Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-12-06

/ seventh section OF the act OF July 10
| 1866, taking from engineer soldiers tn
! itation of the time for presentation of claim
! for subsistence supplies under the act of Jul,
| A. 1864, and modification in. the mode o
| the selection of cadets for the Military Acad
| envy, in order to enhance the usefulness o
the academy, which is impaired by reason o
the large amount of time necessarily ex
pended in giving the new cadets thorough
knowledge of the more elementary branches
of learning which they should acquire befor,
entering the academy; also an appropriation
for philosophical apparatus, and an increast
in the number and pay of the Military Acad
envy Band, -.....
The attention of Congress will be called
during it's present session to various enter
prises for the more certain and cheape
surplus of the Western and Southern pro
ducts to the Atlantic sea board. The sub
ject is one that will force itself upon the
legislative branch of the Government soone
or later, and / suggest, therefore, that i'm
mediate steps be taken to gain all available
information to insure equitable and just legis
lation. The route to connect the Mississip
pi Valley with the Atlantic at Charleston, s
c., and Savannah, Ca, by water, by the way
of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers and canals
and slack-water navigation to the Savannah
and Ocmulgee Rivers has been surveyed and
a report made by an accomplished engineer
officer of the army. Second and third new
routes will be proposed for the consldera
ton of COngress-namely, by an extension
of the Kanawha and James River Canal tc
the Ohio, and by the extension of the Chesa
peake and Ohio Canal. l am not prepared
to recommend Government aid to these OF
other enterprises until it is clearly shown
that they are not only of national interest
but when completed they win be of value
commensurate with their cost. That pro-
duction increases more rapidly than the
means of transportation in our country has
been demonstrated by past experience
That the unprecedented growth in the
population and the products of the
whole country will require additional facili
ties and cheaper means for the more bulky
articles of commerce to reach tide water and
market will be demanded in the near
future is equally demonstrable. l would
therefore suggest either a committee or q
commission, to be authorized to consider
this whole question and to report to Con
gress, at some future day, for its better guild
ance in legislation on the important subject.
The railroads of the country have been
rapidly extended during the last few years
to meet the growing demand of producers,
and reflect much credit upon the capitalists
and managers engaged in their con-
struction. In addition to these, pro-
ject to facilitate commerce by the build
ing of ship canal around Niagara Falls, on
the United States side, which has been
agitated for many years, will no doubt be
called to your attention this session. Look
ing to the great future of the country and
the increasing demands of commerce, it
might be well, while on this subject, not
only to have examined and reported up on,
the various practicable routes for connecting
the Mississippi with tide-water, but the
feasibility of an almost continuous land.
locked navigation from Maine to the Gulf
of Mexico. Such 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 this
route, and the obstacles to be overcome
are easily within the skill Of the engineer.
1 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 aIthe neces-
sarY information before Congress in an au-
thentic form to enable it hereafter, If deem
ed practicable, and worthy, to legislate on
the subject without delay,
The report of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith accompanying, explains fully the
condition of that branch of the public SER
vice, it's wants and deficiencies, expenses in
CURED during the past year, and appropri-
atoms for the same. 1t also gives COM
plete history of the service of the navy for
the past year, in addition to it's regular SER
vices. 1t is evident that, unless steps are
taken to preserve our navy, in q very
few years the United States will be the
weakest nation upon the ocean of all the
great powers. With an energetic, progress
i've business people like ours, penetrating
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 full protection of
their rights. / recommend careful consld-
Grafton by Congress of the recommendations
made by the Secretary of the Navy:
The accompanying report of the Postmas-
ter General furnishes a fun and satisfactory
exhibit of heoperations of the Post Office
Department during the year. The ordinary
revenues of the department. for the fiscal
year ending June so, 1872, amounted to $21,~
915, 426.37, and the expenditures, $26,658,-
1921. Compared with the previous fiscal
year, the increase of revenue was Sl,o7o,-
$50. 95, or 9.37 per cent, and the increase OF
expenditures SO, 268, sSS.2 %, or 9.29 per cent.
Adding to the ordinary revenues the an
nual appropriation of 100000 for free mat
ter, and the amounts paid, in subsidies on
mail steamship lines from special appropria-
tions, the deficiency paid out of the general
treasury was So, Pr, 765. 94-an excess of
1899, TOT 80 over the deficiency for the year
1871 Other interesting statistical informa-
ton relating to our rapidly extending postal
service, is furnished in this report. The TO-
tai length of railroad mail routes on the
Both of June, 1872, was 1911 miles, SOFT
additional miles of such service having been
put into operation during the year; eight
new lines of railway postotfices nave neen
established, with an aggregate .ongtn OF
$500 miles. The number OF letters eX-
changed in the mails with foreign countries
was 1852, 500, an increase of 4,O66, 502, or
twenty per cent. ovei the number In 1871,
and the postage thereon amounts to $Lo7l,-
257.25. The total weight of the mails ex.
changed with European countries exceeded
$40 tons. The cost of the United States
transatlantic mail steamship service was
S220, 301.70. The total cost of the United
States ocean steamship service, including
the amounts paid to the subsidized lines of
mail steamers, was 81 ,027, 02097. The follow
ing are the only steamship lines now receiv-
ing subsidies for mail service under special
acts of Congress: The Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company receive $500, GOO per annum
for carrying monthly mail between San
Francisco, Japan and China, which will be
increased to 100000 per annum, and a
semi-monthly mail on and after October l,
1878. The United States and Brazil Mail
Steamship Company receive $4,000 per
between New York and Rio Janeiro,
Brazil. and the California, Oregon
and Mexico Steamship Company re-
ceive S75,0OO per annum 1or carrying d
monthly mail between San Francisco, Homo
lulu and Hawaiian Misunderstanding the
total amount of mail steamship subsidies
at present S725, 600 per annum. Our
postal communication with all parts of
the civilized world have been placed upon
a most advantageous footing by the i'm
prved postal conventions and arrangements
recently concluded with the leading CONNER,
cial countries of Europe and America, ana
the gratifying statement is made that, WIN
the conclusion of satisfactory convention
with France, the details of which have been
definitely agreed to by the head OF the
French Postal Department, subject to OF the e
approval of the Minister of Finance, little
raanoi,o - ha accumulated by treaty Tor