Smyrna times., 1866-12-12

tinued. 1hus the war expenses have been re-
duced to moderate peace footing, leaving us
still prepared, however, for any emergency
which can possibly arise The present strength
OF the Regular Army is fixed at the nominal
figure OF "a, 302 men but the Secretary does
not state how many of these are actually in SER
vice. Recruiting, however, is going on brisk
ly. Orders have been given to supply all the
troops with breech-loading arms, and the
Springfield rihe-muSket has been altered so
successfully as to render it weapon superior
In all respects to the famous PruSsian needle
gun.
The permanent defenses of the country have
been strengthened and are still being improv-
ed, and work has been actively continued in
the lake surveys and river and harbor improve
ments. The disbursements of the pay depart
ment during the last fiscal year amounted to
$259, ,374, 3l7, and the appropriation required
for the same during the next year is estimated
ut $l7, ,72S, $50.
The information contained in the report re-
specting the working ofthe bureau of refugees,
freedmen, and abandoned lands is meager.-
About l5O, 900 freedmen and their children are
now attending school in the Southern States,
and schools for refugee white children are also
established. The only States in which bureau
courts are still in existence are Virginia, Loui-
slana and Texas. From June l, 1865, to Sept.
!, 1866, %, 4l2,213 rations were issued to des
tltute persons, and the average issue per day
to refugees aud freedmen was 29,Sl9. The
amount OF land now i'll possession of the bu-
reau is %, 23l besides 22S tracts in Tennessee,
OF which the number of acres has not been re-
ported.
The Report of Gen. Grant on the military
operations Of the year is little more than q for
NAL transmission Of the reports of his subordi-
mates.
THE NAVY.
Secretary Welles reports that of the 278 ves-
sells and ., 35l guns now in the Navy, there are
in commission and on duty lis vessels and L.
029 guns. Even for these, we judge, there is
not much necessary occupation, though we
should reluctantly see the squadrons which
bear our flag ON all the seas recalled home and
laid up in ldleness. An army can be disband-
ed and called out again, but ships must be
kept in use to be serviceable, and l63 out of
service are certainly enough for economy
Of these 54 are iron-clads, now slowed away
at League Island, in the Delaware River, fresh
water being considered necessary to their pre-
servation. Mr.. Welles justly considers that
Congress should make some provision for the
safe-keeping Of vessels which have cost the
country several millions of dollars, and we trust
that early in the session depot for iron-clads
will be selected. In time our monitors will be
superseded by better inventions, yet for years
they might safely be trusted to defend our har-
bors against the navies of France and England.
A squadron is maintained in the Gulf, with
as much reference to foreign as to home af-
fairs. These ten vessels patrol the Gulf from
Havana to the Rio Grande, but have had no
occasion for asserting the rights of the United
States. Squadrons have also been sent to
cruise in the waters of Europe, Asia, Africa,
and in the North Atlantic, South Atlantic,
North Pacific and South Pacific Oceans, max
ing i'll all eight squadrons employed to some
extent in exploration and ocean surveying SER
vice.
Among the special subjects which the Re-
port considers is the establishment of Govern
ment shops for the construction Of iron and ar
mored vessels. Mr.. Welles observe that the
want of building-shops, ship-houscs, and dry
docks was o cause OF serious delay during the
whole war.
| Mr.. Welles suggests that bureau should be
established to take charge of the interests Of
our seamen, those of the merchant marine a.
well as of the Navy. We know that the race
of sailors is dying out there are not many oi
those tarry heroes left, who thought the ses
the natural element of man, and regretted tha
so much OF the globe was wasted in dry land
Jack in a tornado exclaimed, Lord how
pities them poor folks on shore" Our sailors
now are half landsmen and in other naves the
service is equally deteriorated.
The aggregate naval pension fund is $ll,
100000, an increase of $2,75O,OO0 The in
come Is more than enough to pay the pensions
now on the roll. The expenditures during tn
year ending June 80, 1866, were s43, 324, ,526
leaving balance of sos, 1861, 1872. The ayaila
! BILE resources for the fiscal year ending Jun
80, 1867, are $ll7, ,944, 060. The appropris
ton asked is $23, SOS, ,436.
REPORT OF THE PosTMAsTER-GFNFRAL.
The Revenues we're $l4, 1868, 1856 81; expeu
ditures, SIS, ,352, ,079 30; the decrease, CON
pared with last year, is | is per cent. In
crease of expenditures II per cent. Numbe
of stamps issued, 347, 734, 325; stamped enve
Opes, 80, 1886, 200. The sales of these in exces
oflast year is $3.50, 765. The increased deman
q for envelopes with printed cards is 66S pc
: cent. There are 6, 1869 contractors; mail route!
$3.50; miles, II, 1877 ,9l4; cost, 81, ,630, Ala; b
rail, 80 2,092, miles; steamboat, IA, 346 miles.
The overland mail to California has been b
st. Louis; now it is by Chicago and Omaha
the shortest time between San Francisco an
: New York was l9 days.
e Tho amount OF postage with foreign cour
: tries is $2,2S9,2l9 30, an increase of ovt
e $400, 900. Arrangements are nearly perfecte
= with Great Britain to reduce the postage frol
"a to II cents, and to admit matters of ever
kind, including samples of goods; also the rigl
IT to transmit, in closed bags or in ordinary mail
l. to other countries with the rate of those couI
/ tries
II The Pacific Mail Steamship Company has
n contract for mail service from San Francisco
W China and Japan once month, via SandwiC
Of Islands, but it is thought great 10 Of tin
ID that in returning they should not come direc
There is free delivery in forty-six cities.
err grows in favor, it increases letters, saves tim
"a trouble and dead letters.
" The number of dead letters was about 4
Of 500, 600; coo, 900 were unmailable for want
ID stamps or address; they contained $244, ,5Sg 9
es of which $22l ,056 l9 were delivered. 0v
a. 1000 contained photographs, jewelry, &c
.. $4,000 were delivered. Two million and h:
N of dead letters have been destroyed.
Il The money orders issued were 243, ,609; valu
$3,977, ,259 %; the average of each was 8
"a 81. Some change is required in the law.
IL is recommended that the clerks in the
.g nartment have additional pay, and clerks
,as posr. offices generally do not get enough. #
ba letter carriers, in particular, earn more, and I
en- en- government can afford to pay more, =
- d.