Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-12-13

are undoubtedly the best. For this purpose tr1.
bunal, which will require the best evidence OF
which the nature Of the case will admit, the pro
ductton Of original papers rather than pretended
copies, the sworn statement Of the witness himself
to facts In his own knowledge and not the hearsay
OF third parties, the examination and cross-exam
nation Of the Witness not his ex-parte statement
privately taken, public hearing and public rec
ord OF proceedings open TO inspection is essential
He recommends the Court Of Claims as tribunal
TO whom such claims might with propriety bo re-
fcrred.
COLLECTION OF CUSTOMS
Mr.. Sherman discusses at considerable length
the question of the collection of duties imports
and describes the suits brought for the punish
ment of parties engaged in defrauding The rev
enues. He advises a change In the mode Of col
lecting duties on sugar. In this connection he
calls attention to the operation of the reciprocity
treaty with Hawaii, and shows that, during the year
1871 the duties surrendered, by virtue Of the
treaty, on goods imported into the United States
aggregated SS81 ,20B, sum of S15,B61 more than
1877 over those OF 1875, the year before the
operation OF the treaty. The advantages of this
treaty the Secretary thinks, are not reciprocal
Of the law shall do away with the temptation to
smuggling and undervalualion.
EXPLOITS AND IMPORTS
Tho gold value of the exports of merchandise
for the year was S694S85, 100; imports, S487,
051b32, Excess of imports over exports, S251,-
S14234 Compared with the previous year the
ports less by S14271,594 The annual average
Of the excess of1mports over exports of mcrchan-
disc, for the ten years ended June 30, 1873, was
$104 706922; but, during the last three years
there has been an excess of exports over inn
II lS17 sSl51I52994i and in 1873 s251
this year have been S33,740,125, and the imports
$29S21 81 Ia, an excess of exports over imports Of
S3,91S,S11. Ofthe exports of domestic merchan-
disc, the products Of agriculture comprised n per
cent, The decrease of imports consisted chiefly
of manufactures of cotton, nax and silk, of wool
and manufactures of wool, and of iron and steel
and manufactures thereof. OF the latter, the i'm
portation of railroad-bars decreased from 5g5,-
321 tons in 1872 to u tons in 1873; but their
product in the United States increased from g.
q5S,141 tons during the five years from 1867 to
1871 to 4,056,340 tons during the five years from
1873 TO 1877 From this product has been sup
piled the demand for such bars necessary for the
extension and renewal Of railroads, of which there
are in operation 10000 miles.
ALASKA.
The Secretary recommends that authority be
conferred on the Department to prevent the ship
mcnt to Alaska of molasscs other articles from
which Intoxicating liquors are ordinarily made, and
the establishment of some form of government
competent to restrain disorder and insure the safe-
ty of the inhabitants. The Alaska Commercial
Company has taken during the present season the
maximum number of 100000 seal skins allowed
by law, which represents an income TO the Gov
ernment Of S317,50O.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
The receipts of Internal Revenue for 1878 were
from the receipts of the preceding year. The
needs of the public service require that no rcduc-
modities from which the tax is mostly collected
are those which properly bear the burden Of the
tax, and the present rates are In the main salts
factory.
COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION.
The total tonnage of United States vesselsis
4,2l2,1b4 tons, a decrease of 2!l,S3R tons from
entries OF vessels into ports of the United States
from foreign countries, as returned by the Bureau
Of Statistics, during the year ended June 30 1878,
was 30,7g6; of these entries, 10,5q4 were of
American vessels. the total number of ClClrnuCgs
foreign, during the same time, 81 1854; of this
number, 1OSI2 were clcarances of Amerl-
vessels. Of the total tonnage thus en-
tered, about % per cent. was American and
rs per cent. foreign; of the total number of
clearances foreign, about 26 per cent. was Ameri-
can and IA per cent, foreign. During the year
there were inspected 4137 steam vessels of an
aggregate tonnage of 1,0l7,432.03 tons, and the
fees realized aggregated S272,703.S5. The sala.
Sies and other expenses paid were S216,24g.65,
leaving an unexpended surplus of $56,454.20.
The Revenue Marine consists of 81 vessels Dur
ing the year they cruised an aggregate of 23S,505
miles, and their officers boarded and examined
81 ,0a6 vessels, of which 2,0Oa were found to have
violated the law and were accordingly reported or
seized. One hundred and ninety-two wrecked
vessels were relieved and 142 persons saved from
downing. The expense of this branch of the
service during the year was SS44,00l'70.
LIFE-sAyING SERVICE.
The statistics of the past year show that the
of disaster have been ISOre numerous and severe
than during any me existence OF the service h Ice
Superntendents of the several districts during the
fiscal year, is 16q. These vessels had on boad
1911 persons, of whom 221 were lost. OF this
latter number 1873 pershed at the wrecks of the
Huron and Metropolis Three hundred and ninety
shipwrecked persons cared for at the stations
8lS days of succor being afforded them. The value
of property involved was $2,B22,3S5, of which
S1,094975 was saved, and Sl,527,360 lost, there
having been itynine instances of the total loss OF
vessels and cargoes. Numerous suggestions are
made for increasing the efficiency Of this branch Of
the public service.
LIGHTHOUSES.
nurin0 10 laat 1iUht t.hn
15l river-lights, fog-signal, 81 day-beacons and
Al buoys have been established and lighthouse
"a river-lights and two light-ships have been dis
continued. The total at the close of the year was
$50 lighthouses $50 river-lights, % lghts ships
55 steam fog signals, All day-beacons and 3002
buoys.
THE MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE.
During the year 1929 sick and disabled sea
men were cared for during the year ended June 30
1S7S-the number exceeding by 1,415 the largest
number relieved in any previous year. As in the
preceding year, there was again small surplus o
receipts over expenditures as shown by the state
ment of the Register Of the Treasury, the receipts
covered into the Treasury being. S3Bq,678 81
And the expenditures. s................ 365,292 sc
Leaving unexpended............ $4,3S5 "a
The Secretary concludes by commencing thI
| condNct Of the officers Of his Department.
4