The weekly Arizona miner., 1869-12-25

should be such, by the beginning or the next ns- cal year, us to admit Of greater contraction oi troops inc appropriation asked for will not be ex. pended The appropriation estimates for river and harbor Improvements, and for forthcatiOns are submitted separately. Whatever amount Con- gress may deem proper to appropriate TOT these purposes will be expended.
 The recommendation of the General of the Army that appropriations be made for the fons at Boston, Portland, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and san Francisco, 1T for no other, Is concurred In. also ask your special attention to the recommendation Of the General cominaid- ing the military division of the Pacific for the sie of the seal islands of St. Paul and St. George in Alaska Territory; and l suggest thnt it either be complied with, or that legislation be had for he protection of the seal fisheries, from which rev. enue should be derived.
 The report of the Secretary of War contairs synopsis of the reports of the Heads of Bureaus, of the Commanders Of Military Divisions, ant of the Districts Of Virginia, Mississippi, and Tens and the report of the General of the Army in fill, and the recommendations therein contained, have been well considered and are submitted for ytur action. l, however, call special attention to ihe recommendation of the Chief or Ordnance For the sale of arsenals and lands no longer usefulto the Government; also to the recommendation Of the Secretary of War. that the Acs of March !, 1869, prohibiting promotion and appointments n the staff corps Of the army, be repealed. The d- tent of country to be garrisoned, and the numtfr of military posts to be occupied, Is the rule wth a reduced army as with a large one. The numser of staff officers required Is more dependent upon the latter than the former condition.
 NAVAL AFFAIRS.
 The report of the Secretary of the Navy, ac- companying this, shows the condition of the Ntvy when this Administration came into office md the changes made since. Strenuous efforts have been made to place many vessels in comnis. sion, render them it for service If required, as soon possible, and to substitute the sail or steam while cruising; thus materially reducing | .N.l al..4.. its efficiency. Looking to our future, libenll, though not extrayagant, policy toward this braIrh | of the public service is desirable.
 THE POST OFFICE.
 The Postmaster General furnishes n clear and | comprehensive exhibit of the operations of Ihe | postal service, and of the financial condition of | the Post Office Department The ordinary postal | revenues for the year ending the Both of June | 1869, amount to Sl,SA, 400 10, and the expend- lures to s2 3S69l3 10, showing an excess of ex- | penditures over receipts of $5, 5,353,620. The ex- cess of expenditures over receipts for the prcy- ous year amounted to s6, ,437 999. The increase of revenues for 1853 over those Of isoS q, ,05l,. 0o0 and the increase of expenditures was Sg.61h.- g3S. The increase of revenue in 1869 exceeded the increase of revenue in 1868 by Sy96, ,S36, and the increase of expenditures in 1869 S2, 527,- 509 less than the increase of expenditures in 1867; showing by comparisons. this gratifying feature i of improvement, that while the increase of ex- penditures over the increase of receipts in 1868 was e I39 535, the increase of receipts over the | increase of expenditures in 1869 was Sl ,0e4 g. Your attention is respectfully called to the re- | commentators made by the Postmaster General | for authority to change into coin the rates of compensation to the main trunk railroad lines for their services for carrying the mails for having post route maps executed; for recognizing and increasing the efficiency of special agents for ln- crease Of mail service on the Pacific; and for tAblishing mail service under the Flag Of the | Union at the Atlantic.
 FRASKISG PRIVILEGE SHOULD BB ABOLISHED.
 And most especially do call your attention to hIs recommendation for total abolition of the l franking privilege. This Is an abuse from which | no one receives commensurate advantage. it | reduces the receipts of the postal service from twenty-five 70 thirty per cent, and largely in- creases the service to be performed The method | by which postage should be paid upon public matter is set forth fully in the report of the Post master General.
 THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
 The report of the Secretary of the Interior shows that the quantity of public lands disposed | of during the year ending June 30, 1869, was 7G65l l52 acres, exceeding that of the preceding ! year hy mo 4n9 acres 0f this amount saa 544 acres were sold for cash and 2,737,S ,S65 acres were secured under the Homestead Law the re- mainder was granted to aid the construction oi works of internal improvement or approved to the States as swamps. For land warrants and scrip the cash receipts from all sources were ] by s2,si5,if0.
 THE PENSION LIST
 During the last fiscal year 23 i96 names were added to the pension rolls, and is96 were dropped therefrom, leaving at it's close, 1S7,963. The | amount paid to pensioners, including the com. pensation of disbursing agents, was $2s 422 ss4 an increase of S44l ,l52 on that of the preceding year The munfcence of Congress has been con spicuously manifested in it's legislation for the soldiers and orphans who suffered iu the struggle fn atnfa atR NtaW us one people. The addition to the pension-rolls | of each successive year since the conclusion of host!iiies results, in great degree, from the re- peated amendments to the Act of the l4th of July, ls62, which has extended its provisions to | cases not failing within It's original scope. The large outlay which is thus occasioned is further Increased by the more liberal allowance bestowed since that date upon those who, in the line of duty were wholly or permanently disabled. Public l opinion has given an emphatic sanction to the msasures of Congress, and it will be conceded that no part of our public burben Is more cheer fully borne than that which is imposed by this branch of service. It necessitates for the next year, in addition to the amount justly ehargeable s30,000,000.
 THE PATENT OFFICE.
 During the year ending the 30th of September 1889, the Patent Office issueG l3 762 patents and the receipts were s6s6,3 ,3s0, being s213936 more than the expenditures.
 | THE FREEDMEN
 would respectfully call your attention to the recommendation of the Secretary of Interior for uniting the duties of the supervision and the edu- cation Of the freedmen with the other duties de- yolying upon the Commissioner of Education. | THE CENSUS
 If 1t Is the desire of Congress to make the cen- sus, which must be taken during the year 1870, more complete and perfect than heretofore, would suggest early action upon any plan that may be agreed upon. As Congress at the last ses- sion appointed a Committee to take into cUnsid- eration such measures as might be deemed proper