Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-12-18
Iaatrbman & STATE JoutnaI.
BY B.P. WALTON.
MONTPELIER. DECEMBER IS. 1868.
AFFAIRS in wAsHiNGTON.
NapN Repori.

u
one hundred smaller vessels has pattolled
36l5 miles on the NJ ssis,ipp river and trib-
utaries, and about 2000 miles of inlets, riv-
ets, &c. on the Gulf and Atlantic Coast.-
The blockade has become more and more
complete; all trade has been cut off from
Charleston; elsewhere illicit trade is now so
hazardous as to be Improbable the naviga-
ton Of the Mississippi has been resumed
and wherever gunboats could operate the reb-
ell forces have been driven off In short, the
navy has given invaluable service, and its
efficiency is rapidly increasing. On the 4th
/ OF March, 1861, the navy consisted of rs
vessels, Of which only AZ were in commits
sion. 1t was increased in December. 1862.
to 427 vessels, Of 340,036 tonnage and r.
rying 3,267 guns. In December, 1868,
there are SIS vessels, Of 467 1867 tonnage,
and 4,443 guns-an increase in the year Of
] 81 vessels, l2793l tons, and ll76 guns
or these, however, there are now in process
Of construction SO steamships, Of from Ola
to 5000 tons each. and to carry 452 guns.
Of steamships added the past year, twenty
were captured while attempting to run the
blockade The number of vessels captured
during the rebellion by the navy is lO4j,
exclusive Of a large number destroyed on the
Mississippi and other rivers. The value of
the prizes is not less than thirteen millions
ofdollars, and COMBINATIONS Of 2s5 cases
already made by the courts amount to So
63S ,6S3.40. The costs Of court have been
S607 1924, leaving in these cases in prize
money S5.S97 .97O.36 Half Of this goes tn
the naval pension fund, and the Secretary
recommends that it be invested in Govern.
ment bonds, remarking that the interest Of
the fund will pay all the pensions. The ex-
pense Of the may for the last fiscal wear was
S6f2l1 ,1O527-showing by immense odds
that the navy ia the obeapest branch ~ tho
war service. This il co,sol.,o,, i,,.u,..h
as the navy il what M. cor,,,v u;n a..;.I.
relv n,or IN fors;,o ,.... :.,
we trns, that this one will bo 90 ,ho.on.li,'
settled as 10 prevent r,reye, rono,;,;..
The e.tim,tes for nov, ,o.r or,o,r, ., s,,o
CTS. 7s54o Of which bovovsr me-, ,h..
ninety millions .ro f,- .o-.,.ro,;o.
nsirs If stosr, r,,ohi,,., A.. ~,
NOR Mated vessel.
Internal tG,;r.
The report Of the s,c,e,.rv n .bo 1,,o.;o.
shows that . q96 Cos acres ~ tho nnhl;o
land. were di.nossd Of dr-;,, ..o 80
inc lime 40 1se2 s,,;os. az 600 a.
posed of the nrevious vosr II -. g.,
quarter Of the presen, ,oa, cor,morcin,, rnIv
! tho opan,itv wo. "a s5o ...n. g.
! tses tho o,a,,i,, ,.Lo, oo1o. ~
stead law is / .45s 5l4 acres Tho c,.b sols.
of the last fiscal wear amounted 70 iaeo77
while the sales far tho t., ,,o,r,.. - ,h;. ,...
were 500 ooo This fact show. ,h., ,Ao
confidence and enternrizo Of the ,oo,is ..s
uuimpaired by the war.
As to pensions there we're only eighteen
names on the roll Of revolutionary pension
ers on the 3Oth Of June last, Of whom only
ten had applied for their pay in the preceding
March. The pension list of widows Of revo.
lutionary soldiers numbered 1873 in June
of army invalid pensioners 7,24S, mainly from
the present war, and Of widows, orphans and
dependent mothers ofsoldiers deceased in the
present war, 1913. OF navy pensioners,
544 are invalid men, and SIT are widows, or
Phans or dependent mothers Of deceased Off
GERS and seomeu The army pensions amount
ed to Sl,22764l, and the naval to Sl44,O74.
Since the Organization Of the Government
the amount expended in pensions is S9l ,693,-
66O' and the amount of land given for militia
~ service is 65,896, l42 acres.
The Patent office has issued 1887 patents
and granted 40 extensions during the past
year. The current receipts were about Sill
600 less than The current expenses.
Slavetrade not ship is known to have
been htted out in American waters the past
year 20 engage in the slayetrade. Very little
has been done during the past year in negro
colonization only $50 having been sent to
Hayti' The army and the Pacific Railroad {
at present afford the most profitable use for I
the services of the negroes.
e..