The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-12-13

I
alluded to this subject with The view of
not having any further expenditure of
public money at this time other than
may be necessary to procure and place
all the necessary information before
Congress in an authentic form to enable
it hereafter, if deemed practicable and
worthy, to legislate on the subject with
out delay.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the
Navy herewith accompanying, explains
fully the condition of that branch of the
public service its wants and deficiencies,
expenses incurred during the past year,
and appropriations for the same. It al
so gives a complete history of the ser
vices of the navy for the past year in
addition to its regular services. It is
estimated that unless steps are taken to
preserve our navy, that in a very few
years the United States Will be the
weakest nation upon the ocean, cf all
great powers. With an energetic, pro-
gressive, business people like ours, pen
etrating and forming business relations
with every part of the known world,
navy strong enough to command the
respect of our flag abroad Is necessary
for the protection of their rights. l re-
commend a careful consideration by
Congress of the accommodations made
by the Secretary of the Navy.
POsT-oFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The accompanying report of the Post
master-General furnishes a full and sat
isfactory exhibit of the operations of
the POst-Office Department during the
year. The ordinary revenue of the de-
partment for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1872, amounted to $21, ,915, 426. 81;
the expenditures, $26, 665, 1872 21; COM
pared with the previous fiscal year the
increase of revenue was S1S7, ,S3S, 095, or
9:37 per cent, and the increase of ex-
peDditures 1926, sos, 1913, or 9:29 per
cent. Adding to the ordinary revenues
the annual appropriation of 800, 600 for
free matter and the amount paid to the
subsidies on mail steamship lines from
special appropriations, the deficiency
paid out Of the general treasury was
50, ,317, 765. 81 an excess Of $3S, ,970, ,72S
over the deficiency for the year 1871.
The interesting statistical information
relating to our rapidly extending postal
service IS furnished in this report. The
total length of railroad mail routes on
the 18th of June, 1872, was 81, ,911 miles;
S,077 additional miles of such service
having been put into operation during
the yeCr. Eight new lines of railway
post-Offices have been established, with
an aggregate length of 2,9O9 miles
The number of letters exchanged in the
mails with foreign countries was "a, 362,-
500, an increase Of 4, ,O66, 502, or twenty
per cent, over the number in 1871, and
the postage thereon amounts to $751;
125. 725 The total weight Of the mails
exchanged with European countries ex-
ceeded $40 tons. The cost of the Uni
ted States Transatlantic mail steam
ship service was so, ,O3O, 10. The fol-
lowing are the only steamship lines now
receiving subsidies for mail service IN
der special acts of Congress: The Paci-
tic Mail Steamship Company receive
$500, 900 per annum for carrying q
monthly mail between San Francisco,
Japan and China, which viii be increas-
ed to one million per annum for a semi
monthly mail on and after October 1,
1873. The United States and Brazil
Mail Steamship Company receive $50,
600 per annum for carrying a monthly
mali between New York and Rio de jan
Giro, and Brazil. The California, Oregon
and Mexican Steamship Company re-
ceive S75, 600 per annum for carrying a
monthly mail between San Francisco
and Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, max
ing the total amount of mail steamship
subsidies, at present, $725, 900 per an
mum. Our postal communications with
all parts of the civilized world have
been placed upon a most advantageous
footing by the improved postal conven-
tlOns and arrangements recently cOnclu-
ded with the leading commercial conn
tries of Europe and America, and the
gratifying statement is made that, with
the conclusion of satisfactory conven-
tion with France-the details of which
have been definitely agreeded to by the
head of the French Postal Department,
subject to the approval of the Minister
of F'rance-ittle remains to be accom-
plished by treaty for some time to come,
in respect to the reduction of the rate
on improved facilities of postal inter
course Your favorable consideration is
respectfully invited to the recommends
tiOns made by the Postmaster-GeneralI
for an increase of the service: For
monthly to semi-nonthly trips on the
mail steamship route to Brazil; for a
subsidy inside of the establishment of
an American line of mail steamers be-
tween San Francisco, New Zealand and
Australia: for the establishment of post
Office saving banks, and for the increase
of the salaries of the heads of Bureaus. /
] have heretofore recommended the abo-
lition of the franking privilege, and see |
that subject.
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
1t not having been favorably regarded |
by Congress, however, I now suggest |
modification of the privilege, to correct !
its glaring and costly abuses. l would |
recommend, also, the appointment Of a
committee or Commissioners to take IN |
to consideration the best method equita-
1,l yr-hf
invested their time and capital IN the
establishment of telegraph lines, Of ac-
quiring the title to all telegraph lines
now in operation, and of connecting this
service with the postal service of the
nation. 1t Is not probable that this sub
ject could receive the proper considera-
tion during the limits of a short session
of Congress, but 1t may be initiated, so
that further action may be fair to the
Government and to private parties con-
cerned. There are but three lines of
ocean steamers, namely: The Pacific
Mail Steamship Company, between San
Francisco, China and Japan, with PrOvi-
sion made for semi-monthly service after
October l, 1873; the United States and
Brazil line, monthly, and the California,
New Zealand and Australia line, month
ly, playing between the United States
and foreign ports, and owned and opera
ted under our flag. l earnestly recon-
mend that such liberal contracts Tor car
rying mails be authorized with the unes /
as viii insure their continuance. Ii the
expediencv of extending the and OF the
Government to lines Of steamers winch
hitherto have not received It, should be
deemed worthy of the consideration of
Congress. political and commercial OBJ
iects make If advisable to bestOW such