Indiana American., 1868-12-18
TERMS or Aov EkTrsiNo

uniess esrfionlsf tim 10 rrsest<t vks7 kae4-
Cd In, sdssftisrmsh's vii ~ psb.sksS safii ss-
dsfsd ost snd sLsis ssd sssofdaxig.
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ed 10 examine this aud other lines. snd
have itoeplly submitted statement Of
their Investigations, Of shieh the report
OF The Secretary oi the Ipisrior furnishes
specific Information. .r
ina Wan DEPARTMENT.. = cd
The rerou Of tho secsessfy Of wsr
contains Information Of iatsrsst aud in-
pcr,snes respecting The several buwsas ef
the War Department snd The operations
OF the army. The strength Of osr Mill
tsry force On the 3o,h Of September isrs
Was ~ 600 men, aud II is computed fhss
this number will be decreased 10 3oOo.
IL is the opinion Of the Secretary of War
that whhin the nest year siderable
diminutIon Of the inisntry force may be
made without detriment 20 the interesl cf
The eonntry. and In viss Of the Rrsstlex.
pense attending the military peace s~tsb-
iishmeni aud the absolute necessity of re-
trenchment, wherever u eau be applied "
IL hoped that Congress wilt sanction the
ruduetion which his report feeommends.f
10 Az 900, the sam ~ 81, Gh2 900 IL ssfiaia-
isd ss lressssfy Tor The ssppou of ihe stly
during tie dscal year ending June 30, 1870.
Tie ss'imHles OF the War Department for The
last iwn b.eal years we're, for 1907, as6itf
sGl, and for l6Cs. 26 2V5,ce9 Tho sexual
expenditures. dering tho sAms rssiods we're
resp oliveiy " 22i AIS, and Ia 80, ,6<s. The
rslin,als submitted ~ December last, lar tie
hseai ysar .nding Jaue 30, 1863. ~ss TIARA.
7Os The Expenditures Tor shu hist quarter
ruding he sob VI sfpltmber lRsi, we're 2I,.
2ig III aud lhs Secretary oi lbs Treasury
gives 81 0OO. 900 as ihe amount ~hich will pro
badly be rqeifsd deting the remaining three
i qusrers, u lhefe should be no reduclon Of
the army, mskiHg iis aggregate cost Zoe ,hs
,.ar ,oesldsIAbly "a excess of ~. .00Q, 600
The difference beiwtsn the estimates aud ss.
I psnditstes tor the three hacA yrsrs. vhich
have been nAmrd, is,hus shows 10 be i75.
5l5 3i3 Tor lhss angle branch " public ser
vice. ~
rnr NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The Report Of the Secretary Of the Navy
exhibi,s the operations Of that department.
aud Of the navy during the year. A con.
siderable reduction Of the force has been
effected There are foriy-two vessels,
carrying Ill guns, In the six squadrons,
which are established in different parts Of
/ the world Three OF these vessels are re-
turning to the United States aud four are
used Us store ships, leaving the actual
cruising force thirty five vessels, carrying
800 gum. lhe total number OF vessels in
tie navy is 201, mounting ] 143 guns,
Eighty one vessels Of every escription
are ia use, armed with Cos guns The
/ l..
cluding apprentices, has been reduced 10
5000 An increase Of navy yard facilities
Is recommended ~ . measure which will
IN the event of war bc ?romoiiye Of ecoa-
! omy aud security, A more thorough and
systematic survey Of tho North Pacife
Ocean is sj,hed, In view OF our recent se-
QUESTION, our expanded commerce and the
Increasing intercourse between the Pscihc
States aud Aria. The naval pension fund
which consist offs moisty Of the sysils Of
prises captured during the war, amounts
10 4,oOO,o0O. f.at - 1adf.s
Exception is taken to the acts Of the
23d OF July last which reduces the interest
on the fund loaned to the government by
the Secretary ~ trustee, TO 3 per cent, in
stead OF per cent, which war originally
stipulated when the investment Was made.
An amendment Of the pension laws Is
suggested ~ remedy omissions and defecis
ia existing ensctmcuts. The expepdi-
tures Of the depsrImenf during the last
fiscal year we're 20. l2O, ,394, aud the esii-
mates for the coming year amount TO 2O,-
993,3l4. m,. e. o.
THE POST OFFICE. i.fas
The Postmaster General report furnishes
Ms full aud clear exhibit of The operations snd
condition a. the postal service. The otdnsry
postal revenue for The fiscal yesr ending Jubs
3Oh, 1868 MAS C,29g QUO aud the iolal sx-
pendnu urss, embracing all the service iof pLich
seccisl appropriations have hesp made by Con-
gress, amounted 10 ~, 730,592. shosine an ex-
cess oI tsp' ndiIures Of G,437. .9yl. Deduct
ing from the expenditures the sum Of 1896
525, the amounr OF appropriate. MS Tor ocean
sleams ships aud other special service, the sx-
cess OF eX .sndltures was 4,5il 400 By using
an unex ended balance IN the Treasury sf
3 SOC, 900 40 The iual sum for which spec
isl appropriation Is rrquir q meet the de-
/ ieleuey, Is IA zGG. The canses which pro,
duted this large ,xcess Of expenditure over
revenue srrc The restoration OF service IN the
late iEsurgenl States AMI the putting into Ops
erallon 81 The bew service established by acts
Of Congtess, winch had amounted wiihia the
last Two ears aud half 10 about "a, 100 miles,
equal TO more than oBe-ihud Of the whole
alnUnnl oi ibe stsslce At the close OF the war.
New postal conventions with Great
Britain, North Germany, Belgium. Tho
Netherlands, Switzerland aud Italy, re-
speetisely have been carried into oifect
Under their provisions important improve.
menls have resu, Q 4 in rec uced raies Of in-
teruslional postage aud enlarged. facilities
With European countries. Tie eOsi of tho
i United States Trans Atlantic ocean msa
,sryios since January J. 1868, has been
largely ie..eLed under the operation Of
these ,.w cUo,eDtiuns, reduciion Of over
one hall having been Effected under the
F. ucw arrangement for ocean mail steamship
service, which went Into effect ca that date.
The attention oi Congress rs Invited 90
the practical suggestions aud rseoplmenda-
lions made in this repor, BY tie Posimss,
ter General. tnrsga
fsl ovR PORTION RELATIONS. s6f
No important question has oecsrred
during the last Year ia our scc1stonaea
cordial aud friendly intercourse With Costa
Rics, Guatema Ia, Honduras San Salvador,
France, Ausra, Belgium. Swiiserlapd,
Portugal, tie Netherlands. Den marx.
sweden aud Norway, Rome, Greece,