Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-12-08

Department during the last year. IL
will also specify the measures deemed
essential for the national defense, and TO
keep up and supply the requisite mill
tary force.
The report of the Secretary of the Ma
Wy presents comprehensive and salts
factory exhibit of the affairs Of that De-
partment and of the Naval service II
Is subject Of congratulatlon and laud-
able pride 10 our countrymen that ma
Wy of such vast proportions has been Or
ganized in so brief a period and con-
Quoted with so much efficiency and sue
cess, The general exhibit Of the navy
including vessels under construction on
the LIST OF December, 1864, shows total
OF 6Il vessels, carrying 1910 guns and of
5lO,396 tons, being an actual Increase
during the year, over and above all
losses by shipwreck or in battle of SO
vessels, l67 guns and 42,427 tons.
The total number Of men at this time
in the naval service, including officers, is
about 81, 900. There have been captured
by the navy during the year 324 YES
sells, and the whole number of naval cap
lures since hostilities commenced, 1874,
Of which 267 were steamers. The gross
proceeds arising from the sale of con-
demned prize property thus far reported
amount told 1896, $50 dollars, 81 cents.
A large amount of such proceeds is still
under adjudication and yet to be re-
ported,
The total expenditures of the Navy
Department, of every description, in
Guiding the cost of the immense squad
rons that have been called into existence
from the 4th of March, 1861, to the LIST
Of November, 1864, are S238,647 ,262 80.
Your favorable consideration is request
ed to the various recommendations Of
the Secretary of the Navy, especially in
regard to Navy Yard and suitable es-
adjustment for the construction and re-
pairs OF iron vessels and the machinery
and armor on our ships, to which refer
ence was made in my last annual mes
sage.
Your attention is also invited to the
views expressed in the report in relation
to the legislation of Congress at its last
session in respect to prizes on our inland
waters
cordially concur in the recommend
ing OF the Secretary as to the propriety
OF creating the new rank Of Vice Admi-
raj in our naval service.
THE POST OFFICE.
Your attention is invited to the re-
port of the Postmaster General for de
tailed account of the operations and
financial condition of the Postoffice De
partment The postal revenue for the
year ending June 30, 1854 amounted to
S12, 438,253 7s, and the expenditures to
Sl2 ,644, 1856 20. The excess of expendi-
lures over receipts being S206, 652 AZ
The views presented by the Postmaster
General on the subject of special grants
by the Government in aid OF the estab-
lishment of new line of ocean mail
steamships, and the policy he recon-
mends for the development Of increased
commercial intercourse with adjacent
and neighboring countries should re-
ceive the careful consideration of Con-
gress. e.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
1t is Of noteworthy interest that the
steady expansion of population improve
ment and governmental institutions
over the new and unoccupied portions
OF our country, have scarcely been
checked, much less impeded or DESTROYED
by our great civil war, which at first
glance would seem to have absorbed al
most the entire energies of the nation,
The organization and admission of the
State Of Nevada has been completed in
conformity with law, and thus our ex-
cellent system is firmly established in
the mountains which once seemed a bar
rem and inhospitable waste between the
Atlantic States and those which have
grown up on the coast of the Pacific
ocean.
The Territories of the Union are gen.
orally In a condition of prosperity and
rapid growth, Idaho and Montana. bv
reason OF their great distances and the
interruption of communication with
them, by Indian hostilities, have been
only partially organized, but it is un-
derstood that these difficulties are about
to disappear, which will permit their
Governments, like those of the others,
to go into speedy and full operation.
AS Intimately connected with and pro-
motive of this material growth of the
nation, | ask the attention of Congress
to the valuable information and import
ant recommendations relating to the
public lands, Indian affairs, the Pacific
Railroad and mineral discoveries. con-
tanned in the report of the Secretary of
the Interior, which is herewith trans
mltted, and which report also embraces
the subjects of patents, pensions and
other topics of public interest pertain
ing to his department.
The quantity Of public lands disposed
OF during the five quarters ending the
3oth of September last was 4,22I ,342
acres, Of 1,53S,614 acres were entered
under the Homestead law. The remain.
der was located with military land war
rants, agricultural scrip certified to
states for railroads and sold for cash.
Inc cash received from sales and loca-
ton fees was $1,0l9,446. The income
rom sales during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1854, was s678,007 q, against |
sl36,077 SO received during the preced- 7
ing year. The aggregate number of
acres surveyed during the year has been
equal to the quantity disposed of, and
here is open to settlement about 1874
100000 acres of surveyed land.
The great enterprise of connecting the
atlantic with tho Pacific Sfo+aa ~ s..r |