Mr. SHERMAN. I can explain it in a moment. I will state briefly the reasons that, led the special committee to report this bill after a very careful and patient examination of this subject. We all desired to expedite or facilitate, if possible, the construction of tele graph lines in the U.S. There were 3 proositions made to the committee. One was that the U.S. itself, through the PostMGenl, should construct tel egraph lines with a view to comete with exist:inglines; another was that we should organize a company, chartered by an act of Congress, and authorize that company to construct tele graph lines. The objection taken by the PostMGenl to the 1st proosition, and in which we all concurred, was that the expense would be too great for the U.S. now, upon present information, to embark in the construction of telegraph lines in the U.S.; that it would beingrafting a new feat ure on the postal service which we were not prepared for. We supposed that a time might arrive, in the not far istant. future, when the U.S. might be disposed toingraft the telegraph system upon the postal system, but we thought that now was not the time. The next proposition and such a bill was introduced and referred to the committee was that a corporation should be cr‘eated by Congress invested with powers to construct telegraph lines to compete with existing tele graph companies. After a patient examination, we thought that at.present we had better not organize such a company, as it would be a new feature to incorporate a company in the DistCol to exercise powers beyond the District, and we supposed it would give rise to some objection from its very novelty. The bill that we finally agreed upon authorizes an existing company organized in the State of NewYork, which is now constructing telegraph lilies in the U.S and which proposes to construct a telegraph line to Cal 1 ifornia over the public domain, to construct their line along the military or post roads of the U.S., and over, under, or across the navigable streams or waters of the U.S., and authorizes them to take a quarter section of land in certain cases, and to take the materials for building their line on the public domain. This provision is copied fromt c act incorporating the Pacific Telegraph Company, to which the U.S. now pays a bounty of $40,000 a year. This confers simply the right upon this company to cross the public domain; and, wherever stations are necessary, 7 to preempt.a quarter section of land, givingt them no other privilege. The 2nd section authorizes the PostMGenl.