The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-19
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS.
Annual Statements from Var
iOus Government Officers.
The Communication from the Su-
perintendent Of Foreign Mails.

The annual report Of the United States
Superintendent of Foreign Mails Bell shows
that the total cost of the service for the last
fiscal year was $3.50, ,067, Of which amount
500, $40 was the transportation Of mails OF
foreign origin. The transatlantic steamship
companies received 1858 ,262, or an increase OF
S3S S62 over last year; the Pacific steamship
companies, $37, ,3O2, or 81, 1853 less than last
wear; and the Central and South American
service cost SIS. .553, or $7l37 more than last
year. The estimated cost OF the service 1or
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1889, aggre-
gates s7G6,OOO.
The report shows that the first parcel post
convention ever. concluded between the
United States and any foreign country was
that of October /, 1887, with Jamaica Since
that date conventions have been concluded
with Barbados, the Bahamas, British
Honduras and Mexico. The CONCLUSION
the report says, 'is of special Importance. as
that country, with its large population and
with rapidly developing industries, naturally
looks to the United States for every possible
aid in strengthening the bonds Of commercial
relations between the two great sister repub,,,
lies, whose interests are the same, and 1t WILL
be found that new and hitherto almost lnac-
cessible markets have been opened to Amerl-
kooo
now pepding with all the Central and South
American States, and it is hoped that the time
is not far distant when the three Americas will
be embraced in one grand parcel post union
which will, in its way, aid this country in full
filing its eventual mission, viz. to control
the markets of this hemisphere and become
the leader in its industrial and commercial
progress"
the mails as cargo, at SO much pound, has
proved so advantageous that it is hoped
there will be no return to the old
method, involving the payment OF sub
sides for the mail service. If it
should be the pleasure of Congress to make
an appropriation to aid American steamers
plying in trade with foreign ports, it would
be detriment to the efficiency of the foreign
mail service to charge it with the admins
tration Of such an appropriation.
Disposition of Public Lands.
The annual reLort of the Commissioner Of
the United States General Land Office shows
that during the year ended June 80, 1888.
there were made 59,095 cash land
entries of all classes, aggregating
5,9O7,254 acres. for which the Government
received $11,20S,0 OF these cash en-
tries, SS1S were sales Of land subject to pri-
vate entry; %, Isl were sales of land subject
20 pre-empClon euuyt loif "elo Soies VI
mineral lands; 14,sos were commuted
homestead entries; 1885 were original
and final entries under the desert land
act, and 152 were sales Of coal
lands. The sales of timber and stone
lands aggregate 220 entries, nearly all of
which were made in California The whole
number of entries Of all classes. including In
dian lands, made during the year was 255, 119,
embracing 24,4S5,S33 acres The total re-
- ft,a
the whole number Of entries. 1926 were
original homesteads, embracing 6,676,616
acres: 2, Alb were final homestead entries, en-
braciug 8, It's, 400 acres, and ,472 were tim
Der culture entries having an area Of s. 733, 305
acres. This year the land granted railroads
made 40,7S6 selections embracing $685.
800 acres Under school, swamp land and
other grants by the Government to the
several States and Territories, 1929 selections
were made, covering an area Of 1,265.452
acres In addition to the "a, ,485, 1888 acres
entered under the various public land laws
during the year. the area Of commuted
homesteads, final desert entries, final home
Steads, and final timber culture entries,
aggregated 5,647,54S acres.
Report Of the Patent Commissioner,
Benton j. Hall, United States Commis-
sioner Of Patents, in his annual report, says
that the total number OF applications received
during the year was 40, III. a decrease of
S47. The number Of patents granted and
trade marks and labels registered was q, l01.
as against 23, GIT for last year. The total re-
ceipts for the year vera 81, 122, ,944,a decrease
Of 27,102. The expenditures were
s953, $50, q decrease Of s27,9l4. The
surplus covered into the Treasury
was S169,264. On June so last
there were 1927 cases on hand awaiting ac-
ton, as against 760l on June 80, 1887: The
Commissioner renews his recommendations
of last year relative to needful legislation
and again calls attention to the urgent need