The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-06
'ant cities there 10 be loaned on cali ana used for
speculative purposes.

that the Dliis OF the national banks are worn and
circulation Az many new banks are soon 70 be or
ganlSeu under tie law OF she last session OF Con
ton no made and authority given for tho issue 0f
new bills, upon such paper and IN such form as may
~ ?, inc OF ,ne r ,saS
recommended the estaD ahmeni OF an agency In tho
MY OF New orE under the control OF me nat'onM
banks, Tor tho redemption u their issue fne sub
stance OF tnis recommendation seems to me not
emily proper but n cessary. Tho expense should be
datlon take this occasion 70 say that the banking
system OF the country appears to be well managed,
was established. II II doubt true that treasury
notes representa- m equal amount OF public
Ss1 or sns ca snSaa ~
considered thai the banking institutions OF The
try are agencies BY which business is established
and f0sterod. Upon the whole, the system or bank
ing should be 0xtonded only fer the purpose Of
meeting the demands Of business, but when the de-
mands are urgent the concession should be made
upon the ground that the prosperity OF business Ia
more important than the mere saving or interest
arising from the circulation OF Treasury notes, ex-
cluding re-uep0Sit5. The amount OF gold ami silver
deposited at the minis ana It's several branches
during inc last fiscal year was $40 4os, 1888; the coin
gold ana silver bars stamped was So, 74s, s5.-
THE MINrs AND COINAGE SYSTEM.
respectfully ask the attention OF Congress 20 the
bin prepared IN this department and submitted AT
The last session. and 10 the accompanying report
iatiye TO minis and the coinage system or the coun
Try. The bill was prepared With care and has since
been submitted " tho crltlcisms OF large number
of practical, and scientific men. whose views have
been publisncd by auibsnty OF Congress. During
the year the several branch minis and assay Offices
have been visited and examined by Mr.. Knox and
Dr. Lndcrmans. The assay oeice OF Bs.se City,
Idaho, Is nearly completed, and will require
small appropriation for the commencement OF busI-
ness Provision should be made for the redemption
oil the bronze and other tokens issued by the govern
menL The report OF the Commissioners of Mining
statistics Tor the year 1859 mas been printed since
the close OF the SESSION July last and that for the
year 1870 win De made during the winter.
AMERICAN TONNAGE
Inc contnuhDce ol the war appears 10 be matter
OF national importance. me proportion OF Amer-
can vessels engaged In the toreigs trade has not In
creased relatively during the year, although there
has been an actual Increase In the o. Amer-
can vessels al the ports OF the United States amoun
Ing In the aggregate 10 100000 TONS The total ton
mage engaged in the foreign trade entered at All OF
the ports OF the United States has Increased Irom
b5S3 900 tons In 1862 to 1851 tons III 1870 but
the proportion OF American tonnage remains a. In
1869, At thlrtys per cent Without undertaking to
specify the means by WHOM 1t is 10 be accomplished
cannot overstate the importance OF such icgisla-
ton as VIII secure revival or American CON merce
THE LIGHTHOUSE BOARD.
The report or the Lighthouse Board sets forth In
seaaa .ne 20 oinG m, winch nave arisen In tsat
the hftn section OF the act OF July IL, 1870 making
appropriations for The legislative and executive ex-
penses OF the government for the year ending June
so, 1871. The legislation asked fer BY the Board
seemed 10 me to be necessary.
THE COAST SURVEY.
The report OF the Superintendent Of the Coast Sur
vey gives brief but satisfactory statement OF the
progress made during the last surveying year. on
the LIST day OF October last regulations issued
concerning The transportation OF merchandise frem
the ports OF Importation to certain other ports In the
Of duties 1t the port Of arrival, agreeably to the
provisions or the act entitled IAN act TO reduce In.
copy Of Se M Ss
mitted to Congress. In the nature OF the cases the
regulations are stringent, but when the railway
companies shall have given the bonds required and
the importing merchants or the interior cities shall
have made arrangements for the Importation OF
goods upon the basis Of the act am satisfied that
serious diculties win arise either 70 the rail-
ways, the merchants or the government. without
dsaS the act increases the opportunity for the In
lation Of revenue law; hut the examination which
have given TO the subject in the preparation OF regu
iatiOns leads me 70 think that The business can he
safely conducted
COLLECTION OF CUSTOMS.
the appropriation for the expenses OF collecting
the customs revenue under the act approved May
81 1885, Is NJ the rate OF $420O,0 900 annually In al
dition to such sums as may be received frsm fines,
penalties, and Tor fixtures, and from storage cart
age, drayage AID labor. Experience has shown that
this amount Is insufficient and deficiency app 70
praton will be needed at each session OF Congress-
until the permanent appropriation il Increased.
have instituted careful supervision in the Urea
sary Department over this branch OF expenditures
and agents are employed In investigating
the expenses OF the custom houses OF the
country for the purpose OF ascertaining whether
reduction OF the number OF employees or Salaries Is
practicable. BY this means some s6ving will bt
erected put IT VIII In the event be impossible to
1888 to 1893 the permanent appropriation was the
e cse pss IN to the
branch Of service From 1853 to 1850 Inclusive IN 9
total receipts from customs were about $272 Co.,
and the expenses OF collection $16 S79 00O or
at the rate OF more than five ana half per cent.
The receipts for the year ending June so,
t5sl2,lla, or ret exceeding s1s per cent Frem
1858 to 1850 the revenue collected did exceed an
average or $5o00o 900 year. and the temptation
smuggling and fraud was much less under low sys-
TEN Of duties tnan u Is az the present time At the
PRINCIPAL importing cities OF the country II Is
sary to employ a large force for the protection OF
the WllArVpS and water lines within
near such cities. It is also necessary to
guard against, smuggling by the presence
often OF several officers upon and around the
steamer and other vessels Importing large quantities
Of goods while engaged IN discharging their cargoes
on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the Gulf OF
Mexico, everywhere furnishing opportunities for the
introduction OF GOODS IN violation Of the revenue
skilfui and trustworthy persons. the acquisition
Of Alaska, the establishment Of interior ports OF en-
try the accommodation OF business by railways and
steamers on the Northern frontier add ma
tertally to the expense OF collecting and
guarding the revenue. therefore respectfully re-
commend the increase or the permanent appropria
ton for collecting revenue from customs to the SUN
Of 900 for eaca half year frem and after the
ports there are two appraisers, whose powers are
equal. recommend such an alteration OF the law
as will provide for one principal appraiser at each
the of1ice
BUILDINGS UNDER TIE CARE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
the Treasury department has the care OF one hum
dred and ten public buildings that are Completed
and or seventeen more that are in the course or
erection, all Of which had cost on the 3Oth OF June
last S35, s9S. The appropriation for the repair
ana preservation OF these buildings for the current
year is $780, 0o0 sum manllesty inadeouat re- being
less than one-third Of one per cent Unless larger
annual appropriations are made the buildings viii
rapidly deteriorate In value. and finally viii need
much larger repairs or tine erection OF new ones in
their stead.
With tine increase Of population in the country sp
preparations must DO annually made for the cree
ton OF post oices custom houses aud other public
buildings The present mode OF inaugurating these
works seems to me nnwse. Appropriations are
often made without SUFFICIENT informal upon the
subject. II Is true that when proposition Is intro
duced into Congress Tor the erection or public
building the subject is referred to the Treasury de-
partment, and oy the Secretary 10 the Supervising
Architect OF the treasury but 1t is also true that ne
Supervising Architect has only general Information
upon the subject ana In answer TO sudden call and
without time for the preparation Of plans and es-
mates he cannot give safe opinion 10 the neces
sity or the cost OF the work. l respectfully recon-
mend that hereafter, when applications are made
for the construction OF public buildings the Irst
step on the part OF Congress viii be to instruct the
Treasury Department 10 make careful inquiry Is TO
the necessity OF the work, and also 10 prepare