The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-12-16
Fl NAVY OFFICE.

THE NAVY OFFICE.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy exhibits the operations of that
Department and of the Navy during
the year. A considerable reduction
of the force has been effected. There
are forty-two vessels carrying four
hundred and eleven guns in the six
squadrons which are esta lishcd in DIFF
terent parts of the world. Three of
these vessels are returning to the Uni
ted States, and four are used as store
ship, leaving the actual cruising force
t~hirty-6ve vessels, carrying three hun
dred and fifty-six guns. The total
number of vessels in the navy is two
hundred and fo%rty-three guns. Eighty
one vessels of every description are in
use, armed with six hundred and nine
ty-six guns. The number of enlisted
men in the service, including appren-
tees, has been reduced to eight thou
sand five hundred. An increase of
navy yard facilities is recommended
as a measure which will, in the event
of war, be promotive OF economy and
security. A more thorough ard sys-
tematic survey of the North Pacific
Ocean is advised in view of our recent
acquisitions, u expanding commerce,
and the increasing intercourse between
the Pacific States and Asia. The ma
val Pension Fund, which consists of a
moiety of prizes captured during the
war amounts to Sl4,O0U,000.
Exception is taken to the act of 23d
July last, which reduces the interest
on the fund loaned to the Government
by the Secretary, as trustee, to three
per cent. instead OF six per cent. which
was originally stipulated when the in
vestment was made. An amendment
of the pension laws is suggested to
remedy omissions and defects in exist
ing enactments. The expenditures of
the Department during the last fiscal
year were $50, 120,39I, and the esti-
mates fer the coming year amount to
$50, 963,314
TIE POST OFFICE.
The Postmaster Generals report
furnishes a full and clear exhibit OF
the operations and condition of the
postal service, The ordinary postal
revenue. for the fiscal year ending
June 30th, 1868, was $16, 1892, 600,
and the total expenditures, embracing
all the services for which special APP
preparations have been made by Con
gress, amounted to 500, 100, 592, show
ing an excess of expenditures of S.
437 ,991 ; deducting from the expcndi-
amount of appropriations for ocean
steamship and other special service,
excess Of expenditures was S4,541,-
466. BY using an unexpended bal
ance in the treasury Of SO, 800, U0u,
the actual sum for which a special ap-
preparation is required to meet the
deficiency is s741, 466. The causes
which produced this large excess o.
expend lures over revenue were the
restoration of service in the late insur-
gent States, and the putting into oper-
alton of new service established by
acts Of Congress, which amounted,
within the last two years and q halt,
to about So, 700 miles. equal to more
than one-tlird of he whole amount o.!
| the service at the close of the war.
New postal conventions with Great
| Britain, North Germany, Belgium,
| the Netherlands, Switzerland and TIA
", respectively, have been carried in
to effect. Under their provisions i'm.
portant improvements have resulted
in q reduced rate of international post
age and enlarged mail facilitlss with
European countries. The cost o.
the United States transatlantic ocean
mail service since January 1st, 1868;
has been largely lessened under the
operation of these new conventions, =
reduction of over one-half having beer
effected under the new arrangement
of ocean mail steamship service which
vent into effect on that date. The at
tention of Congress is invited to tn,
pratical suggestions and recommend
atoms made in his report by the Post
master General.
CORDIALLY WITH FoREIGN NATIONS
No important question has occurred
during the last year IN our accustomed
cordial and friendly intercourse with
Costa Rica, Guatemala. Honduras,
San Salvador France Austria, Bel
GUM, Switzerland, Iortgusl, the Ne
ther lands, D n mark, Sweden and
Norway, Rome, Greece, Turkey, Per
sia, Egypt, Liberia, Morocco, Tripoli,
Tuni., Muacat, Siam, Borneo, and
Madagas- car. Cordial relations have
also been maintained with the Argen-
tine and Oriental Republics.
THE PARAGUAY MATTER.
The 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 been raging in the valley
of the La Plata, has been a%ssiduously
Compiled with and kindly acknowledged
by all the beligerents. That important
negotiation, however, hes thus far been
without result. Charles A. Washburn,
late United States Minister to Para
quay, having resigned and DESTROYS to
to the United States, the Rear
Admiral commanding the South At
lantic Squadron IA early directed to
send a ship of wal to Ascension, the
of Paraguay, to receive MIR.
and his family and remove
them from a situation which was re-
presented to be endangered by faction
and foreign war. The Brazilian COM I
nander of the allied invading forces
permission to the "N asp" to
pass through the blockading forces, =