Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05
lcnNrrsuKn IRON arH PAaH ]

carrying Ave hundred and seven guns, are IN |
squadron service. During the year the number
OF vessels in commission has been reduced |
twelve, and there are thirteen lees on squsdron
duty than there were at the date OF the last re- |
mort A large number OF vessels were com
men red and In the course OF construction When
the terminated, and although Congress mad
made no necessary appropriations lor their
Complt on, the department has either sns'
pended work upon them or limited II TO the
completIuh Of the steam vessels so as to meet
the contracts for machinery made with private
establishments. The total expenditures OF tue
Navy Department for the hscal year ending
june 80, 1851, were $3i, 0Si,0ll. No sppropria-
tions have beenl made or required since the
close of the war for the construction ana re-
pairs Of vessels, for steam machinery, ordnance,
provision and clothing, fuel, hemp, ETC., the
balances under these several heads having been
more than sufficient for current expenditures
II should also be stated 10 the credit OF the de-
partment, that besides asking no appropriation
Tor the above objects for the last two years, the
Secretary Of the Navy on the 30th OF September
last, in accordance with the act OF May l, 1890,
requested the Secretary of the Treasury to car
ry 10 the surplus fund the sum of sixty'hVe mil
lions of dollars, belsg the amount received from
the sales of vessels and other war property, ana
the remnants Of former appropriations.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The repor; Of the Postmaster General shows the
business Of the Post Office Department and tne
condition Of the postal service IN very favorable
light, and the attention Of Congress Is called 10 ITS
practical recommendations. The receipts Of the
department for the year ending June 80, 1867, IN
Guiding al special appropriations for sea and land
service and for free mail matter were sl9,9lSb93;
the expenditures for all purposes were Sl93o1 lSS,
leaving an unexpended balance IN tsyor OF the de-
partment Of s7432l0, which can be applied towards
the expenses ofthe current year. The increase of
the postal revenue, Independent of specific appro-
praton., for the year 1867 over that of 1866, was
SS5004O. The increase of the revenue from the
It,, -,Nnv aWsr1a
The increase Of expenditures for 1867 over those Of
the previous year was owing chiefly to the extern
SION of the land and ocean mail service. During
the past year new postal conventions have been
ratified and exchanged with the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, Belgium, the Meth
urlands, Switzerland, the North German Union,
Italy, and the Colonial Government at Hong
Kong, reducing very largely the rates of ocean and
land postage to and from and within those coun-
tries.
THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The rerdr: Of the Acting Commissioner of Agri-
culture conG~cly presents the condition, wants
and progress Of IN interest eminCntly worthy the
fostering care Of Congress, and exhibits large
measure 81 Useful results achieved during the
wear to which i refers.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
The re.es.ahlishment Of peace at home and the
resumption Of extended trade travel and com
spcrce abroad, have served to increase the number
and variety OF questions in the Department Tor
Foreign Affairs, None Of these questions. how
ever have seriously disturbed our relations with
other State, The Republic of Mexico having been
relieved from foreign Intervention, is earnestly
engaged in effort, establish her constitutional
system u government. good understanding
continues 10 exist between our Government and
the Republics Of IIayti and San Domingo, and our
cordial relations with the Central and South
American states remain unchanged. The tender
made, in conformity with resolution Of Congress
of the good Offices Of the Government with a view
1F f,,Avrr
I'll and her allies one side and Paraguay on the
other. and between Chill and her allies on the one
side and Spain the other, though kindly re-
ceived, has neither case been fully accepted by
the belligeroLtS. The war III the valley Of the
Psrsnd i still vigorously maintained. On the
other hand actual hOStilities between the Pacific
States have been more than a year suspended.
/ shall on any proper occasion that may occur re-
new the conclI@tory recommendations which have
been already made. Brazil, with enlightened Sa-
gaCity and comprehensive statesmanship, has
opened the great channels OF the Amazon and its
tributaries 10 universal commerce. One thing
more seems needful to assure rapid and cheering
progress IL South America | refer TO those peace
full habits without which States and Nations can
not IN this age, well expect material prosperity or
social Advancement.
TIE PARIS EXPOSITION.
The Exposition of Universal Industry at
Paris has passed and seems to have fully real
lied the high expectations OF the French gov
GIUuCUL. que IlltlWhnCc nc UduC lOI INC re-
cent political arrangement of industry here,
the part which the Uuited States has bnT1e in
this exhibition of invention and art, MAY be
regarded win very high satisfaction
STANDARD COIN.
During he Exposition Conference was held
of delegates from several nations, the United
states being one, in which the inconvenience
from the diverse standards of money value
were very fully discussed, and plans were de
Veloped for cst8h ishing, by universal consent
common principle Tor the coinage of gold
These Conference are expected to be renewed
with the stteLdanre Of many foreign States L o.
hitherto represented, report of these inter
esting proceedings viii he submitted to Con
yress, which will no doubt Justly appreciate the
great obiect and he ready to adopt any meas
ures which may tend to facilitate its ultimate
accomplishment,
LEGAL TENDERS.
On the 25:h uf February, 1862, Congress de
Clared by Jaw hat Treasury notes without in
tcrest, authorized by the act, should be lega
tender i'll payment of all ebts, public and pr
waite, within Jne United States. An annual re
mittaucc OF $4,000 less stipulated expenses
aCCrues 20 claimants unyer the convention
made with Spain in 1884. These remittaRces
since the passage of that act, have been paid il
such nOtes, The claimants insist that govern
mrnJ ough' 20 require payment in coin. Tn
subject may be deemed worthy of your attten
tion.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS,
No arrangement has as yet bean reached 70
the settlement of our claims for British deprt
dations upon the con merCe OF the Unite
States. nave felt it my duty to decline tn
proposition OF arbitration made by Her MAZE:
ty's government because it has hitherto bee
accompanied with reservations and Limitation
incompatible with the rights, interest an
honor of our country. II is not 10 be apprC
hen6ed that Great Britain will persist in her re
fusal TO satisfy these inst and reasonable claim
which involves the sacred principle OF non-iH
terventien-a principle hencef0rth not NOR
importan. 20 the United States than to all othe
Commercjs nations.
THE WEST INDIES.
The Wcs, india Islands were settled an
colonizcd by European States Simultaneous
with the settlement and colonization of tn
American continent. Most of the colonies plant
ed here became independent nations at tn
close Ofthr last and the beginning of the presen
century. Our own country embraces Commun
tiles which at one period were colonies Of Grea
Britain, France, Spain, Holland, Sweden an
Russia. The people in the West Indies, wit
the exception OF those in the island of Hayt
have neither tanned nor aspired to indcpcnd
enCc, nor have they become prepared for sell
defense. Although possessing considerable
commercial value, they have been held by tn
several European States which colonized or
some time r0nouerpd them chiefly for DEsDOse