Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-12-12

naIlOndi call, large armies can De rapidly or
ganized, equipped, and concentrated. Fort
, lhcations on the coast and frontier have re-
} celved. are being prepared for more power
/ ful ornaments; lake surveys and harbor and
river improvements are In course of ener-
} getlc prosecution. Preparations have been
! made for the payment of the additional
bounties authorized during the recent session
of Congress, under such regulations as will
protect the Government from fraud, and Sc
cure to the honorably discharged soldier the
well earned reward of his faithfulness and
gallantry. More than six thousand MANNED
soldiers have received artificial limbs or
other surgical apparatus; and forty-one ma
tional cemeteries, containing the remains Of
l04, 525 Union soldiers, have already been
established. The total estimates of military
appropriations is $25, POS, 669.
1t Is stated IN the report of the Secretary
of the Navy that the naval force at this time
consists of two hundred and seventy-eight
vessels, armed with two thousand three hun
dred and ffty-one guns. Of these, one
thousand and twenty-nine guns, are In COM
mission, distributed chiefly among, seven
squadrous. The number of men In the SER
vice. thirteen thousand six hundred. Great
activity and vigilance have been displayed
by all the squadrons, and their movements
have been judiciously and efficiently arran-
| ged In such manner as would best promote
American commerce, and protect the rights
and interests of our countrymen abroad
The vessels unemployed are undergoing re-
pairs, or are laid up until their services may
be required. Most of the iron-clad feet is
at League Island, in the vicinity of Phila-
delphla, 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 important that suitible public station
should be provided for the iron-clad feet
1t Is intended that these vessels shall be in
proper condition for any emergency, and it
Is desirable that the bill accepting League
Island for naval purposes, which passed the
House OF Representatives at its last session,
should receive final action at an early period, !
| In order that there may be a suitable public |
station for this class of vessels, as well as a
nivy-yard of area sufficient for the wants of
the service, on the Delaware river The |
Naval Pension fund amounts to SlI $50, 900, |
having beed increased 50, $50, 600 during the |
year. The expenditures Of the Department /
for the fiscal year ending 30th June last |
were $43, ,224, 526 and the estimates for the |
coming year amountto $23, SIS, ,436. Atten- |
ton is invited to the condition of our sea-
men, and the importance of Legislative |
measures for their relief and improvement. |
The suggestions In behalf of this deserving |
class of our fellow-citizens are earnestly |
recommended to the favorable attention of |
Congress.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
sents most satisfactory condition of the |
postal service, and submits recommenda-
tons which deserve the consideration of |
Congress Therevenuesof the Department
for the year ending June 80, 1866, were Sl4-
486, 9S6, and the expenditures SIS 352. .0T9.
showing an excess of the latter Of S965. .093 |
In anticipation of this deficiency, however.
special appropriation was made by Con-
gress In the act approved July 2S, 1866 In
Guiding the standing appropriation of $780,
900 for free mail matter as legitimate por-
ton OF the revenues yet remaining unex-
pended, the actual deficiency for the past
year Is only 1866, ,093-a sum within S5l .l4I
OF the amount estimated In the annual re-
port OF 1864. The decrease of revenue COM
pared with the previous year was one and
one-hfth per cent, and the increase of ex-
pendltureS: owing principally to the en-
largement OF the mail service in the South,
was twelve per cent. On the 3Oth 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 hundred and twenty
one miles, an aggregate annual transporta-
tlon OF seventy-one million eight hundred
and thlrty-seven thousand nine hundred and
fourteen miles, an aggregate annual cost
including all expenditures, of S8,4lOI84.-
The length of railroad routes is thirty-two
thousand and nInety-two miles and the an
nual transportation thirty million six hun
dred and nine thousand four hundred and |
sixty-seven miles The length of steamboat
routes is fourteen thousand three hundred
and torty-six miles, and the annual trans
portatlon three million four hundred and
eleven thousand nine hundred and sixty-two
miles. The mail service is rapidly increas-
ing throughout the whole country, and its
steady extension In the Southern States in
dlcates their constantly improving condition
The growing importance of the foreign SER
vice also merits attention. The Post Office
Department of Great Britain and our own
have agreed upon preliminary basis for
new Postal Convention, which it is believed
Will prove emlnently beneficial to the com
merclal interests Of the United States, mas
much as 1t contemplates a reduction of the
international letter postage to one-half the
existing rates, reduction of postage with
all other countries to and from which cor
respondence Is transmitted in the British
mail, or mclosed mails through the United
Kingdom, the establishmentof uniform and
reasonable charges for the sea and territor-
lal transit of correspondence in closed mails,
and an allowance to each Post Office Depart
ment of the right to use all mail communi-
cations established under the authority of
the other for the despatch of correspond
ence, either in open or closed mails, on the
same terms as those applicable to the inhab-
itance of the country providing the means of
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 hundred and twenty
thousand three hundred and twelve acres of
public land were disposed of, one million
eight hundred and ninety-two thousand five
hundred and sixteen acres of which were
entered under the homestead act. The po-
l. IL. i.