The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-12-12

the iron-clad feet. It is intended
that these vessels shall be in
proper condition for any euergen-
cy, and it is desirable that the Bill
accepting League Island for naval
purposes, which passed the House
of Representatives at it's 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
we'll as a navy-yard Of area sufi-
cient for the want Of the service,
on the Delaware River. The naval
Pension fund amounts to $11, ,T50,-
900, having been increased $780,
900 during the year. The expen-
ditures Of the Department for the
fiscal year ending 30th June last
were S43, ,324,526 and the estimates
for the coming year amount to-
$23, ,5GS, ,436. Attention is invited
to the condition Of our seamen, and
the Importance Of legislative mea-'
sures for their relief and improve
ment. The suggestions in behalf
Of this deservingclass ofour fellow
citizens are earnestly recommended
to the favorable attention of Con-
gress.
POSTAL AFFAIRS. =
The report Of the Postmaster
Gcneralpresentsa most satisfacto-
ry condition Of the postal service,
and submits Recommendations
which deserve the consideration
of Congress. The revenues Of the
Department for the year ending
June 30, 1866, were s14,386, 1886,
and the expenditures $15,352, ,079,
sh, wing an excess Of the latter of
$965.O93. In anticipation Of this
deficiency, however, a special ap-
preparation was made by Congress
in the act approved July 2S;. 1866.
Including the standing appropria-
ton of 100000 for free mail mat
ter, as a legitimate portion Of the
revenues yet remaining unexpend-
ed, the actual deficiency for. the
past year is only s265,093-a sum
within S51, III Of the amount es-
timated in the annual report of
1864. The decrease Of revenue
compared with the previous year
was one and ope-ffth per reeRt,, and
the increase of ofexpenditures, owing
principally to the enlargement of
the mail services in the South, was
twelve per cent. On the Seth Of
June last there were in operation
six thousand nine hundred and
thirty mail routes with an ag-
gregate length ofone hundred and
eighty thousand nine hundred and
twenty-onc miles, an aggregate
annual transportation of seventy-one
million eight hundred and thirty-scven
thousand nine hundred and fourteen
miles, and an aggregate annual cost,
including expenditures, of $8,4f0, 1S4.
The length Of rail road routes is, thirty
two thousand and ninety-two miles, and
the annual transportation thirty million
six hundred aud nine thousand four
hundred and Sixty-seven miles. The
length Of steam boat routes is, fourteen
thousand three hundred and forty-six
miles. and the, annual transportation
three million four hundred and eleven
thousand nine hundred and sixty, two
miles. The mail service is rapidly IN
creasiug throughout the whole country,
and its steady extension in the Southern
States indicates thei1 constantly impr2v'
ing condition. The growing importance
of the foreign service also merits atten-
ton. The Post office Department of
Great Britain and our cwn have agreed
upon preliminary basis for. new
Postal Convention, which it is believed
will prove entinently beneficial to the
commercial interests ofthe United States,
inasmuch as ,contempiates reduction
of the international letter postage to
one half the existing rates; q reduction
of postage with all other countries to and
from, which correspondenceis transmitted
in the British mall. or Iii closed mails
thr ugh the United Kingdom; the es-
tablishment of uniform and reasonable
charges for the sea and territorial transit
Of COZ Irespondence In closed mails; and
an allowance to each Postoffice Depart
ment Of the right to use all mail COM
munications established under the au
thority of the other for the dispatch of
correspondence, either in open or closed
mails, on the same terms as, those ap'
plicable to the inhabitants of the country
providing the means of Transmission:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:
The report of the Secrettay 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 millions six hun
dred and twenty-nine 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 en-
tered under the Homestead Act.
The policy originally adopted re-
lative to the public lands has un-
dergone essential notifications.
Immediate revenue, and not their
rapid settlement, was the cardinal
feature of our land system. Long
experience and earnest discussion
have resulted in the conviction
+ha+ the ear1v develODment of our