The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1868-12-17

three millions. The difference be-
tween tho estimates aud expenditures
for the three years which have bcon
named is thus shown to be Sl75,>
5I5,3l3 for this single branch Of the
public service
TuR NAVY oPPIcg.
Tho report of the Secretary Of the
Navy exhibits the operations Of that
Department aud Of the Navy during
tho year. A considerable reduction
Of tho forco has bceu Effected
There are forty two vessels carrying
four hundred and eleven guns in the
six sqaadrous which are established
in diIorcnt parts Of the world
Three of these vessels are returning
to the United States, aud four are
used as storo.ships, leaving the actual
cruising force thirty -dyo vessels,
carrying three hundred aud iity-six
guns. Tho total number of vessels
in the navy is two hundred and six,
mounting seventeen hundred aud
forty-throo guns. Eighty.one vcs-
sells of every description are in use,
armed with six hundred aud niucty-
six guns. The number of enlisted
men in tho service, including ap-
prcnticcs, has boon reduced to eight
thousand FIVE hundred. An increase
of navy yard facilities is recommend.
cd MS measure which will, in the
event Of war, bo promotlvo Of ocono-
my and security. A moro thorough
aud systematic survey of the North
Pacific Ocean is advised in view of
our recent acquisitions, our expand-
ing commerce, and the increasing in
tercourso between tho Pacific States
aud Asia. Tho Naval Pension fund,
which consists of moicty Of prizes
captured during the war, amounts to
Sl4, 100000.
Exception is taken to tho act Of
the 23d OF July last, which reduces
the interest ON the fund loaned to the
Government by tho Secretary, as
trustee, to three per cont. ins stead Of
six per cont. which was originally
stipulated when tho Investment was
made. An amendment Of tho pension
law is suggested to remedy omissions
and defects in existing cnactmcnts.--
Tho expenditures Of tho Department
during the last fiscal year were S2O,-
120,39I, aud tho estimates far the
coming year amount to S20,993,3l4.
TuR PosT oPPIox.
The PostmastersGouoral's report
furnishes y full and clear exhibit OF
the operations and condition of the
postal service. Tho ordinary postal
revenue for the fiscal yoar ending
June Both, 1868, was 1922 600,
aud the total expenditures, embrac>
ing all the service for which special
appropriations have been made by
Congress, amounted to 22,730,5 ,592,
showing an excess of expenditures
tho amountof Sc, 1891, deductiug
appropriations for ocean steamships
from the expenditures The the sum of
| 81 ,99G, ,255 aud other special service,
the excess of the expenditure was
e4,5f1 ,466. BY using an uneHpended
balance in the treasury So, 500 900,
tho actual sum for which a special APP
preparation is required to meet
the deficiency is S74l ,466. The causes
which'produced this lkrge excess Of
expenditures over revenue were tho
restoration of service in the insurgont
States, and the putting into opera
ton of new services established by
Congress, which amounted, within
the last two years and half to about
48,700 miles, equal to more than one
third Of tho whole amount of the
service at the close of the war. New
postal conventions with Great Britain,
North Germany, Belgium, the Net
herlands, Switzerland and Italy, re
spectively, have been carried into
effect. Under their provisions i'm
portant improvements have resulted
in a reduced ratio of international
postage and enlarged mail faoillies
with European countries, The cost
of the United States transatlantic
ocean mail service since January lst,
1868, has been largely lessOncd uu-
dor tho operations Of these new con-
ventions, reduction of ovor one
half having been effected under the
new arrangement Of ocean mail steam
ship service which won't into effect on
| that date. The attention of Congress
is invited to the practical suggestions
and recommendation made in his re-
port by tho Postmaster General.
ooRDIALITY WITH FOREIGN NATIONS.
No important question has occurred
during the last year in our accustom-
ed cordial and friendly intercourse
with Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Honduras, San Salvador, France,
Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, POr-
tugal, the Netherlands, Denmark,
Sweden, and Norway, Rome, Greece,
Turkey. Persia. Egypt, Liberia, Mo-
rocco, Tripoli, Tunis, Muscat, Siam,
Boroeo, aud Madagascar. Cordial re-
lations have also been maintained
with the Argentine and Oriental Re-
publics.
THE PARAGUAY MATrEK.
Tho expressed wish of Congress
that our national good Offices might
be rendered to those republics, and
also to Brazil and Paraguay, for
bringing to an end the calamitous
war which has so long boon raging in
the valley OF La Plata, has been ass
, siduously complied with and kindly
t acknowledged by all the beligerents
: That important negotiation, however
J; has thus far been without result
. Charles A. Washburn. late United
: States Minister to Paraguay, having
Q resigned, and being desirous to re.
7 turn to the United States, the Rea