Des Arc citizen., 1866-12-15

NUMBER 41y population and wealth; and yet the deb be extinguishcd within the next quar ter of a century.
 | WAR DEPARTMENT.
 The report of the Secretary of Wa! furnished valuable and important infor nation in reference to the operation q his department during the past yeal Few volunteers now remain in the set vice, and they are being discharged q rapidly as they can be replaced by re& ular troops. The army has been prom ptly paid, carefully provided wiU medical treatineht, we'll sheltered ana subsisted, and is to be furnished witl breech-loading small arms. The mill tary strength of the nation has beei unimpaired by the discharge of volun teers, the disposition of unserviceabI or perishable stores, and the retrcncM ment of expenditures. Sufficient wa material to meet any emergency haf been retained, and from disbanded vol unteers, standing ready to respond tt the national call, large armies can M rapidly organized, equipped and con centfated. s 's
 Qualifications on the coast and iron: tier have received or are being prepared for more powerful armement. L40 surveys and harbor and river ifnprov& ments are in course of prosecution.
 Preparations have been made for th1 payment of the additional bounties at{5 thorized during the recent session d Congress, under such regulations Fl will protect the government from ffauS and secure to the honorably dischafgot soldier the reward of his faithfulneai ed soldiers have received artificial 1imb3 or other surgical apparatus, and forty one national cemeteries, Containing th{ remains of 1O4 ,526 Union soldiers haW already been established. The total estimate of military appropriations h S25, 1925, ,439.
 NAVY DEPARTMENT.
 It is stated in the report of the Secre4 tary of the Navy that the naval force af this time consists of 278 vessels, armed with 2,35l guns. Of these, 115 vessels. carrying l ,029 guns, nre in commission, distributed chiefly among seven sqttads rons. The number of men in the scr@ vice is 13,600. Great activity and vi& ilance have been displayed by all the squadrons. Their movements have been judiciously and efficiently arran. ged in such a manner as would best promote American commerce, and pro! tect the rights and interests of our couIi4 l trymcn abroad. The vessels unemplov:s ed arc undergoing repairs, or are hid up until their services may be required. Most of the iron-clad fleet is at League Island, i'll the vicinity of Philadelphia a place which, until decisive action should be taken to Congress, was selcca ted by the Secretary of the Navy as the most eligible location for that class Of vessels. It is important that su;tablt public station should be provided for the iron-clad fleet. It is intended thai these vessels shall be iii proper condition for and emergency, and it is desirable that the bill accepting League Island for naval purposes, which passed the 1 House of Representatives at it's last ses- sion, should receive final action at an early period, in order that there may be suitable public station for this class of vessels, as well as navy yard of area sufficient for the wants of the scr- vice on the Delaware river.
 The naval pension fund amounts to SSl, 100000, having been increased $2,- 100000 during the year. The expendi1 lures of the department for the fiscal 1 year ending 30thJune last were $43, ,324, , 526, and the estimates for the coming year amount to $23,56S,436. Attention is invited to our seamen, and the impor4 tance of legislative matters for sheiis relief and Improvements. The sHgges- tions ill behalf of this deserving class of our fellow citizens are eaInestlvl recommended to the favorable attention of Congress.
 RAILROAD GRANTS.
 Congress has made liberal grants of land to corporations in aid of the con- struction of railroads and other i1atcr- nal improvements. Should this policy hereafter prevail, more stringent pros visions will be required to secure d 1 faithful application of the fund. The title of the lands should not pass by | patent or otherwise, but remain in the hands Of the government, and subject to it's control until some portion Of road has been actually built; portions, of them might then from time to time be conveyed to the corporation, but never in a greater ratio to the whole quantity embraced by the grant than the completed parts bear to the entire length of the projected improvement.
 This restriction would not operate to the prejudice of any undertaking con- ceiyed in good faith, and executed witt, reasonable energy, as iti the settled practice to withdraw from the market lands falling within the operation of such grants, and thus to exclude the in- ception of subsequent adverse right. A breach of the conditions which Cons gress may deem proper to impose, should work a forfeiture of claim to the lands so withdraRn but unconveved. and oftitic to the lands conveyed which remain unsold
 | Operations on the several lines of the Pacific railroad have been prosecuted with unexampled vigor and success. Should no unforeseen causes of delay occur, it is confidently anticipated that this great thoroughfare will be com pleted before the expiration of the pe- riod designated by Congress.
 PENSIONERS.
 During the last fiscal year the amount paid to pensioners, including the ex- penses of disbursements, was Sl3459. 996, and 5O,l77 names were added to the | t1p rnI1c