Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-05

| productive OF disorder and demOral-
ization, and the, law prohibits the
payment Of troops by other than
regular army paymasters.
There are now sixteen vacancies
in the ordinance. department, thus
leaving that branch Of the service
without sufficient officers to conduct
the different arsenals on a large
scale if they were required.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT..
During the last year our Navy
has been reduced lby the sale Of
some vessels no longer fit for Naval
purposes, and by the condemnation
of others not yet disposed of. This
however, has been more than COM
pensated for blythe repair Of six Of
the old wooden ships, and by the
building Of eight new Shops Of War
as authorized by the last Congress.
The building Of these latter has
occurred at q doubly fortunate time.
They are about being completed
when they will possibly be much
needed /; the work upon them has
not only given employment to
thousands Of men, but no doubt has
been the means Of keeping open c.
adjustments Of other works, at a
time Of great financial distress.
Since the commencement Of last
month, however, the distressing oc
currcnccs which have taken place
in the waters Of the Caribbean Sea,
along our very sca-board, while they
illustrate most forcibly the necessity
always existing that nation stu
atcd as this is should maintain in a
state of efficiency a navy adequate
to its responsibilities, at the same
time demand that all the effective
force we really have SHALL be
brought into immediate readiness
for warlike service. This has been
and is being done promptly and ef-
fectivcly, and am assured that all
the available ships and every au-
thorized man Of the American navy
will be ready tor whatever action is
required for the safety of onr cities
or the maintenance Of our honor.
This of course will render neces-
sary tho expenditure in short
time of appropriations which were
calcul ated to extend throughout the
fiscal year. But Congress will, l
doubt not, understand and appre-
ciate the emergency, and will pro-
vide adequately not only for the
present preparation, but for the tu.
ture maintenance of our Naval
force.
The Secretary of the Navy has,
during this year, has been quietly
putting some Of our extensive mon
ltors in condition for service, and
thus the cxigency finds us in much
better condition for work than we
could possibly have been without
this action.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT..
A complete exhibit is recorded in
the accompanying report Of the
Post Master General Of the opera
tons of the Post Office Department
during the year. The ordinary pos
tai revenue for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1878, amounted to So, 1896,
741.57; the expenditures ofall kinds
amounted to $29,Os4, 945.67. The
increase in Revenues of 1872, was
81, Osl ,315.2 20; the increase in ex-
penditurcs was $246,573.s6-inde-
pendent of payments made from
special appropriations from mail
lines. The amount drawn FROM the
general treasury to meet deficiencies
was $526,547.0O. The constant and
rapid executions Of our postal SER
vice,particnfarly upon railroad lines
and the improved facilities for the
collection, transmission, distribu-
ton and delivery of mails, which
are constantly being provided, ac-
count for the increased expenditures
of this popular branch of the public
service. The total number of post
Offices in operation on the 3oth of
June, 1873, was 33,244-a net in
crease of 1881 over the number re-
ported the preceding year. The
number of presidential Offices was
l,363-an increase of 1913 during
the year. The total length of rail
road mail routes at the close of the
year was 63,457 miles-an increase
of 5,546 miles over the year 1872.
Fifty-nine Railway Postoffice lines
were in operation on the 30th of
June, 1878, extending over 1866
miles of railroad routes, and per-
forming an aggregate service of a.
925 miles daily. The number of
letters exchanged with foreign
countries was 1909, ls5-an in
crease of 3,096, 6s5 over the previous
year; and the postage thereon
amounted to $2,O2l,3lO,s6. The to-
tai weight OF the correspondence ex-
change in mails with European
countries exceeded 9l2 tons-an IN
crease of 90 tons over the previous
year. The total cost of the United
States ocean mail steamship service
including $685. paid from spec.
ial appropriations to subsidized
lines of mail steamers, was $l,O47,-
27l.35. New. or additional postal
conventions have been concluded in
satisfactory way with Belgium,
Germany, Canada and Newfound-
land, reducing postage rates on cor
respondence exchanged with those
countries. Further efforts have
been made to conclude satisfac-
tory postal convention with France
but without success.
] invite the favorable consider
alton of Congress to the suggestion
and recommendation of the Post
Master General for an extension Of
the free delivery system III all cities
having a population Of not less than
ten thousand; for the prepayment Of
postage on newspapers and other
printed matter of the second class;
for uniform post &c; for a limit of
weight of miscellaneous matter; for
adjusting the compensation Of all
Postmasters appointed by the
President by the old method Of
commissions on the actual receipts
of the office, instead of by the pres
80 :, - e G.,,:..., ~ 1o go, ~ a 4 4, noo