Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-01-06

Interior explains the condition ul
the publjc lands, the transactions Of
the Patent Office and the Pension
Bureau, the management OF our In
dian atlnirs, the progress made IN
tho construction Of the Pacific Rail
road, and furnished information in
reference TO matters Of local inter
crest in the District Of CoiunGia,-
1t also presents evidence Of thc sue
roeSiul operation Of tho Homestead
Act, under the provisions OF which
l,lGO,535 acres OF the public lands
were entered during tho last fiscal
ycar--more than ono-tourth the
whole number Of acres sold or 9TH
crwisc disposed Of during that pc
riod. it is estimated that the re-
ccipts derived from this source aHo
sufficient to'coycr the expenses IN
cidcnt to the survey and disposal Of
the lands entered under this Act,
and that payments in cash to the OK
tent of from forty TO fifty per cent,
will DO made by settlers, who may
thus at any time acquire title before
tho expiration Of the period at
which it would otherwise vest. The
homestead policy WAS established
only after long and earnest resis-
lance; oXperincc proves its wisdom,
The lands. in the hands Of indus
trious settlers, whose labor creates
wealth and contributes TO the pub
lie resources, are worth more TO the
United States than if they had been
reserved az n solitude for future pur-
chGscrs.
The iamentablc events Of the last
four years, and the sacrifices made
by the gallant men Of our Army
and Navy, have swelled the records
Of tho Pension Bureau to an unpre-
cedentcd extent. On the goth day
of June last, the total number Of
pensioners was SIS, 986, requiring for
their annual pay, exclusive Of ex-
penses, tho sum Of SO, ,445. The
number Of applications that have
been allowed since that date willre-
quire a large increase Of this amount
for the fiscal year. The means for
the payment Of the stipends due,
under existing laws to our disabled
soldiers and sailors, and to the fam
lilies Of such as have persisted in the
service of the country, will no doubt
be checrfully andpromptly granted.
4 grateful people will not hesitate
to sanction any measure having for
their object the relief Of soldiers
mutilated and families made father
less in the efforts to preserve our
national existence.
The report Of the Postmaster
General presents an encouraging
exhibit of the operations Of the
Post Oilico Department during the
year. The Revenues of the past
year from the loyal States alone,
exceeded the maximum annual re-
ceipts from all the States previous
to the rebellion, in the sum Of &c.
03S,091 and the annual average
increase Of revenue during the last
four years, compared with the reye-
nues of the four years Immediately
preceding the rebellion, was So,
533,S45. The revenues Of the last
fiscal year amounting to S14,556,-
1868, and the expenditures TO 1864,
72S, leaving q surplus Of receipts
over expenditures of 1851 ,430. Pro
nress has been made in restoring
the postal service in the Southern
States. Tho views presented by
the Postmaster General against the
policy of granting subsidies to
ocean mail steamship lines upon cs-
tablishcd routes, and in favor Of
continuing the present, system,
which limits the compensation fol
ocean service to The postage earn
ings, are recommended to the care,
FIJI consideration Of Congress,
1t appears, from the report of the
Secretary of the Navy, that while,
at the commencement Of the pres
ent, year, there were in commission
$50 vessels of all classes and des-
criptions, armed with 1900 guns
and manned by $1,000 men, the
number of vessels at present in
commission is III, with $50 guns
and 12,l2S men. BY this prompt
reduction Of the naval forces the
expenses of the Government have
been largely diminished, and a num-
Der Of vessels, purchased for naval
purposes from the merchant marine,
have been returned to the peaceful
pursuits of commerce. Since the
suppression Of active hostilities our
foreign squadrons have been re-es-
tablished, and consist Of vessels
much more efficient than those en-.
ployed on similar service previous
to the rebellion. The suggestion
for the enlargement of the navy
yards, and especially for the cstab.
lishment of one in fresh water foI
iron-clad vessels, is deserving Of
consideration, as ia also the recon-
mendation for a different location
and more ample grounds for the
Naval Academy.
In the report Of the Secretary OF