National Republican., 1877-12-04

tioh .! ho Governments during tho past year.
, IL Will be seen that the coin resources OF tho
treasury on all accounts from September 30,
1915, TO September 30, 1877, had increased from
$67, $50, ,705.95 10 $133 5s5 072 "a, and tho cur
rency resources from 500, 437, 1904 to s1io,-
093039.0l.
Since the issue of silver coin. commenced
there has been returned 10 the Treasury for
redemption largely-inorcased amount Of mi
nor coins for which there is no demand. On
September 90, 1877, there was on hand Of these
coins an amount Of $3.50, 14054, constituting q
portion Of the currency balance Of the Treas
ury practically unavailable for current use
and occupying tho Treasury vaults to All In
for their proper disposition Is recommended.
SPECIAL AGENTS.
The Secretary calls attention to the accom-
panying report, showing tho transactions In
the Division of Special Agents Of Customs
Only twenty agents are now authorized to be
employed. Until recently the number was
ffty-three, and, in view Of tho extent aud
character of tho duties deyolving upon them,
IL Is recommended that the number be in.
creased TO at least thirty.
COMMERCE. AND NAVIGATION.
The Register of the Treasury reports tho
total tonnage Of vessels Of the United States
| to be 4,242000 tons, q decrease Of SO, 85S tons
from that of the fiscal year ended June 30.
| 1876.
The actual decrease Is believed to be about
1858 tons, this amount being tho excess of
the losses over the gains during the last fiscal
year the balance being accounted for by drop
ping canal-boats, exempt under the act of Con-
gress approved April 10, 1874.
The tonnage Of vessels built, as given by the
Register, Is 76,5o2Nons, being q decrcase from
that Of the previous year Of ae,9oi TONS or
| over Is per centum. Wa
The number Of vessels built Is 1,O29.
0Nirial havu hay kao,, .l.l 1.
Bureau of Statistics during the fiscal year to
l.29i vessels, whose carrying capacity amounts
| 70 2l1,5 tons, and since July ], 1877, to 563
vessels, of the aggregate tonnage Of 1869.
In this connection, would call attention to
the fact that large number Of vessels, as
defined by section Of the Revised Statutes,
propelled neither by steam nor sails, 70 to
make up the tonnage Of enrcaled and licensed
vessels, while large class Of vessels with
no internal appliances for propulsion Is ex-
cmpt from enrolment and license under the
act OF April 1S. 1874. These vessels consist
mainly Of bargcs and open fats engaged In
the transportation of coal and lumber on the
large navigablc rivers Of our country. For
many years this class Of vessels has been in
creasing, and the watcr-transportation of
Merchandise upon such rivers has been grad
ually passing from steam-vessels to bargcs aud
other craft Of temporary structure which are
towed or propelled by steam or sail vessels.
Ahc NV VI iofS cAcHVtsu ChuHlsDOuts ana
boats employed on the internal waters of
States from enrolment, SO that discrimina-
tion now practically exists between vessels pro-
PEELED neither by steam nor sails, as rcgnrds
their liability TO enrolment, dependent simply
upon the question whether they arc or are not
usually employed on the internal waters of a
State, In connection with their employment on
navigablc waters of the United States The
purely temporary character Of many of these
vessels renders 1t difficult to apply to them the
provisions for enrolment that arc applicable TO
vessels propelled by steam or Sails especially as
they are so constructed as to admit neither of q
permanent crew nor of master who remains
on board,
The discrimination as regards enrolment Is,
besides, a gratuitous cause of dissatisfaction
among that portion of the mercantile commun-
ity which makes use Of craft not propelled di-
rectly by steam or sails. All these vessels
should be subjected to a system of license and
enrolment different from that now In force, or
all should be exempted from enrolment Ii Is
believed that the mercantile community would
prefer enrolment IL the fees for the preliminary
admeasurement were moderate and the system
OF enrolling now in force were less complex.
An entire abandonment of enrolment dcprives
tho Government to large extent of the
means Of ascertaining the statistics of the trade
carried on in this class of vessels.
The number of entries of American vessels
into ports Of the United States from foreign
ports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877,
was lO,660; the number of clearances of Ameri-
can vessels, foreign, for the same period was
lO,79O Tho 'mber Of entries of foreign ves-
sells into ports of the United States from foreign
ports during the same period WAS IL, $40 the
number Of clearances Of foreign vessels, foreign,
for the same time was 1874.
The prepondorance of foreign tonnage over
domestic, in carrying on the foreign commerce
Of the country, Is certainly not in accordance
with the national desire. Such an increase in
our shipping as will restore this commerce to
American citizens should, as far as possible,
without burdening other industries, be en-
couraged by legislation. The increase of the
means and appliances for transportation,
whether by shipping or land carriage, is tax
upon the industries that produce the commod-
tiles to be conveyed. Subsidies drawn from
the revenue In support of the transit indus
tries are charges upon the productive indus
tries, and can be discrcetly granted only In the
sure prospect OF large expansion in the mar
ket demand for the commodities to be trans
ported by shipping or railroads, or where the
vital necessities of the country require free
and speedy Communications between its diff
ferent sections.
Tho high price in our deprecated paper
money Of the chief materials for shipbuilding
has rendered us unable, since the war, to COM
pete with other nations in this great industry
The demand for iron In building railroads, and
the diversion OF capital and labor from other
industries to that, has, however, at present
largely ceased. The appreciation of our cur.
rency to nearly the coin standard, the rapid
development of the coal and iron industries,
and the falling off in tho demand for railroads,
will tend to direct capital and labor to ship
building. Every encouragement may, at
least, be given to the increase of commerce In
vessels Of American ownership that can be
prudently afforded by modifying existing law
In those respects in which it is burden upon
such commerce.
REyENUE-MARINE SERVICE.
The fleet Of vessels employed in this branch
Of the public service consists of thirty-one
steamers ind five sailing Nearly all
of them are specially adapted for cruising In
the waters where. they are respectively sta
toned.
The following is statement of the general
services performed by them during the fiscal
year ending June 80 1877:
Number OF vessels seized or reported for
Violation OF law. w......................... 200
Number OF vessels boarded and examined 1886
Number of miles cruised. ................. lV6GH
Number Of vessels In distress assisted .... 2Oi
Number of lives saved .................... 60
At. .a.a. .l.a..a -.