Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-12

IL @ eAi7iug ior smugglug, and u tine
Il e suggested, Of mutual legislation
- f'1l 80 y De adopted, q revenue system
.l.efi'al and external. more in hsr-
fici- n ~ = our own, might justly be- an
u IN, q pm -le action 0t Ourneigh50rs,
r IlkeIy 10 Dos obtained.
= MINERAL BF-grprrs
> Zoe attention Of Como ;= ,,,s.,,
p called 70 the Importance of ss-f,, ,,,j
.e definite action upon the -Tb;.-,t :, = -
e mineral lands, iu which 4uI,i,.. -. -
= vOlved questions not only gf -..,.,,.,- e..
+ social Questions Of "a most lrfl,.l..,,.- -
character.
e COpartnership relations between cha.
: Government and miners viii bsrlIr, III.
q proposed, and q system 9f leasehoId III. .-
: were within the constitutional autbo-it.
2 Of Congress to adopt it. and if if were r.-r-
r sisteDt with the character and genius or
, our people, after the lessons which have
, been taught Of its practical results iu the
! lead and copper districts, cannot of course
be recommended.
Q After giving the subject as much eN-
= animation as the constant pressure ofoni-
: ciaI duties would permit. the Secretary
has come TO the conclusion that the best
policy 70 be pursued with regard TO these
lands Is the one which shall substitute
AN absolute title ia fee for the indefinite
, possessory rights or claims now asserted
by miners
The right 70 obtain a see simDIe in ti,e
soll' would invite % the miueraidi-fri.
men OF character and enterprise bv Gre
aung homes which VIII not be- found
Where tIt-e 10 property cannot De secured
iJ would give perIuaueucv To the settle
ments and by the stimulus which own
eFshlp always produces, +. would result
III q lhofougl and regular development
the mines.
-, a bin for the subdivision aud sale 0f
the gold and silver lands of the Tuffaf
states was under consideration III ~.
last Congress, % which attention e. ra--
pectiuily called. 10 the enactment or
TINS bill should not De deemed expedieur
and no satisfactory substitute can H.. -4-
ported for the sale Of ihe-e lands Ia ne
highest bidder, on account OF tile po--a--
sory claims OF miners Do viii then ne fu-
portdut that the policy Of extending fhs
[ principle Of prescription 90 the mineral
I districts be considered. II i- not uaf4-
rial perhaps how the end shall De at-
tanned, but there can De no question thai
I il is Of the highest importance, ina finau-
I cial and social point f view. that owner
snip of these lands, IN limited quantities
20 each purchaser, should be- withiU the
reach Of the .-eople Of She United States
who may desire to explore and develop
them.
In this connection il may be advisable
I for Congress % consider whether the.
prosperity Of rhe treasure producing dis
trirts would not be increased, and the
convenience OF miners greatly promoted.
by the establishment of an as.av Office
in every mining district from which an
annual production Of gold and silver
amounting To 100000 is actually OBJ
tanned.
SIUGGLISG-TI REVENUE VESSELS.
The attempts at smuggling, stimulated
by the high rates of duties on imports.
have engaged the attention of the De-
partmeur, and such arrangements have
been made for lis detection and preven-
ti0n as seemed 70 be required bv the
circumstances, and available for that
purpose.
IL is quite apparent, however, that,
with our extensive sea coast and inland
frontier, it j. impracticable entirely 90
prevent Illicit tra1lic, though checks at
the most exposed points have, doubtless,
been put 20 such practices
In this connection 10 may be remarked
that the revenue cutters are diligently
and usemlly employed IN the preventive
service, within cruising limits so defined
as Go leave no point Of sea and gulf coasts
unNlSltel uF an adequate force.
a similar arrangement viii be extended
To- the fakes on the re-opening of naviga-
ton, the cutters built for that destination
not having been completed iu time TO be-
put i'm commission before its close.
The cutters are an Important auxiliary
to the regular customs authorities in the
collection and protection of the public
revenue by the examination OF incoming
vessels and their manifests of cargo az
fOrdiug succor % vessels in distress aid
ing in the enforcement of the regulations
Of harb0r police and otherwise prevent
ing 0T detecting violations or evasiOns of
law. a service Of this description is uu-
questienably useful, If not Indispensable,
to the administration Of the revenue
system Of n maritime, and COM
mercisl country, with such extensive
sea lake and gulf coast as our own
seven steamers and nine sailing vessels.
OF the steamers, seven are Of the average
tonnage of three hundred and fifty tons,
and draw nine feet of water. These
large vessels We're constructed during the
progress OF. the late rebellion, and were
designed for the combined purpose Of "a
naval force and q revenue coast guard.
Their heavy armaments, large tonnage
and crews, however well fitted for such
purposes, are not adapted for the revenue
-EINAtt III LlAllr- III NNii@Ni fltAlAe
Of their great draft Of water they must
be used mainly as sea-gOing vessels, and
are incapable Of navigating the shallow
waters Of the coast and their Tributaries,
which afford the most favorable Oppor-
tunities for contraband trade. ludepeu-
IDENTIFY Of these considerations. they are
so constructed as TO be unable 10 carry %
supply Of fuel for more than three, or
possibly four days, at the farthest.
A COMING SAFE.
It Is recommended. therefore, that this
Department be vested with authority to
sell the vessels Of this description, and
expend the proceeds in the purchase or
others of a different character and lighter
draft, and ON that account, better fitted
to accomplish the purposes of a prevent
i've service, and which can be kept in
commission at q cost more than One-third
less than those of the former class.
For example, the difference in the cost
Of running for twelve months the Ma
honing, one of the first named class, and
the Nansenond, one Of the latter class,
is S27, COS. The MahOuing, with twelve
tons of coal per diem, can make but
eight knots per hour while the Nanse-
mOnd, with eight tons Of coal per diem,
will make twelve knots per hour. The
NansemOnd, drawing but six feet nine
inches, II enabled to cruise in waters en-
tirely inaccessible To the Mah0ning-
To render the service effective and
economical, cutters should be of light
draft, manned by a small crew, and able
to navigate the shOal waters and pene-
trate the inland bays, rivers and creeks.
with which our sea, lake and gulf coasts
abound, but Of sufficient tonnage 10
enable them to perform efficiently and
safely the duties of q coast guard az sea,
and to furnish succor 70 vessels in dis
tress : and at the same time 70 navigate
the interior waters for the prevention Of
smuggling, and reach readily port OF
refuge in the tempestuous weather pre-
vailing at times along our coast, should
they be forced to do 50.
MARINE HOSPITAL.
The working Of the Marine Hospital
system. as al present constituted, is not
altogether satisfactory. The erection and
repair of numerous expensive buildings,
and the support of the establishments
necessarily connected with their opera
tfons- have entaiied upon the Govern
roenf a yearly expense far bevond the
amount contributed by the seamen,
which has been met b.v large annual ap-
propriations by Congress.
The act Of July Is, l79S, bv which the
system was created, and the rate Of con-
tributiOn fixed at twenty cents per
eminent to the simple expenditure for
the benefit of the seamen, Of the amounts
thus contributed by themselves, and con-
templated laying no burden on the pub
lie Treasury. tit is deemed advisabietS
continue any system of relief, under con-
troll Of the Government, it is respectfully
suggested that the original intent Of the
aw should be carried into effect, and the
,iund made self-sustaining- With this
view, it viii be necessary TO increase the
fund, and to make material reduction
in the expenses
Experience has shown, and former
Secretaries have at various times, and
With entire unanimity, represented TO
Congress that the system of public ma
rine hospitals, maintained and managed
by the government, is the least eeonoTni-
tai method that has been devised for the
administration of this fund, and affords
the least comparative benefit TO the sea-
men The expenses of these establish
rnents are large, independently of the
number Of seamen received in them.
When the patients are numerous, the
average rate Of expense per man is not