The weekly clarion., 1872-12-12

: G.. sud Savannah. Ga. by water. by Way oil
the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. and canals
aud slack water navigation 10 the SavaD-
nah and Ocomulgee rivers, has been sur
Veyed and report made by an accomplish
ed ennineer officer of the army. A second
: and a third new route will be proposed for
the consideration OF Congress. namely: by
an extension of the kanawha and James
river canal 10 the Ohio, and by an exten- :
sion OF the Chesapeake and Ohio canal.
not prepared to recon mend GOveFnm ent
aid TO these other enterprises, until it is
clearly shown that they are not only of ma
rional interest, bnt that when completed
they viii be OF value commensurate with
their cost That production increases more
rapidly than the means of transportation in
oar country has been demonstrated by past
experience. The rapid growth in popula-
tion aud products OF the whole country Will
require additional facilities, and that cheap
ef means for the more bulky articles of
commerce to.reaeh tide-water and a markes
will be demanded in the near future il
equally demonstrable. / would therefore
suggest either committee or commission
to be authorized to consider the whole ques-
tion aud to report to Congress at some fu-
ture Gay for its better guidance in legisla-
ting on the mportaCt subject
RAILROAD EXTENSION.
The railroads of the country have been
| rapidly extended during the last few years
to meet the growing demands OF production
+ ann reflect much credit upon the capitalists
and managers engaged in their construc-
tion.
/ SHIP CANALS.
In addition to these, project to facilitate
| commerce building ship canal around Nj
sgara Falls OH the United States side, which
has been agitated 1or many years, will 10
F., doubt be called TO your attention this ses-
sion. Looking TO the great future Of the
country, the Increasing demands of COM
| ineree, it might be we'll while on this sub
/ ject not only TO have examined and report
ed upon the various practicable routes for
connecting the Mississippi with tide water
| on the Atlantic, but the feasibility of an al
most continuous land-locked navigation
from Maine 70 the Cuff of Mexico. such
! route along our coast would be of great val
ue at all times, and OF inestimable value in
| case offoreigu war. Nature has provided the
| greater part of this route, and the obstacles
! To be overcome are easily within the skill OF
| engineers. l have not alluded to this SUBJ
! ject with the view of having any further
| expenditure of public money at this time
| than may be necessary to procure and place
ali the necessary information before Con-
gress in an authentic form TO enable it here
| after, ii deemed practicable and worthy, to
legisiate on the subject without delay.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
! herewith accompanying, explains fully the
! condition of that branch OF the public SER
! vice. its wants and deficiencies, expenses in
| cdrred during the past year, aud appropri-
| ations for the same. 1t also gives COM
! plete history OF tbe,service ofthe navy for the
/ past year in addition to its regular services.
| 1t is evident that unless steps are taken TO
! protect our navy, in very few years the
| United States Will be the weakest nation
upon the ocean of all the great powers
With energy. a progressive business people
like ours, penetrating aud sforming business
relations with every part of the known
world, Il navy strong enough to command
the respect of our flag abroad is nece ssaTy
for the protection OF their rights. | recon-
mend careful consideration by Congress of
the Navy.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report of the Postmas-
ter General furnishes full and satisfactory
exhibit of the Post-ofiice Department dur
ing the year. The ordinary revenue of the
Department for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1872, amounted to S2l, 9l5 426 81, and the
expenditures to $26,65S, 1872 II. Compared
with the previous fiscal year the increase Of
revenue was $l,S7S,3S0 SO or 9.37 per cent,
and the increase of expenditures 81, 2,26S-
0SS %, or 9.29 per cent Adding to the or
dinary revenues, the usual appreciation OF
$700000 tor free matter, and the amount
Taid 10 tho subsidies OF mail steamship lines
from special appropriations the deficiency
paid out oi The general treasury was $3,3I7.-
1iciency for the year 1871. Other interest
ing statistical information relating to our
rapidly extending postal service Is furnish
ed in this report.
POSTAL STEAM SERVICE.
The total length of railroad mail routes
on the 30th of June. 1872, WAS 81 oil miles. |
SO77 additional miles OF such service having |
bee. put into operation during the year
Eight new lines of railway pOsU-Otiices have
been established, with all aggregate length
of 2,905 miles The number of letters ex-
changed in the mails " ith foreign countries |
was 1852 800, an Increase OF 4,Gl6,502 or |
twenty per cent. over the number in 1871. (
and the postage thereon amouats TO $IS7,-
l25 725. The total weight OF mails exChang-
hd win European countries exceeded $40 /
tons. The cost of the United States trans /
Atlantic mail steamship service WAS $220,-
30l 40, The total cost of the United States |
ocean steamship service, including the !
amounts paid TO the subsidized lines of mail |
steamers, was 81, ,027,020 97. The following |
are tie only steamship lines now receiving |
subsidies for mail service under special acts |
of Congress The Pacific Mail Steamship !
Company receives $500,000 per annum for I
carrying monthly mail between San Fran |
cisco, Japan ami China, which will be in |
creased TO one million per annum for semi |
monthly mail on and after October /, 1873 |
The United States and Brazil Mail Steam
ship Company service receive $4,000 per |
annub for carrying a monthly mail between |
the California, Oregon and Mexican steam
ship Company receive $4,000 per annum
for ing a monthly mail between San
Francisco and Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands,
making the total of the amount of mail /
steamship subsidies at present $725,O0O per
annum.
POSTAL CONVENTIONS.
Our postal communications with all parts
Of the civilized world have been placed up
On q most a(iV30taOpOuS footing bC the i'm !
proved postal conventions, and arrange
ments recently concluded with the leading
commercial countries of Europe and Amer
lea, and the gratifying statement iS made
that with the conclusion of a satisfactory
convention with France, the details of
which have been definitely agreed TO by the
head OF the French postal department.. sub
iect to the approval of the Minister of FL
nance, little remains to be accomplished by
treaty for some time 60 come IN respect to
the reduction Of raJe or improved facilities
of postal intercourse.
INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS ASKED.
Your favorable consideration is respect
fully invited to the reconmen dation by the
Postmaster General for an increase of SER
vice from monthly to semi-monthly trips on
the mail steamship route to Brazil. for a
subsidy in aid of the establishment OF an
American line of mail steamers between
San Francisco. New Z 9aland and Australia,
for the establishment of pOst-office savings
banks, and for the increase OF the salaries of
the heads of bureaus.
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
! have heretofore recommended the aboli-
ton OF the franking privilege, and see no
reason now for changing my views On the
that subject. 1t not having been favorably
regarded by Congress, however. now sug-
gest a modification of that privilege to cor
rect its glsriug and costly abuses.
POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.