American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-12-15
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
Most of the iron-clad fleet are at
League Island and at the city of


Philadelphia, which, until decisiv
action should be taken by Congress
wassselected by the Secretary of tn
Navy as the most eligible Location
for that class of vessels. 1t is i'm
portant that suitable station shoult
be provided for the iron-clad fleet
1t is intended that these vessels shall
be in proper condition for any emer
gency, and it is desirable that thu
law accepting League Island for M
val purposes which passed the House
of Representatives at it's last session
should have final action at an early
period, in order that we may have {
suitable public station for this class
Of vessels, as we'll as a navy yard Suf
fcient for the wants Of the service
on the Delaware river. The nava
pension fund amounts to 81, 100000
having been increased 100000 dur
ing the year. The expenditures o.
the debt for fiscal year ending 30tll
June last, were $43,324 ,52G, and the
estimate for the coming year amounts
to $23, $685. 36.
Attention is invited to the condi
ton of seamen, and the Importance
of regulative measures for their re-
lief and Improvement. The sugges-
tionsin behalf of this deserving class
OF our fellow-citizens is earnestly re
commended to the attention Of Con
gresS. The report Of the Post Mas
ter General presents most Satistac-
tory condition of the postal service,
and submits a recommendation which
deserves the consideration of Con
grcss. The revenues of the depart.
ment for the year ending June 80,
1866, were $14,3S6,0S6, and the cX-
penditures $1j,352,O79, showing an
access of the latter of $0G5,003. In
anticipation q this deficiency, how
ever, special appropriation was
made by Congress in the act approx
ed July SO, 1866. Including the stand
ing appropriation of 500, 900 for free
mail matter, as a legitimate portion
OF the revenues yet remaining uneX-
pended, the actual deficiency for the
past year is only $3.50, 003-a sum
within SOL, l4l of the amount eSti-
mated in the annual report of 1854.
The decrease OF revenue compared
to the previous year was one and one
fifth 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 We're
in operation six thousand nine hun
dred and thirty mail routes, with an
aggregate length OF one hundred and
eighty thousand nine hundred and
twenty-one miles, an aggregate an
nual transportation OF seycnty-Onc
million eight hundred and thirty
seven thousand and nine hundred
and fourteen miles, and an aggregate
annual cost, including all eXpendi-
lures, of SS,4l0,1Sl. The length OF
railroad routes is thirty-tw thous-
and and ninety-two miles, and the
annual transportation thirty million
six hundred aud ninety thousand
four hundred and siXty-seven miles.
The lcngth Of steamboat routes is
fourteen thousand three hundred and
tortsSix miles, and the anuusl trans
pOfthtion three million four hundred
and eleven ,.t0uSand nine hundred
and siXty-two miles. The mail ser
vice is rapidly increasing throughout
the whole country, and its steady cN-
tension in the Southern States indi-
Gates their constantly improving con
dition. The growing Importance of
the foreign service also merits atten-
ton. The Postoilice department of
Great Britain and our own have
agreed upon u preliminary basiAOr
a new Postal Convention, which It is
believed will prove eminently bene-
fical to the commercial interests Of
the U. States, inasmuch as it con
templates reduction Of the inter
national letter postage to Onc-halfthe
existing rates; q reduction of post
age with all other countries to and
from which correspondent is trans
mitted in the British mail, or incloS-
ed mails through the United King
dom; the establishment of uniform
and reasonable charges for the sea
and territorial transit of correspond
ence in closed mails; and an allow
ance to each Postof1iee Department
of the right to use all mail cOmmuui-
cations established under the author
ity of the other for the dispatch 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.
The report of the Secretary of the
Interior exhibits the condition of
those branches of the public service
which are committed to his super
vision. During the lost fiscal year,
four million six hundred and twenty
nine thousand three hundred and
twelve acres of public land we're dis
posed of, one million eight hundred
and ninety-twO thousand five hun
bred and sixteen acres of which were
entered under the homestead act
The policy originally adopted rela-
tive to the public lands has under
gone essential notifications. Imme-
date revenue, and not their rapid
settlement, was the cardinal feature
of our land system. Long experience
and earnest discussion have resulted
IN the conviction that the early de-
yelopment of our agricultural re-
sources, and the diffusion of an ener-
ppfic nODulation oxar o,,r x-oSf tarti