed at
ength. The postages on mails transpor-
led ty the Collins line during the year,
were S2lO,463,O3; previous year, $751;
575. The amount of letter postagcs u
pop mails exchanged during the year with
Great Britain was Ss74,l94; of which
S57I i94 were collected - ~ ~ Sta.o. !.
>, -. = z.-uUu, uuc y. Dtstos.
An ella borate tabular statement is furnish
Il, showing excess to the British post
age collected in this country. of Sl93,2S7
ast year; result disadvantageous TO the
department. The cause lies In the fact
that nearly two thirds of the trans Allan
lie mails have been conveyed by the Gu
Dard line, the British Government there
by receiving nearly four-fifths of the post
age Negotiations for radical change
arc pending.
The subject of the adoption of plan
Of money orders, drawu by postmasters
is urged upon the attention of Congress,
with an allusion to former proceedings.
The subject of the frequent failure of
the Southern mail is commented on, and
as rsmedy the closing of a contract with
the Florida Railroad Company is recon-
whereby one party [iDsteaJ Of
sixteeDl becomes the contractor, the mails
to be conveyed from New Orleaus to Nea0
York by sea IN fve days-an arrangement
which, the Postmaster General thinks, will
obyiate not only the delays that attend
land carriage, but will tend also to pre-
vent robberies and losses. Various other
mail routes are alluded to, especially that
overland to California, with which most
persons are familiar.
INTERIOR DEPTRTMENT.
Secretary Thompson discusses the man