, 1861-12-13

The number Of yesscls in tue revenue ser
vice Of the Department on tho 4th Of March,
1861, was 20. Five had been previously seized
By, the Insurgents, and one had been ordered
| taken to pieces with q view to rebuilding, and
therefore incapable Of removal, she WAS in
yolyad III the disasters attendant on the
destruction Of the Navy Yard. OF the YES
scls connected with the revenue service
not seized by the rebels, four were on the P1ci-
lc coast, six on tile lakes, and eighteen on the
Atlantic coast. OF those on the lukcs, five
hare bren ordered to service on the Atllntic
| coast. Nearly half these vessels arc unfit for
| the purposes Of the revenue, and will be sold
under the provisions Of the act Of July Is.
/ Cn(er tho same act, three steamers have
been purchased and equipped, and have been
Of essentiM service III the suppression of un-
lawful commerce OH the Chesapeake, and in
the expedition by which the authority Of tho
Union WIS recently restored on TIC eastern
shore OF Flrginia.
With view to the increased efficiency Of
the service, tho Secretary directed thorougl,
examination to be made bya competent boafd
Of officers, Of Ill candidates for appointments,
Us well US all officers, except captlins al
| ready in the service, and has made Il ccrtiti-
cate from that board Of entire competency
in Indispensable condition Of appointment
(; -Four revenue cutters are now engaged in
Coast Survey duty, in connection with the
naval and military expeditions on the COASTS
| Of the 1uEurgent States and the whole Of tho
remaining number arc actively engaged in the
| enforcement Of the revenue laws, and i'll the
protection OF commerce.
Under the advertisement for proposals for
tho construction Of additional revenue steam.
ers, under the act Of July. a 1argc number oi
bids and models have been received, and con,
tracts will be made for five, which, when com
pleted, will fully answer the existing demands
Of the service.
| UNIFORM WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Tic Secretary desires to avail himself o
this opportunity to invite tho attention o1
Congress to the importance Of a uniform sys
tenn and nomenclature Of weights and meas
nrts and coins to the commerce Of the world
in which the Enited States already so largely
shares. The wiscst Of our statesmen have
regarded the attainment Of this end. SO dcsir,
able in itself, rs by NO means impossible. The
combination Of the decimal system with ap-
propEiatc denominations III i scheme o1
weights. measures and coins, for the intcrna-
tioual uses of commerce, leaving, If need be,
the separate systems Of nations untouched, is
certainly not beyond the reach Of tie daring
genius and patient endeayor which gave the
steam engine md the telegraph to the service
Of mankind The Secretary respectfully sug-
sests the expediency Of a small appropriation
| 10 be used in promoting interchange Of opin-
and foreign countries on this subject.
In closing this Report, tho Secretary tal1es
pleasure in asking tho consideration Of Con
grcss for the various suggestions Of the head:
Of the s,urcaus of the Department, contained
in tlcir several reports, which arc herewith
| transmitted. 1t has been his endcayor, since
| assuming the charge of the Department, te
in5use INTO its action the greatest possible ac
tiEity and vigor; and it Is source Of vcr,
great satisfaction to linn that his efforts havt
been, in general, faithfully and zealously sup
Portea oa y tle genf1emen d Win Thol T.; nc a a
ra1 bureaus will show how much has been ac
complished during the year, aud how well
The Secretary indulges the hope that contin
! ued cndcasor, with larger experience, vii
mike the Department, in oil its working, wha
Department charged with duties and respon
be, s. T. CHASE.