Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-12-08

ened and their engines and machinery tho.
roughly repaired, so that they are now in the
most emclent condition, and ready for sea as
soon as they can be manned and put in COM
mission.
The i've double turreted iron csds belonging
| TO our navy. by far the most powerful of our
shlps Tor lighting purposes, are also in hand I'M
aergolng repairs, and could be ready for sea in
herlous varying from four to six months With
tnese completed, according to the present de-
sign. and our two iron torpedo boats now read y,
| our iron clad fleet will he, Tor the PURPOSES of
defence at home, equal to any force that can
| readily be brought against it.
| vi cur wooden navy, Also cruisers of various
Sizes u the number of about forty including
those now in commission, arc in the Atlantic,
and could be ready for duty as fast MS men
| could 90 enlisted for those not ready in com
mission. Of those one third are in effect new
| shlps, and though some of the remainder need
| considerable repairs TO their boilers and ma
chlnerJ' they Ill arc or readily be made ei-
| fcctve.
| This constitutes feet gilmore than fifty war
ships of which fifteen arc iron clads, now III
hand on the Atlantic coast
The navy has been brought to this condition
| by aJudlclous and practical application of what
could be spared from tho current appropriations
OF the last few years, and from that made to
| meet the possible emergency of two years ago.
1t has been done quietly, without. proclsma-
ton or display, and though it has necessarily
Strengthened the department in its ordinary ex =
| pandlture, and rs Ter US the iron ciads are con-
cerncd has added nothing to the cruising forca
or the navy, yet the result is not the less salts
| factory, because it is to be found in great in.
crease OF real, rather than apparent force. The
| expenses incurred IN the maintenance of an
elective naval force, III all its branches are ne.
cessariy large bat such force is ssntial to our
position, relations and character, and effects So
rlousiy the weight o! our principles and policy
throughout the whole sphere OF national respon-
| sblitics.
The estimates for the regular support of this
| branch OF the service for the next gear amount
IT, b little less in the aggregate than those made
| Tor the current year. but some additional appro-
priations are asked for objects not included in
the ordinary maintenance of the navy, but be-
loVed TO be OF pressing Importance ut this time.
1t would, IN my opinion, be wise at once TO af-
lord sufficient means for the completion OF the
i've double turrcted monitors now undergoing
repairs, which must otherwise advance slowly
and only rs money can be spared from current
expenses. supplemented by these our navy,
armed with the destructive weapons of modern
| warfare, ma ned by our SeAmen and in charge
OF our instructed officers, will present force
powerful lUr the home purposes of responsible
though peaceful nation
TIE POSTAL SERVICE.
! The report Of the Postmaster Gen eral, herew it'll
transmitted, gives full history of the workings OF
tue Department for the year just past 1t will bc
observed that the deficiency 10 be supplied from
| the General Treasury increased over The amounr
required for the proceeding year. In a country Sc
! vast in area as the United States with large Dor
tons sparsey settled, it must be expected that
this important service will be more or less burden
upon The Treasury for years to come. But there
is no branch OF the public service which interests
the whole people more than that Of cheap and
rapid TRANSMISSION Of the mails to every inhabited
part Of our territory Next TO the free school the
Post Office is the great educator of the people and
it may we'll receive the support of the General
Government.
The subsidy of SIS l.OOA per annum given to yes.
sells of the United States for carrying the mails be-
| tween New York and Rio dc Jaueiro having ceased
on the 3lh day OF Sept last, without direct
mail facilities with the South American States
This is greatly to be regretted, and do not hest
tate to recommend the authorization of renewal
of that contract and also that The service may be
| Increased from monthly TO Semi-monthly TRIPS
The commercial advantages TO be gained by a di-
rect line of American steamers TO the South Amer
can States will far outweigh the expense of the SER
! vice.
BY act Of Congress, approved March 8, 1875, al
most all matter, whether properly mail matter or
! not, may be sent any distance through the mails,
| IN packages not exceeding four pounds in weight,
for the sum of sixteen cents per pound. So far as
! the transmission Of real mail matter goes, this
would seem entirely proper; but suggest that the
| law be so amended as TO exclude from the mails
merchandise of all descriptions, and limit this
transportation TO articles enumerated, and which
may be classed as mail matter proper.
THE INDIANS AND THE BLACK HILLS.
The discovery Of gold in the Black Hills, por-
ton OF the Sioux reservation, has had the effect to
| induce large emigration of miners 10 that point
Thus far the effort to protect the treaty rights Of
the Indians to that section las been successful, but
the next year will certainly witness large increase
of such emigration. The negotiations for the re-
| linquishmcnt OF the gold fields having failed it
will be necessary for C,ngress To adopt some uea
sure to relieve the embarrassment growing out of
| the causes named
The ecrctary of the Interior suggests that the
! supplies now appropriated for the suSten :nce of
that people, being no longer obligatory under the
treaty OF 1865, but simply gratuty, may be issued
| or withheld, at his discretion.
| The condition of the Indian Territory, to which
| l have referred in several Of my former annual
! messages, remains practically unchanged. The
| Secretary of the Interior has taken measures 10
obtain full report of the condition of that terri
tory, and will make il the subject of special re-
port at an early day 1t may then be necessary to
! make some further recommendation in regard to
legislation for the government of that territory
| PATENTS, LANDS AND PENSIONS.
| The steady growth and increased business of the
Patent Office indicates in some measure the pro
gress of the industrial activity Of the country The
receipts Of the office in excess of its eXpendi.
lures, and the office generally is ia prosperous and
| satisfactory condition.
The report of the General Land Office shows that
there were g 45960l acres less disposed of during
this than during the last year more than one hall
of this decrease in lands disposed of under the
homestead and timber culture laws. The cause OF
this decrease is supposed TO be found In the grass
hopper scourge, and the drouths which prevailed
extensively in some of the frontier States and Ter
ritories during that time as to discourage and dete
entries by actual settlers. The cash receipts were
less by $500, 322,23 than during the proceeding
year.
The entire surveyed domain is 6S0,253,O94 acres,
of which 2G OF 53l acres were surveyed during the
past year, leaving 1,l54,47l, 1872 acres still unsur
| veyed
The report of the Commissioner presents many
interesting suggestions in regard to the manage
ment and disposition of the public domain and the
| modification of existing laws, the apparentampor.
lance of which should insure for them the careful
consideration of Congress.
| The number of pensioners still continue to de-
crease, the highest number having been reached
during the year ending June 30, 1873. During the