The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-25

the government COntrdCt D0e1 was saAou
at $ls $i4 for extra mess iron-bound barrels. sa-
CARS nrm with sales Of 400 hhds u rates gvea In
another column Coffee was ARM the sales yesterday
and tho day before comprised IA 900 bags Rio at
1skc. and 500 bags Laguayra sold as 22Xo 80
Freights in genersi way arm, while engagements
were moderate.
The War and the Ways and nIsens-Con-
gross Beginaang to Work.
Tho Senate and House sf Representatives
at Washington passed, the other Day, q
bill imposing war tax or tariff Of
twenty cents per pound on all descriptions
of pa; five cents per pound upon all kinds Of
'coffee, and from two and half 70 eight cents
per pound upon sugars, syrups and molasses.
Mr.. Morrill, estimates the annual revenue from
these increased duties at from seven to eight
millions Of dollars; and he urged the immediate
passage Of the bill: first, to secure the sugar
crop now coming into the country, and the tea
and coffee expected soon to arrive; secondly, be-
cause these articles have already risen amongour
dealers in anticipation Of this bill, 30 that the
consumers pay now just as much as If the bill
were already law Of the land.
The seven or eight millions thus secured will
be so much towards sustaining the credit of the
pay on demand all together exceed four hun
dred millions Of dollars year, we shall need
something more to keep the head of Mr. Chase
above water than these increased taxes on tea,
coffee and sugar. Very true, from the Income
Tax bill passed at the last session of Congress.
<xva fxoor AoJ
out the seeded States; but from our vastly d.
minished luxurious importations from Europe,
and the most profitable to the government, we
shall need some other direct taxes to keep the
credit Of the Treasury in healthy condition.
Distilleries, breweries carriages and other luxu-
ries and superfuities can hardly expect to es-
cape when such prime necessaries as tea, coffee
and sugar are taxed from ten to fifty per cent?
and the sooner the two houses of Congress real
ze the fact the better it will be for the Treasury
and our taxpaying people. We must keep the
Treasury above water. .o
Senator Fessenden may be right whom he
says that this war will come to an end disas-
trously to the country, and that very soon, If
we do not begin to economize our expenses.
He is unquestionably right whom he says we
should begin to economic at the first point that
presents itself Tor economy. We think, too,
we can suggest the article for the initial expe-
riment Of retrenchment. It is horsehesh. We
understand that the War Office is saddled with
the expenses Of sixty thousand horses for cavalry
purposes, or twenty, if not thirty, thousand
more than are wanted, and that the mortality
and damage in the horse department of the
army are equal to dead loss of two hundred
thousand dollars . week. At great expense
our army horses are badly cared for, and are
killed of or rendered useless by the hundred
from reckless and cruel treatment Let Con-
gress, or the War Department, inquire into this
subject; it presents wide field for retrench-
ment and reform. &; E
On the other hand, we want larger scope of
expenditure in the navy. The House of Repre-
sentatives so understands it; and hence the COM
mendable bill it has passed for twenty iron-clad
gunboats. We call upon the Senate to pass
this bill without delay, so that our shipbuilders
may proceed at once to work. The speciica-
tons for these boats are prepared, and within
three months we can have all these vessels at
sea, if the Senate will only act promptly upon
the bill. Our greatest drawback in our South
ern seacoast operations has been our want Of
swift, light draft and powerful gunboats. With
twenty such gunboats ut our service at the be-
ginning Of this war we, could have broken this
rebellion to pieces within three months, be-
ginning with Norfolk and winding up with the
occupation of New Orleans Az II is, should
Congress order now twenty, or even forty, iron
clad gunboats, we shall find them useful, even if
not ready for service until this rebellion is sup
pressed.
The two houses Of Congress having made
their arrangements for practical recess during
the interval, let us hope that with the new year
they will more largely devote their attention
to the necessities of the Treasury and the vigor-
GUS prosecution Of this war, and less to the
agitation Of abolition schemes and projects than
heretofore. We have, this Southern rebellion
now in the condition of city under siege. It
is nearly exhausted, and we have the men and
the means, if properly employed, to bring II 10
capitulation by the Fourth Of July next
HEAVY ORDNANCE WANTED.-Our readers will
observe how often the English papers speak Of
designed for the North American
station, being equipped with heavy guns now
a-days, and report the substitution of Armstrong
sixty and one hundred Founders for the old
fashioned twenty-four and thirty-two pound
guns. We can learn something here from the
enemy. Let our ships-of-war be provided with
new, improved, heavy ordnance of the best
kind as fast as possible. Let our foundries be
set to work to turn out these guns. Extraordi-
nary crises demand extraordinary exertions
They can work nights and Sundays at the
Tower in England to prepare arms against us