Litchfield enquirer., 1875-12-16
2 F0l4 fnT sa1 1sEs seb gTossafsIsKs WHOLE NO. 2564:
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these comPleted aceOnding tQr the present [ design, and our two iron torpedo boats | now ready. our iron clad dset wfn be, for the purposes of defenss'as hUusg equal to any force that can readily ba hrsqght against us- Most of our wooden navy, also cruisers of various sizes to the nnm- Der of about forty, including those how in eOmmissiOn in the AtlantfeI o0uD6 be ready for duty as fast as man seqpld ba en- hsted for those not already in eommlsslon. Uf these, one third are in effect new ships, and though some of the ren1AindsE need considerable repaits to theiK abcalaEa or machinery, they all are or can readily be made effective. This constitutes fleet of more than fifty war ships, of which fifteen are iron clad, now in hand on the Atlantic coast. The navy has been brought to this condition by iudicious and a prac- tical application of what could be spared from the current appropriations of the last few years, and from that made to meet the possible emergency of two years ago. It has been quietly done Nithout proclamation or display. and though if has necessarily straightened the depart ment in its ordinary expenditure, and, so far as the iron clads are concerned, has added nothing to the cruising force of the navy yard, the result is not the less satis- factory because it is to be found in q great increase in the real rather than the apparent force. The expenses incurred in the maintenance of an effective naval force ID all it's branches, are necessarily large. but such a force is essential to our posi- ton, relations and character, and effects seriously the weight of our principles and policy throughout the whole sphere of naval responsibilities The estimates fOr &h1n~ -Inw .R q. Al service for the next year amount to q Ht- tie less in the aggregate than those made for the current year, but some additional appropriations are asked for objects not included in the ordinary maintenance of the navy, but believed to be of pressing importance at the present time. It would, Tn my opinion, be wise at once to afford sufficient means for the immediate com pletiOn of the five double turEetted mon ltOrs now undergoing Iep2irs, which must otherwise advance slowly and oily as money can be spared from current expen- ses. Supplemented by these, Our navy, armed with the destructive weapons of modern warfare, manned by our se&neu, and in charge of instructed officers, WiI present force powerful for the home purposes of responsible though peace ful nation.
 POSTAL AFTAIRS.A
 The report of the pOstmasteT-geDerS herewith transmitted gives a full history of the workings of the department for the year just passed. It will be observed that the deficiency to be supplied from the general treasury isincreased over the amount required for the preceding year. So vast in area is the United States, with such large portion of sparsely settled districts, it must be expected that this important service will be more or less a burden on the treasury for many years to come, but there is no branch of the public service which interests the whole people more than that of the cheap and rapid transmission of mails to every inhabited part of our territory. Next tO the free school the post office is the great educator of the people. The subsidy of S15O,OOJ per annum given to vessels of the United States for carrying the mails between New York and Rio de JanierO having ceased. on the 3Oth day of September last, we are without direct mail service with the South American states. This is greatly to be regretted, and do not hesitate to recOm- mend the authorization of renewal of that contract and also that the seTescg may be increased from monthly t0 semi monthly trips. The commercial adVan. tages t0 be gained by q direct 1ise of American steamers to the South American states will far outweigh the expense of service. By set of congress approved Match 8, 1875, almost al1 matter ahether properly mail matter or not may bs sent any distance through the mails in pack. ages not exceeding four pounds in weight for the sufn Of sixteen cents per pound, So far as the transmission of real fDall matter goes, this would seem entirely proper, but 1 suggest that ths law be s1 amended as t0 exclude ffOfa the mails
 merchandise Of aIl descriptions and litgjE tbis transportation t0 all articles eBHmeEs ated and which may be cIassed as maI matter proper.
 IHDIAs AYYAgs
 The discovery of gold in tb0 Black Hills, portion of the Sioux reservation, has had the effect to induce q large ess. jgratiOn of miners to that point. Thus far the effort to prOtec. the treaty rights of the Indians of that section has been successful, but next year will certainly witness large increase of sHeh jmtzigTa- tion. The negotiations for the YellBaaIsli- ment of the gold fields having failed, 1t hSN|9SNNJ some measures to relieve the. embaRRass. ment growing out of the causes named. Tine secretary of the interior suggests. since the supplies now appropriated fOx the sustenance of the people are DO longer obligatory under the treaty of 1868, that simply gratuity may be issued OF vita held at his discretion.
 THE CENTENNIAL.
 The board heretofore appointed to take charge of the articles and materials per tainIng to the war, the navy, the treasury, the interior and the post office departments and department of agriculture, the Smith sOnian institution and the commission of food and fish, to he contributed Under the legislation of the Last session to the inter national exhibition to be held at PhiladeI- phia during the centennial year 1876, has been diligent Tn the discharge of the da- ties which have devOlve1 upon 1t, and the preparations so far made with the means at command give assurance that the gov eTnmeptal contribution will be made one ot the marked characteristics of the exhi- bltlon. The board has observed cOmmea- dable economy in the matter of the ercc- tiOn of buildings for the gov ernmental exhibit, the expeEse . of which 1t Is thought will not exceed. say $500. .Oc0. This amount has been with drawn under the law from the appropria- ton of five of the principal departments which leaves some of those departments without sufficient means to render their respective practical exhibits complete and satisfactory The exhibition being an iIs- rernational one and the government being a voluntary eontnbutor, it Is my sopiaion that it's contributions should be of a char acter in quality and extent tO sustain ths dignity and credit of so great eOntEibu- tor. An indifferent or uncFeditabIe par ticipatiOn by the government would be humlliafiDg to the patriotic feelings OfOur people themselves. L+TeeommeDd the es- inmates of the board for the necessary ad=. dltiOnal appropriations to the faVorabI consideration of congress. The p0werS cE Europe, almost without exception. naze