The national Republican., 1866-12-04

hs s,snort Of 1885, that until revenue system is
faIly revised and adjusted to the financial sitda-
ti,n Of the country, this subject should not DC
p,aced beyond the control Of Congress, but should
Be left to concurrent legislation and such regula-
tions as the Treasury Department may be author
lied by law to prescribe. Another reason for ar
rangements thus flexible Is presented by the uncer-
tainty Of tho political situation Of British America
The scheme Of confederation, which proposes to
transfer questions Of revenue and external trade
to n single centra, authority has not beon adopted
and the opposition to the measure may prevail
with the new ministry Of England, either to mod
ify materially the terms Of the Quebec convention,
or TO subject the whole measure to the hazards of
A popu,ar vote In the Provinces. However the
political problem may be solved, 1t Is not un-
likely tha; when the United States shall have sim
plifed existing methods, and reduced existing
rates Of taxation, so as to receive the largest
amount Of revenue with the least burden to indus
try British America will be prepared to undertake
n system Of public improvements along the ehan.
mel Of the St Lawrence and through Northwest
British America to the Pacific coast, which, by
the financial necessities attending Its adoption and
the administration OF . federal government will
suggest q Zollverein, or a complete assimila-
tion Of excise and custom duties on each side OF
the northern frontier. At present, inaction upon
this subject would appear to be the true policy Of
the United States.
Under the authority conferred by Congress atits
last session, the Marine Hospital at Burlington,
Vt, Mt Charleston, s. G., and at Cincinnati Ohio,
have been sold, and proceedings have been taken
to dispose Of others not required for service when
II shall be found possible to obtain fair prices for
them.
A sale has also been effected Of the marine hos
pital at Chelsea, Mass. on satisfactory terms.
The new hospital building at Chelsea. and that at
Cleveland, Ohio, have received such additions ana
repairs as were necessary to put them in servicea'
BILE condition, and marine patients within practi.
cable reach Of them have been gathered there Tor
treatment.
A similar plan Of concentrating the patients at
prominent points has been far as practicable pur.
sued throughout the country, by which, together
with a rigid adherence to the fundamental princi.
pies on which relief should be afforded, the ex.
penses Of the establishment Of the Northern States
have been materially reduced, although the en-.
larged demand for hospital privileges at the South
consequent upon the reopening Of that section to
commerce, in connection with the very exorbitant
prices prevailing there, will cause the total eI
pendtures to be somewhat increased. 1t shoped,
however that this increase will be attended by
corresponding addition 10 the collection of taxes
from the seamen.
The revenue cutters on the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts and on the lakes have been diligently and
usefully employed in preventive service during tho
last year.
1t was found inexpedient to SELL as authorized by
Congress at its last session. the vessels heretofore
reported as unsuitable for the cutter service, with
the exception Of the Cuyahoga, the largest Of the
class which has been offered for sale but has not
yet been disposed of) until their places should be
supplied by others. Consequently they have been
kept on active duty, and will not be withdrawn
until the small sailing vessels, eight in number,
which have been recently contracted for shall be
completed they expected to be, in the course
of two or three months. So soon as these can be
assigned to duty the others will be withdrawn and
sold.
On the % day of August last, in accordance with
the provision contained in the civil appropriation
act, approved on the 2sth Of July 1856, Mr.. J.
Ross Browne was appointed a special commissioner
to collect reliable statistical information concerning
the gold and silver mines Of the states and Terri
tories west Of the Rocky Mountains and on the 18th
day Of September last Mr.. james W. Taylor was
appointed a commissioner to perform the same
work in the States and Territories east Of the
mountains Their preliminary reports have not yet
been received but it is expected that they will be
in season to be laid before Congress early in the
session. The well-known energy Of these gentle
men and their familiarity with the subject Of mines
and mining leads the Secretary to expect that
their Investigations will be thorough and their full
reports interesting and valuable. copy of the
instructions (which contain outline Of the duties
devolved upon lhem) accompanies this report.
On the 81 day of June last Mr. John Jay Knox,
a clerk in this Departm ment, u gentleman OF excel
lent Judgment and business habits was sent to Cali
fornia to examine into the condition Of tho min
and of the Office Of the Assistant Treasurer in Sal
Francisco and to look after some other matters il
that quarter of interest to this Department. Hi
report contains SO many valuable suggestions thai
1t has been thought advisable to append it to the
report of the Director Of the Mint Particular at
tenon is requested to that part of 1t which refers
to assay offices and their inutility in remote dis
tricts IT, as he concludes, the business of assay
ing can, not only without detriment but with posi-
tive advantage to the mining interest, be left
entirely to private enterprise where there are nj
established mints, the Government should be dis
connected from II in such districts without delay.
The Statistical Bureau, authorized by the ac
entitled IAN act to protect the revenue and TO
other purposes,' approved July Is, 1865, was or
panjzed on the 9TH day Of September last, by th,
appointment of Mr.. Alexander Delmar as Director
MIR Delmar dcservedy enjoys high reputation a
n statistician, and it is expected that, under hi
direction, this Bureau will be of great benefit t.
this Department and to the country
After puttingin proper condition the numerou
books relating to commerce and navigation, whicl
have been transferred to this Bureau, the Directo
will prepare reliable statistics of tho resources o
the country and the extent to which they are benl
developed. Monthly reports Of imports and ex
ports taxes, imposts, wages, products, and market
will also be regularly prepared, and every mean
employed to ascertain the progress Of population
and industry. The Secretary is happy to be abl
to state, although little more thau two month
have ella Jsed since the Bureau was organized thn
good progress has been made in the work devolve
upon IL
The work under the Coast Survey has been prose
cuted during the past year with accustomed energy
ard its operations have been recommended on th
terrupted. The Importance Of these surveys wa
fully established during the recent civil war, an
they cannot fail to be Of constantly increasing valu
to commerce. The work is steadily advancin
towards completion, and the Secretary recommen(
for it the proper unnecessary appropriations.
For the detailed operations OF the Mint an
branches, respectfully refer to the report Of tt
Director Of the Mint.
The total value of the bullion deposited at th
Mint and branches during the fiscal year was S3S
9i7, 1856 So Of which S37, ,223. G4O.17 was in gol
and 81 1923, Jl6 II in silver. Deductng the red,
posits, the amount of actual deposits is $3l,9l
7l92i.
The coinage for the year was in gold coin, s2S
3l3,944 80; gold bars, 80, lis 4s5 46i silver coir
$3.50 264 5O silver bars, SOL l6, 3S2 OSj cents coined
one, two, three, and fve-cent pieces, S646, ,57(
Total coinage, 500, ,640 40. Total bars stamped
SlO,0Sl, s675 so.
The gold deposits, Of domestic production, were
at Philadelphia So sl5. .6l6,34 San Francisco
Sl7436 49, New York. SS,557 664; Denve
Sl60,9S2 "a. The silver deposits were, at Phil
delphia, S56, sl San Francisco, S623, G62 q
New York S2l3 4sl
The gold and silver deposits Of foreign productio
were 81, ,047, ,674.76.
The amount Of gold coined at Philadelphia W,
$40, O98, Gas; at San Francisco, SIS, ,2l7, ,8OO
silver, at Philadelpha $500, ,3l4 so; at San Fral
N. nFh nd MI nj anil