Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-12-11

by all the SQuaQfOnS, ana their movements nave
been judiclously and efficiently arranged in such
manner as would best promote American com
merce, and protect the rights and interests od
our countrymen abroad The vessels unem-
ployed are undergoing repairs, or are laid up
until their services may be required. Most OF
the iron-clad feet is at League Island, in the
vicinity Of Philadelphia, 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 yes
sels It is important that suitable public sta
tion should be provided for the mon-clad feet.
1t is intended that these vessels shall be in prop
er condition for any emergency, and it is desi-
rable that the bill accepting League Island for
naval purposes, which passed the House of Rep
resentatives at its last session, should receive f.
nal action at an early period, in order that there
may be suitable public station for this class OF
vessels, as well as a navy-yard of area sufficient
for the wants OF the service, on the Delaware
river. The naval pension fund amounts to $11-
10000, haying been increased So, 10000 du-
ring the year The expenditures of the Depart
ment for the fiscal year ending 30th of June
last were $43, 324 ,526, and the estimates for the
coming year amount to $23, SOS, ,436. Attention
is invited to the condition of our seamen, and
the Importance of legislative measures for their
relief and Improvement The suggestions in
behalf of this deserving class Of our fellow-citi
zens are earnestly recommended to the favora-
bic attention of Congress.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
The report of the Postmaster General pre-
sents most satisfactory condition of the postal
service, and submits recommendations which
deserve the consideration of Congress. The
revenues of the Department for the year ending
June 80, 1866, were $l4, 1856, ,986, and the ex-
penditures SIS, ,352,079, showing an excess of
the latter $965,093. In anticipation of this de-
fciency, however, special appropriation was
made by Congress In the act approved July %,
1866. Including the standing appropriation of
800, 900 for free mail matter, as a legitimate
pended, the actual deficiency for the past year
is only 1886, ,O93-a sum within $5l III of the
amount estimated in the annual report of 1864
The decrease of revenue compared with the pre-
vious year was one and one-ffth per cent, and
the increase of expenditures, owing principally
to the enlargement of the mail service in the
South, was twelve per cent. On the 30th 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 transportation of seventy
one million eight hundred and thirty seven
thousand nine hundred and fourteen miles, and
an aggregate annual cost including all expendi-
routes is thirty-two Thousand and ninety-two
miles, and the annual transportation thirty mil
lion six hundred and nine thousand four hun
dred and sixty-seven miles. The length of
steamboat routes is fourteen thousand three
hundred and forty-six miles, and the annual
transportation three millioo four hundred and
eleven thousand nine hundred and sixty-two
miles. The mail service is rapidly increasing
throughout the whole country, and its steady
extension in the Southern States indicates their
constantly improving condition. The growing
importance Of the foreign service also merits at
tention. The Post Office Department of Great
Britain and our own have agreed upon a pre-
liminary basis for new postal convention,
which it is believed will prove eminently bene-
fetal to the commercial interests of the United
States, inasmuch as it 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 cores
pondence is transmitted in the British mail, or
in closed mails through the United Kingdom !;
the establishment of uniform and reasonable
charges for the sea and territorial transit Of cor
respondence in closed mails and an allowance
to each post Office department of the right to
use all mail communications established under
the authority of the other for the despatch Of
correspondence, either in open or closed mails,
on the same terms as those applicable to the
inhabitants of the country providing the means
of transmission.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior
exhibits the condition of those branches of the
public service which are committed to his su-
pervision. During the last fiscal year four mil
lion six hundred 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 entered under the home
stead act. The policy originally adopted rela-
tive to the public lands has undergone essential
notifications. Immediate revenue, and not
their rapid settlement, was the cardinal feature
of our land system. Long experience and ear
nest discussion have resulted in the conviction
that the early development of our agricultural
resources, and the diffusion of an energetic pop
ulation over our vast territory, are objects OF far
greater importance to the national growth and
prosperity than the proceeds of the sale of the
land to the highest bidder in open market
The pre-emption laws confer upon the pioneer
who complies with the terms they impose the
privilege of purchasing limited portion of sun
offered lands at the minimum price. The
homestead enactments relieve the settler from
the payment of purchase money, and secure
him permanent home, upon the condition of
residence for term of years. This liberal pol
icy invites emigration from the Old, and from
the more crowded portions of the New World
Its propitious results are undoubted, and will
be more signally manifested when time shall
have given to it a wider development.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Congress has made liberal grants of public
land to corporations, in aid of the construction
of railroads and other internal Improvements ts-
Should this policy hereafter prevail, more strin-
gent provisions will be required to secure a
faithful application Of the fund.- The title to
the lands should not pass, by patent or other
wise, but remain in the Government and sub
ject to its control until some portion of the road
has been actually built Portions of them might
then, from time to- time, be conveyed to the
corporation, but never in greater ratio to the
whole quantity embraced by the grants than
the completed parts bear to the entire length of
the projected improvement. The restriction
would not operate to the prejudice of any un-
dertaking conceived in good faith and executed
with reasonable energy as it is the settled prac-
tice to withdraw from market the lands falling
within the operation of such grants, and thus
exclude the inception of subsequent adverse
right A breach of the conditions which Con-
gress may deem proper to impose should work
forfeiture Of claim to the lands so withdrawn
but unconveyed, and Of title to the lands con-
veyed which remain unsOld.
PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Operations on the several lines of the Pacific
railroad have been prosecuted with uneXamped