Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-12-15

fects revenue officers and other persons OH,
cially connected with the government.
INTERNAL COMMERCE.
IL is estimated that the internal commerce
Of the country Is fifteen times as great as
our external commerce, but the statistics
are not trustworthy or complete, and re-
spectfuliy recommend that provision be
made for obtaining such returns as will show
fully the trade of the country upon its rivers,
canals, lakes and railways.
THE SEAL FISHERIES.
The report Of Mr. Chas. Bryant, special
agent, who has charge of the fur seal fish
cries at the islands of st. Paul and st.
George, shows that the business has been
conducted by the Alaska Commercial Com
pany, in substantial conformity to the terms
Of the contract
SALARIES.
The Secretary again calls the attenticn of
Congress to the Importance of increasing
the salaries of the bureau officers and heads
Of divisions in the Treasury Department,
great inequality and injustice at present ex-
isting.
COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS.
The examinations OF persons designated
for clerical service, and for promotion in the
Treasury Department, have been continued
with beneficial results, and the examination
is even more eXacting in requirement than
at the date Of the last annual report. Means
will be taken to extend the system, with
such notifications as the difference of the
duties may suggest, but with equal eflicien-
cy, if possible, to the principal Custom
Houses, and to other branches of the public
service under control of this Department.
THE FIvE-PER-CENT LOAN.
The Secretary gives detailed history Of
the negotiations of the new five-per-cent.
loan in Europe and at home, claiming that the
law had been complied with in such nego-
tiations, and that the advantage derived by
the banks, or those represented by them, in the
use of the amount of their subscriptions for
three months, was without other loss to the
government than was incident to the negoti-
ations of the loan under the.law.
The Secretary is informed by Judge Rich
ardson, and such is his own opinion, that the
most serious obstacle in the way of negotiat-
ing the and ~ per cent. bonds in Europe
is the iuadequacy of the commissions allowed.
The crcdit'of the country is fully established
in every financial center of Europe, and the
bonds of the United States can be negotiated
at their market value in larger number of
cities than the bonds of any other country in
the world. Under these circumstances the
Secretary advises such an allowance for com
missions upon the and AZ per cent. bonds
as will secure the negotiation of them with
the least possible delay. He also recommends
that authority be given for the payment of
interest in London, which, he says, can be
done without cost or risk to the government.
NATIONAL COMMERCE.,
Returns for the fiscal year 1901 show
that the ocean commerce of the United
States is passing rapidly into the hands of
foreign merchants and shipbuilders. In 1860
nearly II per cent of the foreign commerce of
this country was in American ships. In 1864
it had fallen to 46 per cent, in 1868 to A per
cent, and in 1871 it is reported at less than
80 per cent. The loss of the shipping of
the United States Is due chiefly to two
causes: First, the destruction of American
vessels by rebel cruisers during the war; and
secondly, the substitution of iron steam
ships for transportation of freight and pas
sengers upon the ocean in place of sailing
vessels built of wood. The history of the
loss of our commerce renders it GER
tain that, without some efficient action
on the part of the government, the entire
foreign trade of the country would soon pass
into the hands of our rivals. The Secretary
recommends the passage of law granting
to persons who may employ in the foreign
trade American-bnilt first-clnss steamships
of not less than 1000 tons burden each, an
annual payment for the period of five years
of the sum of S13 per ton, The subsidy
should be proportionately to vessels of lower
In making this recommends
tion, he does not assume that there il no
other practicable method of restoring our
commerce, but presents it as the method
which appears to him to be the most
efficient and economical connected with
this plan. If it shall appear as claim
ed, that American iron is about 10 per
cent. better than the iron used in England,
an advantage will be secured not only in the
diminished cost of the vessels, but also in the
tonnage capacity of American ships
of equal dimensions over those constructed
with inferior materials. Accepting as truth
by experience, that the ocean
of the world is to be carried in
iron steamships, we must consider and de-
eide whether the United States shall disap-
pear from the list of maritime nations, or
whether, by determined and practicable eff
fort, we shall regain the position we occupied
previous to the late rebellion.