The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-12-18
Reports Of the Secretary Of the Navy and
the Commissioners Of Land Office and
Indian Bureau.

been called upon to employ naval force
nfst, 10 arrest unlawful! expeditions agains
Nicaragua second, to resist the exercise @
the right Of search by British cruisers an
third, to enforce a demand of redress for in
suit aud injury from Paraguay. The stean
t iiigates Wabash and Susquehanna, the ship
OF war jamestown and Saratoga, and steam
er Fulton, nipped the budding hopes o
Walker. To bring the British crasers to a
proper sense of our maritime relations, tn,
Mediterranean squadron, the Lome squad
ron, and some other vessels, making altoge
ther fleet of twelve vessels, steamers
sloops- of-war and brigs, were sent to cruis.
off the coast of Cuba. That they would
prove effective in the object of their mission
was certain. Not one Of them, the Secretary
remarks, would have hesitated to resist .
ship Of the largest class" OF course they
did what they were sent to do. The policy
OF the President was to bring the question te
final issue "by placing all other nations in
posture where they must either fight for i,
or abandon it." Mr.. Secretary Toucey
thinks that Great Britain accepted the alter.
native and abandoned it. To bring Para.
quay to her senses fleet has already sailed.
" 1t has been the object Of the department
to leave no doubt as to the success" of this
expedition, and it is to be taken for granite ]
that the result in this case as in the others
shall rebound to our national glory.
The six steam propellers chartered for the
Paraguay expedition the Secretary advises
should be purchased for the Navy Their
cost would be s244,0 900, s94,s0O of which
must be paid for their charter. He also re-
commends the purchase of three side heel
steamers in the same feet, AT cost of
$2S6, 900, for which 500, 900 must be paid
for the six months use.
But the Navy has also been engaged in
peaceful measures. 4 surveying party un-
der Lieut.. Brooke has been sent to survey
the route between San Francisco and China.
The Niagara, after laying down one-half of
the Atlantic cabe-Hr. Toucey thinks the
Atlantic Telegraph success-has gone up
on that " enterprise Of distinguished philan-
thropy," the carrying Of the Echo's 500 kid
mapped people to Liberia.
The twelve steam sloops- DIVA authorized
by Congress in 1861 and 1858 are in state
of forwardness, and the Secretary recon-
mends that ten more similar vessels be added
to the Navy. He also recommends tina,
practiceship be attached permanently to the
Naval Acadsmy at Annapolis and that the
standard Of qualifications for admission to
that school be raised, and that a corps Of
competent civilians be organized as prof-s
sors- An increase to the medical corps Of
Navy. Of twenty surgeons and twenty as
sistant surgeons, is strongly urged. Fifteen
or twenty more pursers are also thought 70
be necessary; two hundred additional ma
rines, with their officers, are recommended.
The present employment Of different
slusdrons and ships is set forth in detail
and the report is closed by the statement
that for the support Of the navy aud marine
corps, and all other objects under the con-
troll ef the Navy Department, for the fiscal
year ending june 80, 1853, the estimates
were Sl3 ,so3, ,3l2.S7; appropriations. $li.-
thers ha*ine 6taf Sc 81 eSSt6di: SSt 1f
lures by reason Of the falling off of the re-
venue. For the fiscal Year ending June 80.
SJJ, the estimates were Sl4.6l6, ,2gs. %
appropriations, Sl4. sos, ,354 %, these having
been largely retrenched in consequence OF
he diuinutien of the revenue, and again in.
creased by appropriating Sl,200,00 for
eight light draught war steamers, which
were not embraced in the estimates. For
The fiscal year ending June 80, 1860, the es.
Inmates are Sls, 500. .3.0sn, including $674,-
900 for completing the eight light draushs
steamers authorized at the last session Of
Congress- and not including the usual COM
lensation of S335. 500 for steamship mail
service, which will then be discontinued
These estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1860, are, for the navy proper,
:, ,410, ,ST9; for the marine corps, S103,-
I9i.55 and for all other objects, 1896
1875.
LAND OFFICE.
This report covers a period of FIVE quar-
ers, ending September so, 1858. During
hat period there were surveyed Of the pub
ic lands, 5,209,3 acres, which, with for
ner surveys, make quantity Of 81, ,O5l ,04G
Icres of the public land surveyed and ready
or market on the 30th of September, 1858,
which had never been offered at public sale
During the same period there were sold for
:ash, 4,s04,9l acres, from which 1851
I92 was realized. l. cated with the military
and warrants, 6,9S3, 10, and reported un-
Ter swamp land grants, l,40l 800, making
IN aggregate Of cash sales, land warrants,
Ocatons and swamp selections Of 13, 1885,
,94. The cash realized seems dispropor.
onate TO the quantity Of lands sold, but
his is accounted for by the very large sales
It reduced prices under the graduation law
If August 4,h, 1854. Under the acts of
Si9 and 1850, granting the swamp and |
,vertiowed lands to the district in which /
hey are situated, there have been selected |
md reported to the General Land Office So
.29, ,492 acres, upon which warrants having |
he effect of patents, have issued for &c. |
l96, ,S2S acres.
The Commissioner recommends amend |
nents to the presumption laws, with a view |
o uniformity in the system, and to settle
disputed rights, and to terminate controver- |
~ in lit,gatcd cases.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The Commissioner states that the whole |
number of Indians within our limits is esti.
mated at about $50, 600. The whole num-
,er Of tribes and separate bands is 115, with
a Of which We have treaty engagements
The number OF ratified Indian treaties, since |
he adoption of the constitution, is 1893, |
nearly all of which contain provisions still IN
orce. The quantity Of land acquired by |
hese treaties is about 5Sl, ,163, lSS acres
The entire cost of fulfilling these treaties |
sill be $40, ,SlG,Gi4. From part ei these |
ands the government received no pecunaIy
advantages because they were ceded to the
respective States within whose limits they
we're situated. From those sold, the Fede |
al Treasury received not only the whole Of
he expense incurred for their acquisition.
survey and sale, but surplus Of at least
slOO,OOO,OOo.
The amount applicable for the fulfilment
If ths treaties, and other objects connected
With the Indian policy for the present fiscal
fear was 81 So, ,407, Of which sum $2O4, ,6G2
vas derived from investments of trust
unds. The whole amount of trust funds
led on Indian account is $lO.590, ,649, Of
which 1902, ,24l has been invested in
stocks of various States and the United
States; the remainder, viz: $7,Oss, ,4O7, is
retained in the Treasury, and the interest
thereon annually appropriated by Congress.
The Commissioner thinks it worthy OF con-
whether it will not be advisable
v hen the National Treasury shall be in
condition TO admit of it. also to invest the
above amount Of $7,OsS, 40S in the like
manner with the other Indian trust funds.