surviving soldiers and sailors of the war of 1812, and 24,750 widows from that war, a total of 250,802—an increase since last year of 8,047.

During the year, 19,515 new pensions were allowed, and 1,377 pensioners previously dropped restored; 12,875 were dropped.

The annual pensions average $103.31-an aggregate for all of $25,917,906.60. Exclusive of the arrears, the payments for the year amounted to $37,046,185.89, of which $12,468,191.20 was accrued pension in the new cases.

The payment of arrears commenced in May, 1879. There was paid in May and June of that year $3,933,386.63, and $19,980,808.23 during the last fiscal year. The total amount paid out for pensions during the year was $57,026,994.12.

The number of cases in which arrears of pension have been allowed up to November 1, the date of the report, is 43,917. The average in each case is $560.15. These cases were settled from the beginning, so as to distribute them in equal proportions throughout the country, month by month, as the work progressed.

During the 19 years from June, 1861, to July, 1880, 412,459 Army and Navy claims for invalid pension were filed, and 278,488 claims in behalf of Army and Navy widows, minor children, and dependent relatives; 168,856 of the invalids and 193,494 of the other classes were placed on the pension-rolls. Under the acts of February 14, 1871, and March 9, 1878, granting pensions on account of service in the war of 1812, 34,339 survivors presented claims, and 40,020 widows; 25,470 of the survivors and 29,898 widows have been pensioned. There were, on the 30th of June, 282,597 unsettled claims for pension of the Army and Navy classes, and 17,749 claims for pension on account of service in the war of 1812, for bounty-land warrants and for increase of pension. There were allowed during the year 14,631 original pensions of the Army and Navy classes, a larger number than has been allowed in any year since 1871. Annexed to the report is a number of valuable statistical tables, which cannot be given in full, but one of them is worthy of particular mention, showing the number of pensioners borne upon the rolls at the end of each fiscal year from 1861 to 1880, and the amount of money paid out for pensions each year. The total amount for the twenty years is $455,718,505.70.

The Commissioner refers to the new record of claims which has been in course of preparation for many months, and now approaching completion, which classifies the claimants by their proper military organization. These records when completed will comprise 176 volumes of 250 pages each, and contain a record of the claims on account of service in 2,268 regiments, 194 battalions, 706 independent companies, 708 batteries, and 46 staff corps.

The reorganization in November last of the oflice force engaged in settling the Army claims for service in the war of the rebellion, with re

arrangement of the files to correspond, has been of great advantage to the service.

The report refers to the subject of Indian pensions, on account of service in three regiments of Indian home guards, raised in the Indian Territory. In 1879 the Commissioner detailed two special agents to visit the Territory and investigate the claims upon their merits. The investigation was successful and the claimants are about to be paid their dues; a large sum of accrued pension is due in each case, which, under the law, must be paid by check issued by the pension agent. The Commissioner says that there are no banks or other financial institutions in the Territory upon which the pensioners can depend to exchange at a reasonable rate current money for their pension checks, and the pension ́ers are in danger of being overreached and defrauded of their pensions by unscrupulous speculators and adventurers, who infest the Indian and border settlements, unless some precaution shall be taken for their protection, and he recommends legislation to authorize the accrued pension to be paid in installments not to excced $200 each, as a measure of protection.

There are about 2,450 pensioners residing at the various branches of the homes for disabled volunteer soldiers, whose pensions annually amount to about $300,000, which have been paid to the treasurer of the home and disbursed under the direction of the managers, who claim that this course is justified by the law and necessary in order to secure proper discipline and good order among the inmates. The Commissioner is of opinion that the law does not provide for the payment of these pensions in this manner, and requests that the subject be brought to the attention of Congress, so that the duties of the Commissioner of Pensions and managers of the home in relation to these pensions be more clearly defined.

Legislation to authorize the payment of the pensions to the wives and children of insane or imprisoned invalid pensioners is recommended.

The report also recommends legislation to authorize the pensions of minor children to be commenced at the date of the last payment to the widow of the soldier in cases where she has remarried and concealed the fact, and continued to draw the pension.

It also recommends legislation to enable the Commissioner to dispose more equitably of claims for increase of pension than can now be done under the law, and providing for the review of unjust rates of pension which have been established under a mistake.

The report next deals with the subject of attorneys' fees. It calls attention to the fact that since the act of June 20, 1878, there is doubt whether the penal provisions of section 4785, Revised Statutes, can be enforced against attorneys, and recommends an amendment to dispose of the doubtful construction.

It also recommends legislation to protect the department and claim.

ants against disbarred attorneys, who continue to solicit and receive. fees in cases wherein they are no longer recognized.

Referring to the operations of the office in the investigation of frauds, he presents a table showing that the expenses of the year were $26,466.19; that there was saved directly to the government by the investigation $451,775.65.

The Commissioner is of the opinion that the great number of frauds discovered year by year, when it is considered that their discovery by the office is in a large degree chargeable to accident, or to voluntary information, is quite conclusive evidence that but a small percentage of the frauds committed have been discovered.

The Commissioner is of opinion that the compensation of pension agents is too small, and recommends a revision of the law fixing their compensation and increasing it by extending to them the right to use the official penalty envelope in their official correspondence. He also recommends that an additional fee of twenty cents be paid them for their services in paying the arrears.

The report closes with a recommendation for an increase in the number of clerkships of the classes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and also for an increase in the salaries of chiefs of division, appeal clerk, chief clerk, deputy commissioner, and Commissioner.

PATENTS.

The report of the Commissioner of Patents shows an increase in the work of the office for the year ending June 30, 1880, over that of the previous year.

The number of applications for patents was 20,990, being 1,690 more than the previous year. The number of applications for design patents was 681; for the reissue of patents 598; number of caveats filed 2,680; number of applications for registration of trade marks 732; number of applications for registration of labels 479; number of disclaimers filed 11; number of appeals on the merits 781.

Number of patents granted, including reissues and designs, 13,649, being 1,178 more than the previous year. The number of trade-marks registered was 515; labels registered 307; patents withheld for non-payment of final fee 1,313; number of patents expired 3,364.

The total receipts of the office were $730,547.12, being $27,400.33 more than the previous year.

The expenditures for the year were $538,926.43; the expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1879, were $548,651.37, $5,000 of this being for the repair of models damaged by fire and not chargeable to the current expenses of the office.

The current expenditures of the office were $9,725.04 less than the year before. This gives a net gain in excess of receipts over expendi tures of $37,125.37. The total excess of receipts over expenditures is $191,620.69.

The Commissioner makes several recommendations worthy of special attention. He calls special attention to the inadequacy of the rooms provided for the use of the office. He also calls attention to the great need of a system of digests of inventions. To carry out this sugges tion would require special appropriation or an increase in the working force of the office, in order that a portion thereof might be detailed for that purpose.

The interests of the service, in his judgment, demand an additional force of clerks and examiners, and in submitting his estimates for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1882, he recommends an increase of one principal examiner, three first assistant examiners, three second assistants, and three third assistants beyond what was provided for in the appropriation bill for the present fiscal year. For the purpose of a better organization of the office he, in the same connection, recommends that there be created three chiefs of divisions at a salary of $2,000 each, who shall take the place of an equal number of fourth-class clerks. He also recommended a small increase in the number of clerks, and that the salaries thereof be readjusted to correspond with the character of work performed. To do this an increase of about $50,000 in the appropriation for salaries is required.

reau.

EDUCATION.

The Commissioner reports satisfactory results in the work of his bu During the year 87,304 documents, circulars, and letters were sent to correspondents at home and abroad. During the same period 19,654 were received by the office.

The office library contains about 12,000 volumes and 25,000 pamphlets. Attention is called to the marked improvement in the methods of teaching, especially in rural schools, and the gratifying growth of public sentiment throughout the country in favor of our public school system.

The laudable efforts in the direction of industrial education are noticed, and the excellent work being done by colleges of agriculture and the mechanic arts is commented upon.

The Commissioner renews his recommendation for the passage by Congress of some act of financial aid which should be distributed at first on the basis of the percentage of illiterate persons to the total population, and, substantially, on the plan adopted by the trustees of the Peabody Fund.

He refers to the interesting information received respecting the efforts made to establish schools in Alaska. The Russo-Greek bishop sends word of his desire to co-operate, if any plan for public schools be adopted by the government. The schools at Sitka and Wrangel, especially the girls' boarding-school at the latter place, report good progress; the children are managed easily and learn readily.

Evidence increases that these natives need only to be instructed in letters, industry, and conduct to become useful members of the community. They will care for themselves, preserve the peace, and aid in the material development of their country. The Commissioner states that all efforts in their behalf at present are made under the most discour aging circumstances, there being no law for the protection of life or property, and no authority to organize schools. He appreciates the difficulties which beset the organization of any local government for Alaska; but from information received believes that if proper laws were passed by Congress, it would suffice to provide for their temporary execution by a governor, a judge, a superintendent of instruction, and a secretary of the Territory, who jointly should constitute a council of administration and be held to proper accountability.

The papers accompanying the Commissioner's report comprise abstracts of all State, Territorial, and city school reports published during the time covered thereby, and statistics collected by the office directly from 8,000 schools and institutions of learning of various grades and kinds.

TENTH CENSUS.

Since the last annual report of the department, the Tenth Census of the United States has been taken.

The provisions of the acts of March 3, 1879, and April 20, 1880, have been found very efficient in securing a prompt and exact enumeration of the people, while the various classes of vital, social, and industrial statistics, which are gathered in connection with the enumeration of inhabitants, have been very satisfactorily obtained through the special agencies which have for the first time been put in operation under the abovementioned acts.

Much surprise has been created, and not a little unfavorable criticism excited in the newspaper press, by reported gains of population in certain States which were far in excess of what was anticipated from the known conditions of settlement and occupation in the regions concerned. Wherever the face of the returns afforded good reasons for doubting the accuracy of the enumeration, an investigation under competent agents has been had, and in some instances a thorough re-enumeration has been ordered of the district or districts in question. Thus far these investigations have shown that the original enumeration was substantially correct, and that the apparent cause for complaint was largely due to defects in the census of 1870; arising partly from the disturbed state of society existing at that time, and partly from the insufficient and inappropriate agencies then in use, which have now been superseded by the more efficient agencies established by acts of Congress of the present and the past year. I am satisfied that the enumeration conducted dur ing the present year has been more thorough and exact than any taken under the act of 1850 could be, and that no reason exists for distrusting its essential soundness. The letter of the Superintendent concerning