Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-12-12

largely increased daring the last year IN
der the impulse Of the fozsiga oompEica.
lions which thrsstshed As st tie con-
mencenent OF the lAst session Of Congress.
Most of our efficient wooden ships were
put In condition for immediate service and
the repairs of our iron clad feet were
pushed with the utmost vigor. The result
is that most OF these are now in an ef
ectiye state and need only to be manned
and set In Commission to 60 at ores into
service. Some Of
TIE NEW sLooFs
authorized By Congress are ,alrsslx.r rzia
oonmssion, and most Of the rems;ndsr aae
launched and wait only the completion of
their machinery to enable them to take
their places as part Of our effective force.
(IIi TWO ERoS IpaPEDo SHIPS
have been completed during the last year
and four of our large double-turreted iron
clads are now undergoing repairs. Wtsa
these are finished everything that is need
ful in our navy, as now authorized, will be
in condition for service, and with the ad-
vance in the science Of torpedo warfare,
the American navy, comparatively small
as it is, viii be found, at any time powerful
for the purposes Of peaceful nation.
Much has also been accomplished during
the year
IN AID or SCIENCE
and to increase the sum cf gen
eraI knowledge and further the inter
ests of commerce and civilization. Exten-
siye and mueh-needed soundings have been
made for photographic purposes, and to
fix the proper routes Of ocean telegraphs.
Further surveys Of the great Isthmus have
been undertaken and completed, and tRo
vSsssls Of the nfvy are now snploysd, q
copjln notion \ sh those q Egg md, France,
Getmany, aHd Rssaia, I'D otssrT aticns
connected with the
TRANSIT OF vESUs,
useful and interesting to the scientific
world. The estimates for this branch of
the public science do not differ materially
from those Of last year, general sup
port of the Science being ssnsWhas less
and these for improvements at the various
stations rather larger than the correspond
iag estimate made 'agyeaE ago. The rsga.
lar mAintenance and . aTstsady increase in
the efficiency of this most Important arm,
IN proportion to the growth e our mari
time intercourse and interests, is recon-
msnded 70 the attention of Congress. q , =
= THE UsE eFTHE NAVT DURING PEACE
might be further utilized by . direct Gntho-
rization of the employment Of naval vessels
in surveys of the supposed navigable
waters of other, na6onalities on this
continent, especially the tributAFies OF
the two great rivers Of South America,
the 0rinceo and Amazon Nothing pre-
vents, under existing laws, such explors-
tion, exceptthats Expenditures must be made
beyond those usually pro Vided for In the ap-
propriations. The field designsted u ua-
quessc nably one ofinterekt, anaone capable
Of large deyeloPmentd commercial interest
advantageous to the people reached and TO
those who may estabfish relations with
them, - 1sflft'fii ~ .fa-iF' "t- i
THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE 90
entitled to exercise the right Of franchise /
regard essential to general rosPeEitY every
where, and especially so in rspablioh where
both education or previous condition does
not enter into account IN giving the right
Of Suffrage.
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
Next to the public school the post Office
is the great agent of education over our
vast territory. The rspidity vita which
new sections are being settled-thus increas-
ing the cost of the carrying of the mails IN
q more rapid ratio than the increase Of re-
ceipts-is not alarming. The report of the
Postmaster General, herewith attached,
shows that there was an increass ofrevenne
in his department IN 1873 over the previous
year Of 81, 674, IL, and an increase Of the
cost of carrying the mails and paying en-
ployes of S, ,04l, ,467. 81. The report Of the
Postmaster General gives interesting sta
tisties Of his department, and compared
with the corresponding statistics of 8
year ago, show growth in every branch
Of the department.. NS'A s'-'. ''--' e.
sT.h i POSTAL coSYBuoys, EBG. " 5s.g
"A postal Convention has been concluded
with New South Wales An exchanges Of
postal cards established with Switzerland,
and the negotiations pending for several
years past with France have terminated
IN convention with that country, which
went into effect last August. An inter
national postal congress was convened in
Berne, Switzerland, in September last, at
which the United States ives represented
Fbyaa eEeer Of the Post, Office DEPARTMENT
OF much experience and Of qualifications
for the position. A convention for the
establishment Of an international postal
union was agreed upon BY the delegates
of the countries Represented, subject to
the approval Of the proper authorities of
those countries respectfully direct your
attention. TO the report of the Postmaster
General and 70 his ssue egestiou in regard to
an equitable adjustment Of the question of
compensation to railroads Ter carrying the
mails.
-. POLITICAL TR0gBLBS. -
Your attention viii be drawn to the an
settled condition of affairs in some of the
Southern States. On the l4sh Of Septem-
Der Last the Governor Of Louisiana called
upon nes as provided by The eonsttation
and lava Of ths United States, to aid IN
suppressing domestic violence in that state
This call was made in view Of proclamS
tiOn issued on that day BY D. 3. Penn,
stating that he was elected Lieutenant
Governor in 1872, and calling upon the
militia of the state to arm, assemble,
and drive from power. the nsnrpers,
as be designated The Z effee6s 'of the
state government. On the next
day issued my proclamation, commanded
the insurgents to dispene within Eve days
from the date thereof, and 'snbSeq equently
learned that on that dag they had taken
lforcihie posseaaion of the State House.
Troops were taken by me to support the