Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-05
The NQUN.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-The report of the
secretary of the navy recommends the pro
motion by selection to the grade of rear
admiral, and the construction of two Sec
ond rate steel cruisers, one steel ram and
an iron dispatch boat, all to cost not to ex-
coed $3,50O,OOO. The report recommends
the transfer of the light house service, coast
survey and revenue marine to the navy
department., as the first two are not prop
erly part of the treasury, and are largely
operated by navy employees at present, and
properly come within its scope of opera
tions. As measure of economy the union
of the naval and marine hospitals is sug-
gested.
The report comments at length upon
the decline of American shipping, and
says the present evils must be remedied or
American shipping will be entirely wiped
out. It recommends the adoption of a
protective system, and large compensation
for carrying mails on American ships and
the establishment of mercantile marine in
the navy department. The report con-
CLUBS as follows: eff the naval establish
ment is not made effective, it should be
discontinued and the $15,OOO,OOO annually
expended be reserved to procure, in
national emergencies, the assistance of
foreign ships and guns. If govern
mental measures are not soon adopted to
promote the carrying trade and arrest the
| disappearance of American ships from the
ocean, we shall soon cease to be q sea-
faring people, and not need to maintain a
| navy of our own"
The P0stofice.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.-The report OF
Postmaster General Howe for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1882, shows: total
disbursements of the postal service during
the year, $40.482,021; ordinary receipts
$41 ,515,642; receipts from money orders
S360,767; excess of receipts, 1884 1883
For the first time in thirty-one years the
postal service is not burden upon the
| treasury. In order to determine the real
cost of the postal service for the past yea,
there should be deducted from the total
disbursements $442,3SS, which, though
paid out last year, was for service rem.
dered in...previous years. There should
be added $32S,550, estimated due
for service rendered last year
There should also be added S1.17S.17i
earned by railway companies for tranpsr
tation of mails between the Missouri
river and Pacific. The account thus statet
shows an excess of earnings Of but 1890,
$50. TIE deficiency the previous fsca
Jyear was S2,466,38e. In 1860 the def
cheney was more than $10,000,oOO. Som,
part OF this great improvement is due tx
the wonderful growth and prosperity O
the country. but the large part is due tt
the improved method il the administra
ton of the service. The heaviest item O
expenditure is for transportation of mail
On railways; the next heaviest is that 70
pay of postmasters. These two item
must swell With the volume of business
since the rate OF compensation is proper
! toned to the amount of business done
The expenditure next III rank is for VIVA
is known as the star service. That in
cludes all mail transportation no
on railways nor on steamboats, TIL
amount and cost of that servic
is left almost wholly TO the arbitrary con
troll of the department. For the year end
ed June so, 1881, the star service covered
1856, 296 miles transportation at cost o
$6,957 .355. For the year ended June 80
1882, the same service covered 76,924,S6i
miles and cost S5,53S, 400. The estimates
for 1884 promise financial results still
more hattering than those realized the las
fiscal year. Those es Inmates are: Or
binary revenues, $50, 2S3.927; from none,
orders, net revenue, S436,52S. Total esti
mated revenue, S5067O.45e. Total ex
penditures, estimated, S46,741,111. EST
mated excess of revenue. S3,929,345.
In the report Of First Assistant Post
master General Hatton it is shown that ths
estimates for compensation of postmas
ters is largely III excess Of the sum appro-
priated or asked for during the current
year. The reason assigned is that the sum