Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-12-16

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ung in efficiency. But although she navy has ex.
banded, yet on so long line has SO far been inn
possible 10 entirely suppress dlicit trade. From
the returns of the receipts At the navy depart
neDt, 1t appears that more than one thousand
vessels have been captaFed since the blockade
wac instituted. and that the value OF the prizes
'elready sent in for adjudication amount to over
thirty millions Of dollars The naval force of
the United States consists at this time of i've
hundred and eighty-eight vessels, completed and
IN the course ct completion, and of these, seven.
ty-fye are iron clad or armed steamers. The
events OF, the war give an increased interest and
importance to the navy which will probably eX-
tend beyond the war itself. The armed vessels in
our navy, completed and in service or which are
under contract and approaching completion
ere believed to exceed in number those of any
other power; but, while these may be relied upon
for harbOr defense and coast service, Others
of greater strength and capacity will be necces-
gary for cruising purposes and to maintain our
Tightful position on the ocean. The change that
has taken place in naval vessels and naval war
fare Since the Introduction OF steam as a motive
power for ships of war; demands either cores
Bonding change in some or our existing navy
yards or the establishment of new ones for the
construction and necessar, repair of modem ma
val vessels. No inconsiderabe endorsements,
delay and public injury have been experienced
from the want Of such governmental establish
nlents The necessity of such navy yard so
lantic seaborad, has on several occasions been
brought to the attention of Congress by the
Eavy department, and it is again presented
in the report of the secretary of the navy,
which accompanies this communication. | think
ii my duty 10 invite your special attention to
this subject, and also to that of establishing
yard and depot for naval purposes upon one of
The western rivers. naval force has been crea-
tod on those interior waters and under many dis
advantages, within little more than two years,
exceeding in numbers the whole naval force of
the country at the commencement of the present
administration. Satisfactory and important as
have been the performances of the heroic men of
she navy at this interesting period, they are
scarcely more wonderful than the success of our
mechanics and artisans in the production of war
vessels which has created new form of naval
power Ourcountry has advantages superior
10 any other nation, in our resources of iron and
timber, with inexhaustible quantitieS of fuel in
the immediate vicinity of BOTH and all availa-
Die and in close proximity to navlgablc waters.
Even without the advantage public works, the
resources Of the nation have been developed and
its power displayed in the construction OF ma
yy OF such magnitude which has, at the very pc
!iod of its creation, rendered signal service to
the Union. The increase of the number of sea
men in the public service from $40 men in the
spring of 1868 to about 81 900 at the present
time. has been accomplished without special leg
istation or extraordinary bounties to promote
that increase. 1t has been proved, however,
shat the operation of the draft, with the high
bounties paid for army recruits. is going 10
effect injuriously the naval service, and will, if
not corrected, be likely to impair its efficiency by
-deteching seamen from theirproper vocation and
sndueiur them to enter the army. therefore
respectfully suggest that Congress might aid
both the army and naval service by a definite
provision on this subject, which would at the
same time, be equitable to the communities
mole especially interested. ",.a
Uats $50 EDUCATION FOR THE NAVY.
] also commend to your consideration the sug
gestons OF the secretary of the navy in regard to
the policy of fostering and training seamen, and
also the education Of officers and engineers for
the naval service. The naval academy is render
Ing signal service in preparing midshipmen for
the higher responsible duties which, in after life,
they will be required to perform. In order that
the country should not be deprived of the proper
. quota of educated officers for which legal pro-
vision has been made at the naval school, the
vacancies caused by the neglect or omission to
make nominations, from the states in insurrec-
tion have been filled by the secretary of the ma
Wy. The school is now more full and complete
than at any former period, and it is, in every re-
speeti entitled TO the favorable consideration Of
Congress. lJ .f H -aa>af" geo '1a @ '"-a
Fa a3i1 POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. s..I
During the past fiscal year, the financial con-
dltion of the post Office department has been one
OF increasing prosperity and | am gratifed in be-
ngabIe to state that the actual postal revenue,
has nearly equalled the entire expenditure, the
latter amounting to $ll,3l4,2f6, and the former
to Slll63,TS9, thus leaving deficiency of only
Sl5O,4l'. In 1860 the yeai Immediately proceed
ing the rebelIon, the deficiency amounted to
56,I05, the postal receipts of the year being
$2,G45,f22 less than those of 1863 The decrease
since 1850 in the annual amount of transportation
has been only about % per cent, but the annual
expenditure, on account of the same, has been
M m ft,,,a .,
that the post Office department may become self
sustaining in q few years, even with the restora-
ton Of the whole service. 81.
Theipternatonal conference of postal delegates
from the principal countries of Europe and Amer
lea, which, was called at the suggestion of the
postmaster general, met at Paris on the llth of
May last and concluded its deliberations on the
9Th Of June. The principles established by the
conference are those best adapted to iacllate pos
tal Intercourse between nations, and such as win
sctfcasa basis Of future postal conventions to
i4augq ate general system of uniform interna-
tlonal charges, at reduced rates of postage Such
amoyement cannot fail to produce beneficial re-
cults. r .,-
-... . INTERNAL AFFAIRS. "..-... ...
al refer you to the report of the secretary of the
interior, which is herewith laid before YOU for
useful and varied information in relation to the
public lands, Indian affairs, patents pensions and
other matters of public conceln pertaining to that
department. tft 'h. ,'I.'.. 70
TIE PUBLIC LANDS.
The quantity Of lana disposed of during the
last year and the first quarter of the present fiscal
years was 1884 249 acres, of which l6l oil acres
were sold for cash, 400 81 4 acres were taken m
under the homestead law, and the residue aspos.
ed of under laws granting lands for military
bounties, forrailroad and other purposes 1t also
appears that the sale OF the public lands is large
ly on the increase 1t has long been cherished
0pipion of some of our wisest statesmen that the
people of the United States had higher and
more enduring interest in the early settlement
and substantial cultivation OF the public lands
shan in the amount of direct revenue to be de-
flyed from the sale Of them. This opinion has
had, controlling influence in shaping egislation
upon the subject of our national domain. / may
cite as evidence of this, the liberal measures
adopted in reference to actual settlers. the grant
to the states of the lands overlowed within their
limits in order to their being reclaimed and rem
dereu fit for cultivation and the ~ 10 all