The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-26
WASHINGTON.
The Major General.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-Gen. Mcdowell has
been appointed Major Genera, in the army to
succeed Major General Meade, deceased. Gen.
Mcdowell has been ordered to the Department
military division of the Atlantic with headquar-
tiers at Philadelphia or New York.
The Navy Department.
Important recommendations. concerning the
efficiency of the navy will be made in the forth
coming report of Secretary Robson, predicted
in part upon the reports of the chiefs of bureaus
of that department
1t has been found that more money has been
spent in the repair of old vessels, as authorized
by Congress- than would serve in the conStruc-
ton of new ones of greater strength and inn
proved model and appurtenances. As an in
stance, the Pensacola cost 1925 900 and the re-
pairs were more than twice as much Several
of the worn out vessels are soon to be sold at
auction and others of like character will be
afterwards offered o the highest bidder. The
opinion of the naval officers is that there should
be at least twenty good active steam vessels al
ways in condition to be Immediately used.
About year ago when there was such an ex-
element at Havana as TO induce the Consul
General to telegraph to our government to send
vessels thither for the protection of American
citizens, it was difficult to Immediately find the
vessels suitable for such an emergency and the
Secretary was obliged to despatch an iron-clad
from Key West, together, with four other ves-
sells not of formidable proportions to the locali-
ty. Spain. at the time to which the reference
is made, had twenty-three vessels in the gulf
and viciitny of the Island of Cuba
1t has been ascertained from naval officers,
that not more than ten of the fifty iron-clad
vessels can be rendered useful for naval pur-
poses therefore the Government will dispose of
the remainder of them.
A part of Secretary Robeson's report will be
devoted to the subject of an increase of naval
vessels and he will repeat the recommendations
in his last annual report to supply the places OF
the vessels which have become useless with
those of good and sound construction, and urge
that unless something is done in this direction
Our cruising navy, which is now by no means
powerful, indeed scarcely respectable for ma
ton of our rank and responsibility, pass out of
existence as an arm of our national power.
The President ora Shipbuilding.
The President to-day, in private conversation
with shipbuilder, said he would in his own
forthcoming annual message recommend that
Congress take action with view to restore the
commerce of the country to the condition it was
in before the late civil war;
Postal Convention.
A postal convention has been concluded with
the province of New Foundland reducing the
letter rate between the United States aad New
foundland on and after December list from ten
cents to six cents per half ounce and fixing the
rate for newspapers at two cents each, prepay
ment being compulsory
The Slave Trade.
With references to dispatches from London
intimating that the Colorado and Yantic were
going to Zanzibar to cooperate with the British
expedition against the slave trade, lit is stated at
the Navy Department that the last order given
to the Colorado required her simply to leave
Singapore so as to arrive IN New York in
March, and the Yantic was ordered to touch at
Zanzibar merely on her way to join the Asiatic
fleet.
Pardoned
Paymaster Hodge, convicted some time ago
of embezzlement, and sentenced to theiAlbany
Penitentiary for ten years, was to-day pardoned
by the President
Dazzling Diamond Story.