The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1866-12-12

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IN such manner as would best pro,not,
American commerce. and pr )tect the
rights and interests of our countrvmer
abroad. The vessels unemployed are
undergoing repairs, or are land up unit
their service, are required, Most of the
iron clad fleet Is at League Island in the
vicinity OF Philadelphia place which
until decisive action should be taken by
Congress, was selected by the Secretary
OF the Navy as the most eligible location
for that class of vessels. 1t is impor,an,
that suitable public station should be
provided for the iron.clad fleet. 1t is
intended that these vessels shall be in
proper condition for any emergency, and
it is desirable that the bill accepunp
League Island for naval purposes, which
passed the House of Representatives at
its last session, should receive final action
at an early period, so that there may
be a suitlble public station tor this class
of vessels, as well As navy yard of an
area sufficient tor the wants of the ser.
vice, on the Delaware river The Nav,
al pension fund amounts to SIT $50. 900
having eenincreased $2,75O, 900 during
the year. The expenditures of the De~
paltment for the fiscal year ending the
3Oth OF June last were $i3 ,32 1926, and
the estimates for the coming year
amount to S23 ,56S, 1876 Attention is
invited to the condition of our seanen,
and the importance OF legislative meas
nres for their relief aud mprovement.---
The suggestions in behalf of this deserv.
ing class of our telow>cilizens are ear
nes,iy recommended to the favorable
attention Of Congress.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report OF The Postmaster General
shows Il mos, satisfactory condition IT the
postal service and submits recommends
ationS which deserve the consideration
Of Congress, The revenues OF the D.,-
partment for the year ending June 3Uth
1866, were Sl43o6, 996, and the expen
ditures Si5,352 070, showing an excess
OF the latter of S9G5 ,O03 In anticipa-
ton of this deficiency, however, special
appropriation was made by Congress IN
the act approved July 2Sth, 1877. In
c!uding the standing appropriation of
S70U,U 600 tor free mail matter, as a !e-
g,tima'e portion OF the revenues yet re-
naming unexpended The actual de-
ticiency for the past year Is only S265,
O93. "A sum within ss5l, ,l4l of the amount
estimated in the annual report of 1864.
The decrease of revenue compared with
the previous year was one and one fifth
per cent, and the increase of eXpendi-
lures, owing principally to the enlarge
was 2 per cent. On the 3Olh Of june
last there were in operation 693O mai
routes, with an aggregate length of~lSO,'
02l mlIes.an aggregate annual transpor
tation II, ,S37,9l4, and an aggregate an
nnal cost, including all expenditures, OF
$S.4I0, 1874. The length of railroad
routes 32,092 miles, and the annual
transportation 30,6O9467 miles. The
length of steamboat routes Is l4,346
miles, and the annual transportation
3.4ll,0G2. The mail service is rapidly
increasing throughout the whole coun-
try, and Its steady extension in the
Southern States indicates their constant
ly improving condition, The growing
Importance OF the foreign service also
merits attention The Post Office De-
partment of Great Britain and our own
haze agreed upon a preliminary basis
for new Postal Convention, " hich it is
believed will prove eminently beneficial
to the commercial interests of the Unit
ed States, mas nuch as it contemplales a
reduction OF the international letter post
age to one half the existing rates a re.
duclion of postage with all other coun-
tries to and from which correspondence
il transmitted IN the British mail or in
closed mails through the United King
dom; the estahl shment Of uniform and
reasonable charges Tor the sea and terr>
toral trarslt Of correspondence in clos
ed mails: AID an allowance to each
Post Office Department of the right to
use all mail communications est ID ished
pnder the authority Of the other for the
dispatch of correspondence. either in
open or closed mails. ON the same terms
Il, those applicable to the Inhabitants OF
the country providing the. transmission
TIE PUBLIC LANDS.
The report of the Secretary OF the
Interior exhibits the condition OF those
branches OF the public service which are
committed to his supervision. during
the last fiscal year, four million six hui :
dred and twenty.nlne thousand three
hundred and twelve acres OF public lands
were disposed of, one million eight hun
dred and ninety.two thousand five hun
drpd and sixteen acres of which were
entered unier the homestead act. The
policy origiuall, adopted relative to the
public lands has under gone essential
notifications. Immediate revenue, ana
not their rapid settlement, was the car
dinal feature of our land system Long
expcrie,ce and earnest discussion have
resulted in the conviction that the early
development of our agricultural resonr-
ces. and the diffusion of an energetic
Nnonnla,,ou over our vast territory. are
objects of far greater Importance to the
national growth and prosperity than the
nroreeds of the sale of the and to the
bighest bidder in open market. The
nre,emption laws confer upon the pio-