. They were appropriately received at Portsmouth, N.H., on August 1
and at New York on August 8. One of the bodies was landed at the former
place. The others were put on shore at Governors Island, and, with
the exception of one, which was interred in the national cemetery,
were forwarded thence to the destinations indicated by friends.
The organization and conduct of this relief expedition reflects great
credit upon all who contributed to its success.

In this the last of the stated messages that I shall have the honor to
transmit to the Congress of the United States I can not too strongly
urge upon its attention the duty of restoring our Navy as rapidly as
possible to the high state of efficiency which formerly characterized
it. As the long peace that has lulled us into a sense of fancied
security may at any time be disturbed, it is plain that the policy of
strengthening this arm of the service is dictated by considerations of
wise economy, of just regard for our future tranquillity, and of true
appreciation of the dignity and honor of the Republic.

The report of the Postmaster-General acquaints you with the present
condition and needs of the postal service.

It discloses the gratifying fact that the loss of revenue from the
reduction in the rate of letter postage recommended in my message of
December 4, 1882, and effected by the act of March 3, 1883, has been
much less than was generally anticipated. My recommendation of this
reduction was based upon the belief that the actual falling off in
receipts from letter postages for the year immediately succeeding the
change of rate would be $3,000,000. It has proved to be only $2,275,000.

This is a trustworthy indication that the revenue will soon be restored
to its former volume by the natural increase of sealed correspondence.

I confidently repeat, therefore, the recommendation of my last annual
message that the single-rate postage upon drop letters be reduced to
1 cent wherever the payment of 2 cents is now required by law. The
double rate is only exacted at offices where the carrier system is in
operation, and it appears that at those offices the increase in the tax
upon local letters defrays the cost not only of its own collection and
delivery, but of the collection and delivery of all other mail matter.
This is an inequality that ought no longer to exist.

I approve the recommendation of the Postmaster-General that the unit of
weight in the rating of first-clas