New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-08
wooden nasV also, cruisers Of various sizes. 20 th,

for duty fast men could be enlisted Tor those
nor already i'm commission. OF these, one-third
In effect ships. and though some OF the remainder
need repairs 10 their boilers and machiD
cry they all or can readily be made elective.
This constilutes,a fleet of than 30 ships, ~
which , are .ron-clad now IN hand on the Atlantic
coast. The navy has been brought 10 this condition
| nv n iudciOus and practical application OF what
| could be spared from the current appropriations Of
tho last few years and from that made TO meet tho
possible emergency OF two years ago. ~ bas Deen
| done quietly, without proclamation or DISPLAY, and
though lt has necessarily Stfaltcned the department.
/ IN its ordinary expenditu and as Jar as the
| irOn-clads concerned has added h0iniiB 10 the
cruising force Of the navy, yet the result Is not tho
less satisfactory because t B To be found IN great
increase of real rather than apparent forces Tho
expenses incurred IN the maintenance OF an ehectlv"
naval force in all its branches necessarily large
but such force is essential 10 our position relations
and character. and affects seriously the weight OF
| our principles and policy throughout the whole
sphere Of naval responsibilities. The estimates Tor
the regular support of this branch OF the service for
the next year amount to little less III the aggre-
| cato than those made for the current year,
] but some additional appropriations are asked for
objects not included III the ordinary maintenance OF
the navy, but believed 10 be OF pressing Importance
| AT this time. IL would in my opinion 10 WISE at
once to afford sufficient means Tor the Immediate
completion of the five dOHbe-tUTrcted monitors now
undergoing repairs, which must Otherwise advance
slowly and only IA money can he spared from cur
rent expenses. supplemented by these. our navy
armed with destructive weapons u nocerI warfare,
manned by our scamen, aud in charge Of our III
strncted officers, viii present force powerful Tor
tue home purposes Of responsible though peaceful
nation.
The POsTOTFrCE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postinastor-General, herewith
transmitted gives full history of the workings Of
the Department for the year just past 1t viii be
observed that the deficiency to Dc supplied from the
general treasury increased the amount required
for the preceding year. In country 20 vast IN area
az the United States, with large portions sparsey
settled, it must be expected that this important ser
vice viii be moro or less burden upon the Treasury
| Itt Iar. il M rIu Itnf
the public service which interests the whole people
moro than that Of cheap and rapid transmission II
| the mails to every inhabited part of our territory
Next TO the free school the post-oioe is The great
educator of the people, and It may well receive the
| support of the General Government. The subsidy
! OF $l50,0CO per aunum given 10 vessels OF tho
United States for carrying the mails between New
York and Rio de JaneirO having ceased the Both
day of September last, we are without direct mail
| facilities with the S0uth American States
| This is greatly to be- regretted, and l do
| not hesitate to recommend the authorization Of
renewal of that contract and also that tho service
may be increased from monthly to temi-monthly
trips. The commercial advantages to be gained by
a direct line Of American steamers 10 the South
American States will far outweigh the expense OF
the service. By act of Congress approved March g.
1879 almost all matter, whether properly mail mat
ter or not may be sent any distance through tho
! mails in packages not exceeding four pounds IN
weight for the of 16 cents per pound 30 fan as
the transmission of real mail matter goes this would
seem entirely proper But suggest that the law 10
so amended as 70 exclude from the mails merchan-
disc Of all descriptions and limit this transportation
TO all articles enumerated, and which may be classed
~ mail matter proper.
The discovery Of gold in tho Black Hills. portion
of tho Sioux Reservation has hal the effect to in
atn.fa af
Thus far the effort to protect the treaty rights Of the
Indians of that section has been successful but the
next year will certainly witness large increase Of
such emigration. The negotiations for the ren-
punishment of the gold fields having failed, il Will be
necessary for Congress adopt measures to re-
lieYe the embarrassment growing out OF the causes
named The Secretary OF the Interior suggests that
the supplies appropriated for the sustenance OK
that people, being no longer obligatory noder tho
treaty of 1868. but simply gratuity, may be issued
or withheld at his discretion.
The condition of the Indian Territory, TO which
have referred in several of my former annual mes
sages remains practically unchanged Tho Secre-
tary Of the Interior has taken measures TO obtain
full report of the condition Of that Territory, and
will make it the subject OF special report at an
early day Itmay then be necessary make some tlr
ther recommendation in regard 70 legislation Tor the
government OF that Territory.
The steady growth ud increase of the business of
/
progress Of the industrial activity of the country
The receipts of the Office are in OF It's eXpen
ditures and the Office generally Is IN prosperous
and satisfactory condition.
The report Of the General Land Office shows that
there were 2,iJ9UOl acres lees disposed OK
during this than during the last year Aore
| than Ono-half of this decrease was IN lands
! disposed OF under the Homestead and Timber Cu-
tGre laws. The causes OF this decrease are supposed
| to be found III the gIaashopper Scourge and INC
! droutls which prevailed 50 extensively IA some OF
the frontier States and Territories during that time
to discourage aud deter entries BY actual setters
| The cash receipts were less by $Co0,522 % than
| during the preceding year. The entire surveyed
area of the public domain - 6SO. 203,OJ4 acres, OF
which 20 OH 5.}l acres were surveyed during the
pass year. leaving ,154471.7G2 acres still unSur
/ voycd. The report OF the Commissioner presents
many interesting suggestions IN regard 70 the man
agement and disposition of the pubic domain. and
the modification OF oSlstng laws, the apparent nm
! pOrtauCc OF which should insure for them the
care lul consideration Of Congress. The number OF
pensioners sui continues To decrease, the highest
| number having been reached during the year ending
june 80. 1919. During the last year LOT names
were added 10 the rolls, and 1927 were dropped
| thcretrom, showing net decrease Of |, t20. But
! While the number OF pensioners has decreased.
| The annual amount cue on the pension Tolls has
increased 1873 ID. This IS caused by the greatly
increased average rate OF pensions, which by the
liberal legislation OF Congress has increased from
$50 % III 1872, to PlO3 81 IN 1870 10 each invalid
pensiOner- increase in the average rate OF 10 per
| cent IN the three years. During the year ondlng
/ june 80 1878, there was paid on account of pen
-iOns, including the expenses of disbursement,
S29, OS3 flo, being S9lO,0S2 less than pad the
| preceding year. Inns reduction IN amount or eA-
| penditures produced by the decrease IN the
amount OF arreaTages due on allowed claims ana on
pensions, the rate Of which was increased by the
| legislation OF the preceding session of Congress 1t
! the close OF the last fiscal year there on tho
pension rolls 23i, s2l persons. of whom 2lO363
were army pensioners, lOJ,41S being invaiidS,
aud lOl.oSJ widows and dependent relatives;
3f2O were navy pensioners, OF whom $50 were
inyallds and ,7Si widows and dependent relatives;
2l ,03o pensioners of the War Of 1872, 1885
| of whom were survivors and D. l63 were widows. Is