Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-07

can find. This difficulty is peculiarly
great where the fact to be established
ie the dieloyalty of the claimant during
the war. Ii this great threat against
our revenues is to have no other check,
IL Is certain congress should supply the
department of justice with appropria-
tions sufficiently liberal to secure the
pest legal talent in the defense of these
claims and to pursue its vague search
for evidence.
THE POSTAL SERVICE,
The report of the postmaster-genera
shows most gratifying increase and a
most efficient and progressive manage.
ment OF the great business of that de.
partment. The remarkable increase in
revenues, in the number of postoffices
and in the miles of mail routes furnishes
another evidence OF the high state of the
prosperity which our people are enjoy
ing. New ofhces mean new hamlets.
new routes mean the extension of our
border settlements, and increased reve-
nues mean active commerce. The post.
master general brings some of his sta
tistics down to the month OF November
last. The postal revenues increased
during the last year nearly $5, ,OOO. 900.
The deficit for the year ending June 30,
1892, is $S48,3 less than the deficiency
of the preceding year. The deficiency
o. the present fiscal year, it is
estimated, will be reduced to
$1,752, 1923 which will not only be ex.
tingulehed during the next fiscal year,
but surplus of nearly 81 600 900 should
there be shown. In these calculations
the payments to be made under the con-
traits for ocean mail service have not
been included. There have been added
1890 new mail routes during the year,
with mileage OF sc, 800 miles, and the
total number of miles of new mail trips
added during the year is by this nearly
100000 miles. The number of miles
of mail journeys added during the last
four years is about 76, 600, 600, this addi-
tion being 81 ,000,0 900 miles more than
were in operation in the whole country
in 1861. The number of postofficee has
been increased by 2790 during the year,
and during the past four years and
up to October Goth last, the total in
crease in the number of offices has been
nearly 1000. The number of free de-
livery Offices has been nearly doubled in
the past four years, and the number Of
money order offices more than doubled
in that time.
For the three years ending June 80,
1892, the postage revenue amounted to
$197 ,444, $50, which was an increase of
$52 1862, $50 over the revenue for the
three years ending June 80, 1888, the in
crease during the laet three years being
more than three and half times as
great as the increase during the three
years ending June 80, 1888. No such
increase as that shown; for these
three years has ever previously ap-
peared in the revenues of the depart
ment.
The postmaster general has extended
to the postoffices in the larger cities the
merit system of promotion, introduced,
by my direction, into the departments
here, and it has resulted there, as in
the other departments, in large vol
ume OF work, and that better done.
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
Ever since our merchant marine was
driven from the sea by the rebel cruis-
ers, during the war of the rebellion, the
United States has been paying an enor-
nous annual tribute to foreign countries
in the shape Of freight and passage
moneys. Our grain and meats have
been taken at our own docks, and our
large imports there laid down by foreign
shipmasters. An increasing torrent of
American travel to Europe has contrib
uted vast sum annually to the divi-
dends OF foreign ship owners. The bal
ance of trade shown by the books of our
custom houses has been largely reduced,
and almost altogether eXtinguished by
this constant strain. In the year 1892
only 1873 per cent of our imports were
brought in American vessels. The for
eign steamships maintained by our traf-
fic are many of them under contract
with their respective governments by
which in time OF war they will become
part of their armed naval establish
ments. Profting by our commerce in
peace, they will,become the most formid-
able destroyers of ourlcommerce in time
OF war. l felt and have before expressed
the feeling that this condition of things
was both intolerable and disgraceful.
A wholesome change of policy, and hav-
ing much promise, it seems to me, was
begun by the law OF March 8, 1891.
Under this law contracts have been
made by the postmaster-geperal for IL
mail routes. The expenditure involved
by these contracts for the next fiscal
year approximated 1854, 1913 33. As one
OF the good results reached, 16 American
ships of an aggregate tonnage of 81, 400
tons, costing 81, 400, COO, have been built
or contracted to be built in American
ship yards.
The estimated tonnage of all the
steamships required under the existing
contracts is 165, 1902, and when the full
service required by these contracts is
established, there will be Al mail steam
ers under the American flag, with the
probability of further necessary addi-
tions in the Brazilian and Argentine
service. The contracts recently let for
the transatlantic service will result in
the construction of five ships of 10000
tons each. costing $9,000,000 or $10,-
100000, and will add with the
City of New York and City of
Paris, to which the treasury
department was authorized by
legislation at the last session to give
American registry, seven of the swiftest
vessels upon the sea to our naval re-
serve. The contracts made with the
lines sailing to Central and South Amer
ican ports have increased the frequency
and shortened the time of the trips,
added new ports of cali and sustained
some lines that otherwise would almost
csrtainly have been withdrawn. The
service to Buenos Ayres is the first to
the Argentine Republic under the
American flag. The service to South
hsmpton, BoIogne and Antwerp is also
new and is TO he begun with the steam
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