The New York herald., 1864-12-07
Finy fast steamers hav. been unable to close
dir. Welles refers to the Alabama, Florida
and Georgia, and pays his respects to Captain

1 ~nhs s'~iiVS ACstlc W tHt AldDbUd, rlOfiuo
and Georgia, and pays his respects to Captain
Semmes as "Gishoaored and beaten corsair,"
who "cannot relieve himself of his obligations
| as prisoner until he shall be regularly ex
| changed" In respect to the Florida we are
| given only naked statement Of the facts as
| already known. 1t is given as probable that
| "no valid transfer OF ownership has ever taken
place" In the case OF the Tallahassee, and that
| she is now, as she was when blockade run
ner, Registered in Liverpool as a British ship"
il this shall prove to be true 1t will only make
little more clear the fact that all the mari
time resistance our government has met with
has been English in every particular. Atten-
tion is called to the fact that throughout their
several careers these English built and Eng
lish manned rovers" have never sent in FOR ad-
judication and condemnation single ship or
cargo. ehe
Very graceful recognition is made OF the
varied brilliant services Of our naval heroes, and
especially of the brilliant achievement of Lieu
tenant Gushing in the destruction of the Albe-
marie. The Secretary evidently appreciated
how inadequate would be any merely verbal
recognition Of the services of Admiral
Farragut, and So for the reward Of
the Old Salamander he recommends the
creation Of the rank of vice admiral-a
rank analogous in the navy to that of lieu
tenant general in the army Let this act Of
simple justice be urged upon Congress.
In view Of the present character Of the navy,
another Recommendation made by the Secre-
tary is worthy of notice. This is the establish
ment OF navy yard for iron-clads, at which
such vessels can be repaired and built. Our
navy yards are shown to be at hest quite nm
| equal to the demands Of the navy; "whiie the
government has not an establishment where
a shaft can be made for our steamers
or plato for our irop-cads." It is re-
commended that such an establishm ent be
located in the Delaware, near Philadelphia as
thefe every requisite is found-fresh water, ex
tensive river front, proximity to great city,
and distance from the sea, and consequently
capability for defence in case of foreign war.
| The actual expenditure Of the last fiscal year
was ss5,73s,292. The estimate for the year
ending juno 80, 1866, is $112,000.000. e A
L @t'e4'ta -------------
| The Annual Report OF the Postmaster
| General-Union and Rebci Reports
Compared sn#efnnlna .lrH.E 'sp.| .an. ~ |i
| Postmaster General Dennison has presented
very comprehensive report Of the official
doings Of bis department. for the past fiscal
| year. Considering the vast amount Of informa-
tion contained in it, 1t may be regarded as pos
sessing the virtue of brev;ty in degree rarely
| to be met with in public document Of the
Kind. There seems to be scarcely useless
| word in it. The recommendations are few, and
confined to the actual necessities or obvious
advantage of the department, while the fiscal
statements are concise and easily understand
able to the most unfinancial comprehension.
| The report will be found on the second
| page Of this mornings paper Tho depart
meut, although not yet quite defraying its own
expenditures, Is In truly favorable condition,
and gradually approaching the period when 1t
will not only pny Its own way, but return .
handsome revenue to the public treasury.
| When it is considered that during the term
| 1859 to 1861 the expenditures over receipts
showed an average annual excess Of nearly
| i've and three-quarter millions, while the past
| year the excess was much less than quarter
Of . million-bsrely rising two hundred thou
sand-tbere are certainly good grounds for con-
graduation to the country. The entire receipts
for the year are twelve million four hundred
aud thirty-eight thousand two hundred and
Hfty-three dollars, showing an excess over the
receipts in 1861, the Hrst year Of the rebellion,
Of eight hundred and twenty-three thousand
two hundred and ifty-four dollars. This fact
shows what an expensive affair IL was to carry
on our postal system in the Southern States.
10 MA fao yurn In Nork 20 NrJ
that while the expenditures the past year were
less than the estimate by over three hundred
and ffty-hve thousand dollars, the receipts
were nearly three millions and three quarters
| more than the estimator forty-two and five-
eghths per cent. This would indicate that
there was something faulty in the calculation;
| but It should be rememb bered that in times Of
war, when new cities and Territories are occu
| pied, and the Post Office follows wherever the
Union armies 60 and stay, II is very difficult
task to estimate the receipts and expenditures
in the matter Of postage. Besides, the miscal-
culstion is on the right side, and the American
people have no cause to complain.
We refer to the report itself for inform alton
which will be found important to all who take
an interest in our postal affairs. They will
| find there accounts and statistics which will
strike them with amazement at the vastness Of
the American postal systeu, and they will
wonder that 80 young nation can have 80
thoroughly perfected upon 50 gigantic scale,
an Institution that has done as much for hui
manty and civilization as any Of modern times.
Let them take this report Of the Union Post
master General and compare IL with that of the
rebel Postmaster General, an abstract Of which
we lately published. While the Union official
| refers to arrangements with foreign govern
ments all over and around the world, for the
| purpose Of facilitating the postal inter-commu.