The New York herald., 1862-12-02

when its vast forces are fully brought iato play.
In despite OF red tape and Secretary Wslles,
The naval power of the United States will soon
mike !. .'self felt to the ends Of the earth, and
America VIII henceforward stand at the head Of
maritime Powe,ss
Our Mineral Resoafces-RsEert Of shs
Secretary or the Interior. -.
The space occupied by the Presidents Mes-
sage obliges us to oon6ne ourselves to brief
notice of the report of the Secretary Of
the Interior. 1t is the less necessary to
give this document in full, seeing that its
leading points are disposed Of in the important
extracts from the report of the Commissioner
of the Land Office. which will be found
elsewhere. In regard to the operations of the
Land Office for the last year the results may be
thus briefly summed up:--As was to be expect
ed from the protraction of the war, the demand
for the public lands has steadily continued to
decline. From the 30th of September, 1861, to
the 30th Of September, 1862, there have been
surveyed 3,l35, ,067.4l acres. Of these there
have been sold for cash during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1862, and the first quarter Of
the current fiscal year, only l54,25s.65 acres
producing $137 ,476 &c. During the same pc
riod there have been located with bounty
land warrants 712,055.T acres; 1,l33,S98.92
acres have been certified under railroad
grants made by Congress, and 24,SlG.o9
acres have been certified to different States
as swamp lands, making the aggregate thus
disposed of 2,024,529.43 acres and leaving Of
aroI 1or1 for - <ho >f
September, 1862, 135,32s,S6s.s4 acres. The
outstanding and unsatisfed bounty warrants.
under the laws of 1S47, 1850, 1852 and 1855, ct
the same date, were 65,9lS covering 7,12S,3sO
acres.
Referring to the immense development that
has taken place in the mineral resources of the
country as shown by the report of the Land
Commissioner, Secretary Smith says that,
after extensive inquiry from. all available
sources Of information, the production of gold
during the present year from the auriferous
region which embraces Dacotah, Nebraska,
Colorado New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada,
California. Oregon and Washington, may be
set down at one hundred millions. IAN amount
of labor relatively equal to that expended in
California had been applied to the gold fields
already known to exist outside that State,
it is believed that the production Of this
year, including that Of California would
have exceeded four hundred millions. The
Secretary thinks that these vast mines Of
wealth may be made available to aid in liqui-
dating our national debt. OF the several
modes suggested for making these lands
productive TO the government be specifies three,
yiz-The granting of leases by the government,
the collection of certain portion OF the pro-
ceeds Of the mines, and the absolute sale Of the
land in small lots. 1t has been estimated, he
says. that at least $500O00, 900 could be real
lied bY the sale Of the lands in one acre lots,
after granting 10 those who are now engaged in
mining clear title, without cost, to tho lands
they occupy. The subject is one of transcend
ant mlortance, in view OF the enormous in
crease that is daily being made to the public
burthons, and should at once receive the atten-
ton of Congress.
Tue report suggests the necessity Of immedi-
ate legislation in connection with another class
Of mineral riches to be found in the public do
main--namely, the extensive coal fields known
as the Mount Diablo mines, on the Joaquin
river, within forty miles Of san Francisco 1t
shows that our steamers on the Pacific, which
are now furnished with coal from Pennsylvania
at twenty dollars ton, can be readily sup
piled from these mines at twelve. 1t also
recommends that that portion of the public
lands of Texas. amounting TO one hundred mil
lions Of acres, which remains unsold, and which,
owing to the treason OF its people, is properly
subject to confscation, shsll be declared for.
fcted 10 the United States, and placed under the
operation of the Homestead law. There are
other important suggestions and rccommenda-
ticns in reference TO Indian affairs, to which we
devote some special remarks in another column;
10 the providing additional accommodation in
the Patent Office, the appointment of Pension
Commissioners, the establishment Of burcau
OF statistics in connection with the Census Office
the limitation by Congress Of tue power 10 sum-
mon more than eighteen grand and twenty-four
petit Jurors for each term of the United States
courts, the creation Of police court for tho
District Of Columbia, and the passage Of q Law
by Congress sanciioning the transfer OF ashing.
tou prisoners aud authorizing the confnemsnt
in the psnitsntiary at Albany, or in some other
prison out of the District OF Columbia, Of all
persons who may be convicted there. until .
suitable prison shall be erected. In.regard TO
the public printing, the report states that the IN
terest Of the government has been greatly pro-
NOTED by the adoption Of the present mcds Of
executing it-a result that no one e'doubtea ex-
cept those interested in perpetuating the old
contract system.
THE GREAT EAsTERN.-We are. gratiiaed to