Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-12-09

deposited under bolts and bars, while the
people are LETT to endure all the Inconvenience,
sacrifice and decentralization resulting from the
use of deprecated and worthless paper
The Secretary OF the Interior, in his report
gives valuable information in reference to the
interests confded to the supervision of his De.
partment, and reviews the operations Of tho
Land Office, Pension Office, Patent Office, and
the Indian Bureau.
During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868
six million six hundred and ffty-ive thousand
seven hundred acres OF pubic land were dis
posed of. The entire cash receipts of the Gen.
eral Land Office for the same period were 81
632, 745, being greater by $2S4,S83 than the
amount realized from the same sources durino
the previous year. The entries under the home
stead law cover two million three hundred and
twenty-eight thousand nine hundred and tyen-
tythree acres, nearly one fourth OF which was
taken under the act Of July 81 1866, winch an
plies only to the States CT Ala anna, Mis,i.,ip.
pi Louisiana. Arkansas, and Florida
On the Both of June, 1868, one hundred aud
sixty niue thousand six hundred and fort,
three names were borne on the pension roll.
and during the year ending on Jhat day the 10.
tai amount paid Tor pensions, including the ey.
| penses of disbursement, was S2l, 0lO, 9S2 being
| So, 39l ops greater than that expended for TX.
purposes during the preceding year
| During the year ending the 30tn OF Stu,,m
Der last, the expenses Of the Patent Office ey-
cecded the receipts by Sill, and including re-
issues and designs, fourteen thousand one hun
dred and fIty-thrce patents were issued
Treaties with various Indian tribe. bqy.
| been concluded, and will be submitted to the
| Senate for its constitutional action. cordially
| sanction the stipuations which provide ion r..
serving lands for the various tribes, where they
may be encouraged to abandon their nonlde
habits and engage in agricultural and indus.
trial pursuits This policy, uougur1cd maay
wears since, has net with signal success, when.
ever it has been pursued in good faith and wih
becoming libcrality by the United States. the
necessity for extending II a. far as lracictb.a
| in our relations with the aboriginal population
is greater now than at any preceding period
| Whilst we furnish subsistence and instruction
to the Indians, and guarantee The uniIsturbcl
enjoyment CT thor trcayngblS, We should
| habtually insist upon the faithful observance
| Of their agreement % remain %itbln their r.
spectivc reservations. This j. the only mode
| by which collisions with other tribes and with
the whites can be avoided, and the safety oi
our frontier settlements secured.
The MISUNDERSTANDING the railway r,m
| Omaha to Sacramento have been most eneTget
| ically engaged in prosecuting the work, aud II
is believed that the line will be completed BE-.
fore the expiration OF the next fiscal year The
SIX per cent. bonds issued 10 these companies
amounted on the 9Th instant 10 $44,351,OOJ
and additional work had been performed 70 the
extent of So, 200 900.
The Secretary OF the Interior in August las.
invited my attention 20 the rcpOr. Of Govern.
ment director Of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company who had been specially instructed 10
examine the location. construction and equip
ment of their road. | submitted for the opIu-
ion of the Attorney General certain questions
in regard to the authority Of the Executive
which arose upon this report, and those which
had from time 10 time been presented by tie
commissioners appointed to inspec, each sue
cessive section OF the work. After carefully
considering the law Of the case, he affirmed tie
right of the Executive to order, il necessary,
thorough revision Of the entire road Com
missioner5 were threupon appointed to exam
inc this and other lines, and have recently sub
mitted a statement of their Investigations, o!
which the report Of the Secretary oil the Int
rior furnishes specific information.
The report OF the Secretary OF War furnishes
information of interest and importance respect
ing the several bureaus Of the War Depart
ment and the operations Of the army. The
strength OF our military force, on the 3O;h ci
September last, was forty, eight thousand men,
and it is computed that, by the lst Of January
next, this number will lie decreased to forty
three thousand. 1t is the opinion Of the See
rotary Of War that within the next year con
siderable dimnutIOn OF the infantry force may
be made without detrlmcnt to the interests OF
the country and in view OF the great expense
attending the military peace establishments and
the absolute necessity OF retreuchment wherever
it can be applied, 1t is hoped that Congress
will sanction the reduction which his report
recommends. While in 1860 sixteen thousand
three hundred men cost the nation lG,472,-
OOO the sum of 500 GS2 900 is estimated as ne
cessary for the support OF the army during the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1870. The est
mates tor the War Department Tor the last two
fiscal years were, for SGT, $33, Sl44Gl, aud
for 1868 $25, 30j, CSC The actual expend-
lures during the same periods were, rcspectsge-
ly, S95, pa, AS and $l23 2iG CTS. The est,
mate submitted in December last for the fiscal
year ending June so, 1869, was ST. l2b lOG
the expenditures for the frs quarter ending
the 30th of September last, were 2l,2ly,lIh
and the Secretary of the Treasury gives S6t,
900, 900 as the amount which will probably be
required during the remaining three quarters
if there should be no reduction OF the army
making its aggregate c,s. for the year con,id-
erably in excess Of uinctythrce millions. The
difference between the estimates and cEpcndI-
lures for the three fiscal years which haze been
named is thus shown to be &l7j,jf5,545 ior
this single branch of the public service:
The report Of the Secretary OF the Navy eA
hibits the operations Of that Department aud
Of the navy during the year. y considerable
reduction of the force has been effected. There
are torty-two vessels, carrying four hundred
and eleven guns, ia the SIX squadrons which
are established in kiiferent parts Of the world.
Three Of these vessels are returning to the TN
ted States and four are used as storeships IeaN,
ing the actual cruising force thirty five yeSsCls'
carrying three hundred and flty-sIx guns. The
total number of vessels in the navy Is two hun
dred and six, mounting seventeen huadred and
forty three gum. Eighty one vessels Of every
description are in use' armed win six hundred 3i
men in Che service, including apprentices, has
been reduced to eight thousand five hundred