The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-12-09

The general exhibit Of the navy. including
vessels under construction on the let OF Do.
cember. 1854, shows Q total Of GIL vessels,
carrying 1910 guns. and of 5l0,396 tons. lea.
wing an actual increase dering the year. over
and aboae all losses BY shipwreck or In bat.
tie. Of 50 vesssls, l67 guns, and t2.&27 tons.
The total number ct men at this time In the
naval service. including officers. 10 about ST..
600. There have been captured BY the navy
during the year 324 vessels. and the whole
number Of naval captures since hostilities
commenced, l37&-of which are 267 steamers.
The gross proceeds arising from the sale Of
condemned prize property thus far reported,
amount to $l4.396,250.6l. A large amount
OF such proceeds is still under sdjudicstion
and yet to be reported.
The total expenditure Of the Navy De.
partmeet Of every description, includ ng the
cost OF the inmtnse squs6rons that have
been called into action from the 4th day Of
March. '6i. to the l.t of Nov. 1864. 23S 647,.
262 %. Your favorable consideration Is ex.
pected to the various recommendations Of tie
Secretary Of the Navy, especially in regard
toa Navy Yard, and q suitable establishment
for construction and repair Of iron vessels and
the machinery and armor Of our ships to
which reference was made In my last annual
message. Your attention 10 also invited n
the views expressed in the report In relation
the legislation Of Congress at its last session
in respect to piracy on our inland waters. ]
cordially concur In the recommendation Of
the Secretary as In tie propriety Of creating
the new rank Of Vice Admiral in our naval
service.
Posr orYIcE DEPARTMENT.
Your attention Is invited to the report Of the
Postmastcr-Ge for q detailed account ut
the operations, and financial condition ~ the
Postotii.e Department. The postal revenue Tor
the year ending June 30th, 1864, amounted to
si2,43S, 1853, and the expenditures to S!2. a4,
7Sj. The excess of expenditures over receipts
being $50, 6a242. The views presented by the
Postmaster. General ON the subject of special
legislation b. the government in aid Of the es-
Enlistment III q new line Ut ocean mail steam
ships, AMI the policy he recommends for the de-
ve,upementUf increased commercial intercourse
with Ijaccnt aud neighburing countries, should
receive the careful consider .tion VI Congress.
PUBLIC Growth.
II Is OF noteworthy interest that the steady
expansion Of population, improvement and
governmental Institutions Oier the new and un-
occupied portions Of our country, have scarce
~ been checked, much les impeded or de.
stroyed by our great civil war, which, at first
glance, would seemed To have absorbed almost
the entire energies Of the nation. The organi.
nation and admission Of the State Of Nevada has
been completed in conformity with law, and
thus our excellent system Of government Is frnl-
IL established in the mountains which once
SCENE b ,rren and inhospitable waste betweeh
the Atlantic States and those which have grown
up on the coast Of the Pacific ocean.
TERRITORIES.
Tho territories of the Union are generally In
o condition Of prosperity aud rapid growth.
Idaho and Montana, By reason Of their great
distance and the interruption Of communication
with them by Indian hostlities, have been only
partially organized. But II Is understood
that those difficulties are about to disappear,
which will permit their government like those
OF the others, to go into speedy AMI full opera.
ton. As intimately connected with and pro
motive Of this material growth OF the nation.
ask the attention Of Congress to the valuable
information and important recommendations
relating 10 the public lands. Indian affairs, the
Pacific R.R and mineral discoveries, Contained
In the report ofthe Secretary OF the Interior,
which IL herewith transmitted, and which re-
port also embraces the subjects Of patents, PEN
pertaining to the department
FUBLS LANDS.
The quantity Of Public lands disposed Of du.
ring the five quarters ending the 3Oth OF Sept.
last, was 4.22l ,342 acres, OF which 1888, 6i4
acres were entered under the homestead law
The remainder was lo,atsd with military land
for Railroads, and ,old for cash. The cash ie-
ccived from sales and location fees was 81 ,0l0,
4i6. The income frum sales during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1864, was SG7S, 007, against
Sl3b,077 received during the preceding year.
The aggregate number Of acres surveyed during
III" year has been equal to the quantity dispos.
ed OF, and there Is open ~ settlement about l3l,
o0o, 900 acres Of surveyed land.
PAciYI, RAILROADS.
The great enterprise OF connecting he Allan.
tic wun .,e r..o tic States BY railways and tel
esrnph line., has e,n entered upon with Wig
or that gives assurance OF success, notwith
standing the embarrassmenis arising from the
prevailing high price Of material and labor.
The route Ut the main limo Of the road has been
definitely located for over 100 mlea westward
from the initial punt, Omaha City, Nebraska,
AMI preliminary location Of the Pacific Rail-
road of California has been male from Sacra-
r"r'o e's'w'-' I" the great BENT Of Yuekee
River In Nevada. Numerous discoveries of
gold, silver, aui Sinn bar mines have been add.
ell to the many Heretofore known, and the
country occupied iy the Sierra Nevada and
Rocky Mountains aud the subordinate ranges
now teens with enterprising labor, which Is
richly remunerative. II Is believed that the
product OF the m mes OF precious metals In that
region has during the year reached, IL not ex.
oeedsd one million in value.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
II was recommended in my last annual mes
sage that our In,lian system be remodelsd
Congress, at Its last session, acting upon the
recommendation, did provide for recognizing
the system In California, and II Is believed that
under the present organic ,tion, the manage
ment Of tho Indians there will be attended with
reasonable success. Much set remains to be
done to provide for the proper government OF
the Indians In other parts OF the country, 10
render II secure for the advancing settlers. AMI
to provide for the welfare Ut the Iniians. The
Secretary reiteraies his recommendations, and
TO them the attention Of Congress Is invited.
PENSIONS.
The liberal provisions made by Congress for
paying pensions to invalid soldiers and sailors
Of the republic. and to widows. orphans, and
dependent mothers Of those who have fallen In
battle and died OF disease contracted, or Of
wounds received In the service OF their country
have been diligently administered. There has
been added to the pension roll during tho year
ending 30th day VI June last, the names VI 10,
ITO invalid soldiers, and Of III disabled sea-
men. making the present number Of army In.
valid pensioners 22,757, and Of navy invalid
pensioners 7l2. or widows, orphans, and
mothers, 22.l9S have been placed on the army
pension rolls and 208 on the navy rolls. The
present number Of army pensioners Of this
class Is 2a,433, and Of navy pensioners 1903.
At the beginning Of the year the number OF
revolutionary pensioners Was 1880 (; only - Of
these were soldiers, Of whom have since died.
The remainder are those who under the law re.
ceive pensions because Of relationship to revo.
lutionary soldiers. During tho year ending
the soth OF June. 1884. 81. 500 .8io.sa have