The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-03

y ~@hSNASA NAA NAN lAab ASm NGATH IU
meet the growing demand for products
and reflect much credit upon the capt.
talists and managers engaged In their
construction. In addition to facilitate
commerce BY the building Of ship Cana
around Niagara Falls on the United State
side, which has been sgitsted for many
years, will no doubt be called to your nj.
tention at this session. Looking 10 the
great future growth Of the country and
the increasing demands OF commerce. Il
might be well while on this subject, not
only to have examined and reported upon
the various practicable routes for the con.
nection ol the Mississippi with the tide wa.
ter ofthe Atlantic, but the feasibility OF an
almost continuous land.locked navigation
from Maine to the Gulf OF Mexico. Such a
route along our coast would be of great
value at all times, and Of inestimable
value In case OF foreign war. Nature
has provided the greater part Of the
route, and the obstacles to DO overcome
are easily within the skill of the engineer.
have not alluded to this subject With the
view OF having any further expenditure
OF public money at this time than may be
necessary to procure and place all the ne.
cessary information before Congress in an
authentic form, to enable 1t hereafter, II
deemed practicable and worthy, 10 legis.
late 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 pub.
lie service. It's wants and deficiencies,
the expenses incurred during the past
year and the appropriation for the same.
It also gives . complete history OF
tho services Of the Navy for the
past year in addition to its reCu.
lar service. It is evident that un-
less early steps are taken to pre-.
serve our navy, that In very few
years tho United States will be the weak.
est nation upon the ocean OF nearly all the
great powers. With IN energetic, pro-
gressive and business people like ours,
penetrating and forming business relations
with every port Of the known world, a
navy strong enough to command the re-
spect OF our flag abroad is necessary for
the full protection Of their rights. | re-
commend a'caretul consideration by Con.
gress. OF the recommendations made by the
Secretary Of the Navy.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT.
The accompanying report Of the Post
master General furnishes full and salts.
factory exhibit Of the operations OF the
Postotice Department during the year.
The ordinary revenues Of the Department
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1872,
amounted to $21 ,s16, ,426 81, and the cx.
penditures to $26,65S, ,102 81. Compared
with the previous fiscal year the increase
Of revenue was 81, ,S7S, $50 05, or 037 per
cent, and the increase Of expenditures
$2 22Gs, ,O8S 23, or 9.s9 per cent. Adding
to the ordinary revenues the annual ap.
preparation of 100000 for tree matter
and the amounts paid to the subsidized
mail steamship lines from special appro.
priations, the deficiency paid out OF the
general Treasury was So ,3l7, ,765 "a, an ex.
cess Of $SS0,707 30 over the deficiency
for the year 1871. Other interesting in.
formation relating TO our rapidly ex-
tending postal service is furnished in
this report. The total length Of the
railroad mail routes on the Both of June,
1879, was 57,9l1 miles, SOFT additional
miles Of such service having been put into
operation during the past yearI Eight new
lines Of railway post routes have been cs.
tablished, with an aggregate length ol
1900 miles. The number of letters ex.'
changed in the mails with foreign coun.
tries were 24S62, 300, an increase Of &c.,.
6S2, or 20 per cent over the number in
1871, and the postage thereon amounted TO
$1,S71 y257 25; the total weight Of the
mails exchanged with European coun.
tries exceeded $50 tons; the cost of the
United States transatlantic Steamship
service was $220, ,30l 2e; the total cost OF
the United States Ocean Steamship ser.
vice, including the amount paid the subsi.
died lines Of mail steamers was 81 ,027, :.
020 SO. The following are the only
steamship lines now receiving subsidies
for mail service under special act of Con-
gress: The Pacific Mail Steamship Com.
pany receives $5O0,0O0 per annum for
conveying q monthly mail between
San Francisco, Japan and China.
It will be increased to 100000
per annum for a semi.monthly on and
after October l, 1878. The United States
and Brazil Mail Steamship Company re-.
Ceivc $3.50, 900 per annum for conveying a
monthly mail between New York and Rio
Janeiro, Brazil, and the California, Ore.
gon and Mexico Steamship Company re-
ceive $75, 600 per annum for conveying q
monthly mail between San Francisco and
Honolulu, Hawain Islands, making a
total amount ol mail steamship subsidies
at present Of $725,0OO per annum.
Our postal communication with all parts
ol the civilized world has been placed
upon most advantageous ground by the
improved postal conventions and arrange.
ments recently concluded with the lead
ing commercial countries Of Europe and
America, and the gratifying statement is
made that with tho conclusion OF a salts.
factory convention with France, the dc.
tails ofwhich are definitely agreed to by
the head Of the French Postal Depart
ment, subject 10 the approval OF the Min.
lister Of Finance little remains 10 be
accomplished by treaty for some time to
come with respect to either reduction oil
rates or improved facilities OF postal
intercourse. Your favorable considera.
ton is respectfully invited to the recon-.
mendation by the Postmaster General fol-
an increase oil the service from monthly
to semi-monthly trips on the mail steam.
ship Grsute, to Brazil; for a subsidy in aid
OF tho establishment Of an American line
OF mail steamers between San Francisco,
New Zealand and Australia; for the estab'
lishment Of postoflice and savings bank
and for the increase Of the salaries of the
heads Of bureaus.
! have heretofore recommended The
abolition of the franking privilege and sex
no reason now for changing my views on
that subject; Il not having been fav6ra
bly, regarded by Congress however, I now
suggest modification ofthat privilege tc
cOrrectlts glaring and cnstiY ahiisn Iwonlf