The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-12-12

capacity, will be necessary for cruising
purposes, and to maintain our rightlul DO
sit!on on the ocean. The change that has
taken place in navy vessels and naval
warfare since the introduction of steam rs
a motive power for ships Of war, demands
either corresponding change in some OF
our existing navy yards, or the establish
ment OF new Cnes for the construction
and necessary repair of modern war yes
sells. No iuconsderable embarrassment,
delay and public injury has been expe-
r!enced from the want of such govern
/ ment establishments The necessity of
such navyyard, so furnished at some
. suitable place upon the Atlantic seaboard,
has on repeated occasions been brought to
the attention Of Congress by the Navy De.
partmcnt, and Is again presented in the
report OF the Secretary, which accompa.
MES this communication. | think it nv
duty to invite your special attention to
this subject, and also to that of cstablish>
ing yard or depot for naval purposes
+ VI on one Oh the western rivers A naval
force has been created on these interior
/ waters, and under many disadvantages,
/ within little more than two years, exceed.
ing 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 the navy, at this inte-
resting period, tney are scarcely more
! worderiu! than the services of our me-
chanlcs and artizans In the production of
( war vessels, which has created a new form,
OF naval power. Our country has advan-
/ taSes superior to any other nation in our
resources oil IRON and timber, with mex
iiauStibie quantities OF fuel in the imme-
date vicinity of both. and all available
and IN close proximity to nav gable waters
Without the advantage of public works,
the resources of the nation have been de
veloped and its power displayed IN the
construction OF a navy of such ma gnitude
which has, at the very period Of its crea
ton, rendered signal service to the Union
The increase OF the number of seamen in
the public service, from 200 men IN the
spring OF 1851. to about "A 900 at the pre-.
sent time, has been accomplished without
any especial legislation or extraordinary
bountles 20 promote that Increase. 1t has
been foun /, however, that the operation
OF the draft, with high bount.es paid for
army recruits, is beginning to affect iniu-
llousty the laval service, and will, if not
corrected, DE likely to impair its efficiency
by detachinE scamen from their proper
vocation, and inducing them to enter the
army. therefore respectfully suggest
that Congress might aid both the army
and naval service by adequate provision
on this subject, which would at the same
time be equitable to the community more
6, ecially interested.
recommend to your consideratio ton the
suggestions of the Secretary of The Navy
in re-ard to the policy of fostering and
training seamcn Tor naval service The
Naval Academy Is rendering signal service
in preparing midshipmen for the highly
responsible duties, which. in after life. they
will be required Ia perform. in order that
the country should not be deprived Of ed
uca;ed officers, for which legal provision
has been made. At the Naval Sc DOL the
vacancies caused by the neglect or onlis-
sioE to make nominations from States IN
insurrectior, have been filed bv the Sec
retary Of the Navy. The school is non
more full and complete than a. any pre-
vlous period, and In every respect entitled
TO the favorable consideration Of Congress.
rosT OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
During the past fiscal year. the financial
condition oil the Post Office DepaTtu:cu.
has been one Of increasiug prosperity. and
| am gratlte,: in being able to state that
the receipts Of the Postal Revenue have
nearly equali"d the entire eXpeuIitures-
the latter amounting to 81 3IfUU1 Il. and
the foymsr to SII.O63, 50 30 leaving de-
ficiency of but 500, HIP In 1860 the
year Immediately preceding the rebellion.
the deficiency amounted 10 =. i ,. 1UJ ~.
the postal receipts OF that year being 81
Oh. 122 - less than that Of SOB. The de
crease since 1860 In the annual amount of
tre. -, - ,,--tI o;I:y ABOUT - per
cent, but the annual expenditure on ac-
count OF the same has been reduced ID per
cent 1t is manifest, therefore, that the
Pos, Office Department may become self
sustaining in Il few years, ever with the
restoration of tie y hole service The in
ternational conference OF postal delegates
from the principal countries of Europe and
America, which was called at the sucges-
ton Of the Postmaster General met at
Paris on the lth of May last, and con-
Guided its deliberations on the Sth Of June
The principles established by the confer /.
ence are best adapted 10 facilitate postal
intercourse between nations, ana a. the
basis Of future conventions, Inaugurate a
general system Of uniform international J.
charges at reduced rates Of postage, and I.
canno. fail TO produce beneficial results
me- DEt-h-.. ht.N Or ltis IN 5i!OR.
refer you to the report Of the Secretary
of the Interior, which is herewith laid be. .
fore YOU, for useful and varied inrorna-
ton in relation TO the ublic lands, Indian
affairs, patents, pensions, and other mat
tiers IT public concern pertaining to his F..
department. The quantity OF land dispos
ed of during the last and the first quarter
OF the present fiscal year was three mil I
lions eight hundred and forty.one thou .
sand and FIVE hundred and forty.nine acres. F.
of which lGl,9li acres were sold for cash. I
!. 45G, 5l4 acres were taken up under the /
homestead law, aGd the residue disposed .
of under the laws granting lands for mill .
tary bouuties, for railroad and other pur-
poses. Ii also appears that the sale of the /
public lands Is largely on the increase 1t /
has long been cherished opinion of some /
of our wlse-t statesmen that the people OF /
the United States had a higher and more /
enduring interest III the early settlement !
and substantial cultivation of the public /
lands than in the amount Of direct reve.
nue. to be derived from the sale OF them |
THIS opinion has had a controlling nhu, (
ercc in shaping legislation on the subject /
of national domain ! NAV cite as
evidence o! this the liberal measures adoy- !
ted in reference to active settlers, the grant /
10 the States of the cvcIiiowed lands with. /
in their limits, in order to their being re
claimed and rendered fit for cultivation. /
The grant to railroad companies of alter ,
nate sections of land upon the contempla- /
ted lines Of their roads when completed .
will, too, largely multiply the facilities for .
reaching our distant possessions. he /
policy has received its most signal and be- !
neiicent illustration in the recent enac t. |.
ment granting homesteads to active settlers !
Since the first day OF January last, the be
fore mentioned quantity OF one million |
four hundred and fifty SIX thousand five /
hundred and fourteen acres of lnnl has |