Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-12-06

Ta0T NVUT, VUTWTTUVTr |
service and they are being discharged as rapidly
az they can be replaced by regular troops, The
arm, has been promptly paid, carefully provided
with medical treatment, well sheltered and sub
sisted, ard is TO be furnished with breech-load-
ing small arms, The military strength Of the
nation has besn unimpaired by the discharge of
volunteers, the disposition of unservieeabe or
perishable stores, and the retrenehment of ex-
penditure. Sufficient war material TO meet any
has been retained, and, from the dis
banded volunteers standing ready to respond to
the national call, large armies can be rapidly
organized, equipped and concentrated. Fortih-
cations on the coast and frontier have received,
or are being prepared for more powerful arma-
ments: lake surveys and harbor and river I'M
proyements are in course of energetic prosecu-
ton. Preparations have been made for the
payment of the additional bounties authorized !
during the recent session of Congress under |
such regulations as win protect the government |
from fraud, and secure to the honoraby dis |
charged soldier the well earned reward OF his |
fathfnlness and gallantry More than six thou. |
sand manned soldiers have received artificial |
limbs or other surgical apparatus: and forty-One |
national cemeteries, containing the remains OF |
l045 26 Union soldiers, have already been estab-
lished. The total estimate of military approprl-
atoms is S25, 205, 500.
THE NAVY.
Ii Is stated in the report ofthe Secretary ofthe
Navy that the naval force at this time consists
of two hundred and seVenty-eight vessels, armed |
with two thousand three hundred and hity-one
sells carving one thousand and twenty-nine
guns, are in commission, distributed chiefly
among seven sQuadrons The number of men in
the service is thirteen thousand six hundred.
Great activity and vigilance have been displayed
by all the sQuadrOns, and their movements nave
been jUdiCiOusy and efficiently arranged IN snch
manner as would best promote American com
MERGE and protect the rights and interests of our
COuntrymen abroad. The vessels unemployed
are UNDERGOING repairs or are laid up until their
services may be required Most " the lron,clad
fleet is at League Island in the vicinity OF Phlla-
depha place which, until decisive action
should be taken by Congress was selected by the
Secretary of the Navy as the most eligible loca-
ton for that class Of vessels. 1t Is important
thata suitable public station should be provided
for the iTOn-Clad fleet 1t is intended that these
vessels shall be in proper condition for any
emergency, and it is desirable that the bill aC-
cepting League Island for naval purposes, which
passed the House of Representatives at its last
session, should receive final action al an carry
period in order that there may be suitable
public station for this class of vessels as well as
a hayward of area sufficient for the wants OF
the service, on the Delaware River. The Naval
Pension fund amounts to Sll,I5OuUO, having
been increased 81, 100000 during the year. The
| expenditures of the department for the fiscal
| year ending Both June last were S43,324,5 26 and
| the estimates Tor the coming year amount to
| S23 56S ,43G Attention ia invited to the condl-
| ton of our seamcn. and the importance of egis-
| latiye measures for their reliefand improvement.
| The suggestions in behalf of this deserving
class of our fellOw-citizens are earnestly recon-
| mended to the favorable attention of Congress.
POSTAL SERVICE,
The report of the POstmaster-Generalp presents
| most satisfactory condition OF the postal ser
| vice, and submits recommendations which de
| serve the consideration of Congress. The reve-
| nues of the Department for the year ending June
30, 1866 were S14, $50, 1856, and the expenditures
| S15,352,019, showing an excess of the latter
of 1866, 093 In anticipation of this deficiency,
however, a special appropriation was made by
| Congress in the act approved July %, 1866. In
Guiding the standing appropriation OF 1900 for
the free mail matter,as legitimate portion OF the
revenues yet remaining uneXpended, the actual
| deficiency for the past year Is only S260, Oy3-a
| sum within SOL ,141 of the amount estimated in
the annual report of 1854. The decrease of
revenue compared with the previous year was
one and one-tifth per cent and the increase OF
| expenditures, owing principally to the enlarge
ment of the mail service in the South, was
twelve per cent. On the 30th of June last there
were in operation six thousand nine hundred
and thirty mail routes, with an aggregate length
| of one hundred and eighty thousand nine hun
bred and twenty-one miles, an aggregate annual
transportation of seventy-one million eight hun
bred and thirty-seVen thousand nine hundred
and fourteen miles, and an aggregate annual cost,
{ including all expenditures, of $8,410,1S4 The
| length of Railroad routes is thrty-tWO thousand
| and ninety-twO miles, and the annual transporta
, | lion thirty million six hundred and nine thous
and four hundred and siXtyseyen miles. The
| length of steamboat routes is fourteen thous
| and three hundred and tOrty-siX miles, and the
| annual transportation three million four hundred
| and eleven thousand nine hundred and siXty-twC
2 | miles. The mail service is rapidly increasing
1 throughout the whole country, and its steady eX
- tension in the Southern States indicates thel
= constantly improving condition. The growing
/, importance of the foreign service also merits at
c tentiOn. The Postotlce department OF Urea
# Britain and our own have agEeed upon prellm
+ mary basis for a new Postal Convention, which
e is believed will prove eminently beneficial TO tn
l. commercial interests OF the United States, mas
- OFT
l., tcrnatiOnal letter postage to one-half the eXls
ir ING rates reduction of postage with all othC
q countries to and from which correspondent
~ is transmitted in the British mail, or in close
D. mail through the United Kingdom; the estat
At Iishment of uniform and reasonable charges iC
IT the sea and territorial transit of correspondent
ID in closed mails and an allowance to each Pos
+ office department OF the right TO use all ma
70 communications established under the authorll
in of the other for the dispatch Of correspondence
!; either in omen or closed mails on the same tern
ts as those applicable to the inhabitants OF II
u. country providing the means OF transmlsslon'
Is PUBLIC LANDS, ETC.
to The report of the Secretary of the lnterit
al exhibits the condition of those branches
50 the public service which are committed to h
:. supervision, During the last fiscal year, tol
rs | million six hundred and twcnty-nine thOusan
nv | three hundred and twelve acres Of pubic Ian
r. were disposed Of, one million eight hundred an
ir | nipety-tWo thousand five hundred and siXtcC
nv acres Of which were entered under the nom
| stead act The policy originally auopbu fel
tive to the public lands has undergone essenti
r. notifications. Immediate revenue, and nj
No | their rapid settlement was the cardinal teatul
NV of our land system. Long experience and earl
4 | est discussion have resulted in the COnYlcuo
al that the early development of our agricultuT
D. | resources and the diffusion of an energetic POI
20 | ulation over our vast territory, are objects
h far greater importance to the national growt
~ and prosperity than the proceeds of the sale
,o | the land TO the highest bidder in open marke
" The pre-emption laws confer upon the piOnet
~ who complies with the terms they impose Il
- privilege of purchasing limited portion
,s f'unofered lands - at the minimum price. III
re homestead enactments relieve the settler fro
nd the payment ofpurchase money, and secure hi
Nv Nv a permanent home, upon the condition of res
y dence for a term of years. This liberal pole
~ invites emigration from the old and from Il
bbo more crowded portions of the new world |
no propitious results are Undoubted, and will
he more sienally manifested when time shS
-, ~ have piyen to It wider development
* Congress has made liberal grants of publ
ay land to corporations in aid of the constructit
- of railroads and other internal improvement
- Should this policy hereafter prevail, mo
IA stringent provision will be required to secure
q" faithful application of the fund. The title
~ the lands should not pass, by patent or otht
90 ao wise but remain in the government and suble
NJ TO its control until some portion of the road h
~ been actually built. Portions of them mig
, | tban from time IN time he convened to the CO