The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-12-11

ever occur between the United States and any
maritime power, tOrpedoes will be among, II
not the most effective aud cheapest auXiliar
les for the defense of harbors, and also in
aggressive operations, that we can have
Hence 1t is advisable to learn by experiment
their best construction and application, as
wei as effect. Fifth, u permanent organize
tion for the signal service corps. This ser
vice has low become necessity OF peace
rs well as war, under the advaL cement made
by the present able management. Sixth, a
renewal of the appropriation for compiling
the official records of the war, etc.
THE NAVY.
The condition Of our navy al this time is a
subject of satisfaction. 1t does not contain,
it is true, any of the powerful cruising iron
cads which make so much of the maritime
strength of some other nations, but neither
our continental situation nor our foreign oil.
icy require that we should have a large num-
Der of ships of this character, while this sit
uation and the nature of our ports continue
to make those of other nations of little dan
ger to us under any circumstances our ma
Wy does contain, however. considerable
number of iron-clads of the monitor class,
which, though not properly cruisers, are pow.
erfu and effective for harb0r defense, and
for operations near our own shores. Ofthese,
all the single-turreted ones, fifteen IN number,
have been substantially rebuilt, their rotten
wooden beams replaced with iron, thei" bulls
strengthened, and their engines and narhin.
cry thoroughly repaired, so that they are now
in the most efficient condition and ready for
sea as soon as they can he manned and put
in commission. The five doubletuIreted
iron clads belonging to our navy, by far the
most powerful of our ships tor fighting pur-
poses, are also in hand, undergoing complete
repairs and could be ready for sea IN ptl lods
varying from four to six months With these
completed according to present designs, and
our two iron tOrpedo-hoats now ready, our
iron.clad fleet will be, for the purpose Of de-
Tense at home, equal to any force that can be
readily brought against It. Of our wooden
navy, also, cruisers of various sizes to the
number of about forty, including those ROW
in commission, are in the Atlantic, and could
be ready for duty as fast as men could be en-
listed for those not already in commission
OF these, Oncthird are in fact new ships, and
though some of the remainder need consider
able repairs to their boilers and machinery
they are, or car readily be made, effective
This constitutes a feet of more than fifty wal
| ships, of which fifteen are irOnclad, now on
baud on the Atlantic coast. The navy has
been brought to this condition by judo.
ious and practical 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. 1t
has been done lietly, without proclamation
or display, and though it has necessarily
Strengthened the department IN its ordinary
expenditure and, as far as the iron cladS are
concerned has added nothing to the crush.
ing forces of the navy, yet the result is not
the less satisfactory because 1t is to be found
IN great Increase Of real rather than appar'
ent force. The expenses incurred in the main
tenance of an effective naval force in all It's
branches are necessarily large, but such force
is essential to our position, relations and
character, and affects seriously the weight OF
our principles and policy throughout the
whole sphere of naval responsibilities.
The estimates for the regular support OF
this branch of the service for the next yeal
amount to little less in the aggregate than
those made for the current year, but some ed
ditonal appropriations are asked for objects
not included in the ordinary maintenance OF
the navy, but believed to be of pressing i'm
portance. AT this time it would, in my Opir.
ion, be wise at once to afford sufficient means
for the immediate completion of the live dOu
ble-turreted monitors now undergoing re
pairs, which must otherwise advance slowly
and only as money can be spared from cur
rent expenses. Supplemented by these, oul
navy, armed with the destructive weapons OF
moderA warfare, manned by our seamen, and
in charge of our instructed officers will pre-
sent force powerful for The home purposes
OF responsible though peaceful nation.
THE GENERAL PosToFFICE.
The report Of the postmaster general, here
with transmitted, gives a full history Of the
workings of the department for the year JUS
passed 1t will be observed that the def
cheney to be supplied from the general treas
ury is increased over the amount refunded
for the preceding year. In country so vas
in area as the United States, with large por
tons sparsely settled, it must be expected
that this important service will be more OF
less burden upon the treasury for many
years to come, but there is no branch OF the
public service which interests the whole PEG
ole Xorc than that of the cheap and rapid
Transmission of the mails to every inhabited
part of our territory. Next to TIE free school
the pOsOfficc is the great educator of the PEG
pie, and it may well receive the support Of
the general government. The subsidy OF
$4,000 pei annum given the vessels of the
lnitd States for carrying the mails between
New York and Rio Janeiro having ceased on
the Both day of September last, we are with
out direct mail facilities with the South Amer
,can states. This is greatly to be regretted
and do not hesitate TO recommend the an
thorizaton of a renewal of that contract, and
also that the service may be increased from
monthly to semi-monthly trips. The com
mercial advantages to be gained by a direct
line of American steamers to the South Amer
lean states will far outweigh the expense OF
the service.
BY an act Of congress, approved March 3
1875, almost all matter, whether properly
mail matter or not may be sent any distance
throughout the mails in packages not exceed
ing four pounds In weight, for the sum of 1t
cents per pound. So far as the transmission
of real mail matter goes, this would seem en-
tirely proper. But suggest that the law be
so amended as to exclude from the mails
merchandise of all descriptions, and limit
this transportation to all articles enumerated
and which may be classcd as mail matter
proper
THE BLACK HILLS.
! The discovery Of gold in the Black Hills, a
portion of the Sioux reservation, has had the
effect to induce large emigration of miners