The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-12-08

tIrUlN HNNN. NINN
In c1fleciihF The In
10, aud locating ilem,
your altentlon tue
ned IN tl!e report
DDIYYSI,s' especially oir coast
),,,3ocs and RECOMMEND an increase
, Of the strength Of the cnglneer
battalion by which The efficiency OF our tor,
pcdo system would be improved !
also call your Z attention H, rass
of the1C Mississippi river, The
proposed free bridge over the, Potomac ~
Eeorpetown, the importance OF completing
nj an early day the north wing oil inc
War Department building anu
other recommendation Of the Secretary
of War which appears N thls report;
The actual expenditures OF me uepaapn''inse1mn'
for the fiscal year ending June 5O, lSSOi
We're 40 100 20i'.3O the appropriations for
The wear 1881 were $4i ,ss9,075.42. The esti-
mates for 1882 were $ii5il ,276.0l.
NAVY DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Secretary Of the Navy
exhibits the condition, of that branch Of
SUGGESTIONS for its improvement.
call your especial attention TO the APP
pended report of the Advisory Board, which
here intend to devise suitable
measures for increasing the eiilciency
of the navy and particularly TO the
report as to the character and number OF
the vessels necessary to place 1t on iootinS
commensurate with the necessities OF the
government. | cannot too strongly urge
ON YOU my conviction that every
consideration of the national safety, ecoho-
my and honor imperatively demands
thorough rehabilitation OF our navy.
With a full appreciation OF the TACT
S., that compliance with the suggestions; OF the
head of that department, and OF the Adj
yisory Board must Involve
large expenditure of public moneys,
/ earnestly recommend such appropriation
as will accomplish an end which seems
to me so desirable. Nothing can
public economy than Withhoiding means
necessary to accomplish this object.
Surely nothing is more essential 10
the defense of the United States and
of all our people than efficiency OF our navy.
We have for many years maintained win
foreign governments the relations OF an
honorable peace, and that such relations
NAV be permanent is desired by every
patriotic citizen of the republic. But II we
heed the teachings of history we shall not
forget that in the life of every nation an
emergency may arise where resort 10 arms
can alone save it from dlshonor
No danger from abroad now threatens aaens 'h rs
Oe0De, nor nave VIC any SeoSN
distrust the friendly professions OF
other governments, but for avoiding
as we'll as repelling danger that may
threaten us in future, we must be prepared
to enforce any policy on+ which G,a
must be ready to defend our
harbors against aggression to protect by
over the highways of commerce the
varied interests of our maritime
trade and persons and property OF
orr citizens abroad, to maintain every
where the honor of our flag and the DIS
tinguished position which we may right
fully claim among the nations OF the "orio
posrMAsTER-GEaERA REPORT.
The report of the Postmaster General is
gratifying exhibit of the growth and eiii-
cheney of the postal service. ;. The
receipts from postal and ordinary
sources during the past hscai year
orders were sos 5Sl 80, making total of
$780, 7S5, 5O7 81, The expenditures oo for in
- the fiscal year were .$39, 251, 1885, As;
The deficit supplied out of the general
Treasury was $2,4S5, 1865, or 65rlO per
cent. of the amount expenditures. The re-
ceipts were $346,99l.S63 in excess 9o of
excess of the estimate made two
prosperity had fairly begun. The whole
number of letters mailed in this country in
the last fiscal year exceeded one
thousand million. The registry system is
reported to be in excellent condition, nav
ing been remodeled during the past four
years with good results. The amount OF
Registration fees collected during the last
fiscal year were SIP $500, an increase
over the fiscal year ending June 30th,, isis
of S3i5, 1870. The entire number OF letter,
and packages registered during the year
was S.33S, 90, of which only 2,O6l were lost
or DESTROYED in transit. The operations OF
the money order system are multiplying
yearly under the impulse OF immigration,
of the rapid development OF new, States
and Territories and the consequent demand
for an additional means of in
accommodation and exchange. During
the past year 33S additional money order
offices have been established, making
total of 5,499 in operation at the date OF
this report. During the year domestic
money orders aggregated in value
S105, 075, 1885. A modification OF
the system is suggested, reducing
the fees for money orders not exceeding
five dollars from ten cents to five cents and
making the maximum limit 500 in place
of $50 Legislation for disposition of un-,
claimed money orders in the possession OF
the Postoiiice Department is recon-
mended.
Statistics of mail transportation show that
during The past year railroad routes have
been Increased in length over q, oi9 miles
and in cost $l,l0i,3s2,, while, steam,
boat routes have been decreased
cost sis5o54. The so-calied S ar routes
have been decreased in length $40 miles,
and in cost 1854, IA. Nearly, all OF the
more expensive routes have been super
seeded by railroad service. The cost OF Star
Y tl.arofora mildly AaprpaQQ in
the Western States and Territories,
in view of the fact that their total value now
exceeds one million dollars. The attention
of Congress is again invited to the subject
Of establishing. system OF saw
ings repositories in connection
with the Post-othee Department
The Postmaster-General, however, calls at
tention TO the constantly increasing cost OF
railway mail service as a serious difficulty
in the way ofmaking the department self
sustaining.
Our postal intercourse with foreign coun-
tries has kept pace with the growth
Of the domestic service and within the past
year several countries and colonies have
declared their adhesion 10 the postal union.
1t includes all those which have
an organized postal service except
Bolivia. Costa Rica, New Zealand
and the British Colonies in Australia.
As has been already stated, great reduc-
pensss Of the Star-route service
The investigations OF the Department
OF Justice, and the Postoffice
Department have resulted in the presenta-
ton of indictments against persons for
merly connected with the service, accusing
them Of offenses against the United States.
i have eRjoined upon the officials who are
charged with the conduct OF the cases on
the part ofthe government and upon the
eminent counsel who before my
Accession 20 the Presidency were
called 20 their assistance, the
the duty Of prosecuting with the utmost
yigor d the law all persons who may be