The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-17


-sAnIalls rebuilt. their rotten wooden beams re,
pianet with iron, their hulls strengthened
ana sAc-r engines and machinery thoroughly
eshciens condition and rsady for sea as soon as
Ehey caH he manned and put IN commission.
me ave double turreted iron -clSds belonging
90 cur Navy by far the most powerful OF our
s.hipr tor nehting purposes, are also IN hand un-
fiorleanEr complete repair. and could be really for
-ea IN periels varying from four ~ SIX months.
With these completed according 20 The present
sseslgn aud our two iron torpedo boats now
ready cur ron clad fleet will bc, for the purpose
OF defense AZ home. equal % any forne that can
ee rasiily brought against Il. OF our wooden
navy alec. cruisers OF various sixes O. tho mum
Der ~ about forty, including those now In com
MISSION. are In the Atlantic. and could be ready
for duty fast as men could beenlisted for those
NJ, A,resiy in commission. or these. one third
,Erc tn effect new shps, and though some OF the
remainder need considerable repairs on thelr
rcsdhy ne made. effective. These constitute q
aee< Of mure than nifty war ships, o. wnlcn nj
teen are iron clads. now IN hand on The Atlantic
.iftos ~ judictous and practical application Of
~hAt cosld he spared iron the current appro.
pxishcu of the last few years and from mat
rnate 70 meet the possible emergency OF two years
sxo. Il has been done quietly, without procla-
rraeD display, and though u has neces sarily
zsraiisned the department In its ordinary
Id has ADDED nothing hs to 'G he
cxuiang force OF the Navy. yet the result
"a uo< les~ satisfactory. because t 10 10 be found
Errxff f1creASt OF ftAl TAtticI bAAl Aquarium
Tace. Theexpenses incurred in the maintenance
of N effective naval force in all its branches are
nccessArily large: but such force Is essential 70
S,nr positions and character, and Affects scriouy
the wearht Of our principles and policy through.
ont the whole sphere of naval responsibility.
The estimates for the regular support OF TINS
sranch Of the service for the next year amount
20 lilsie less IN the aggregate than those male
for the current year, but some additional appro-
prasons asked for objects not includedi IN
che oriinary maintenance OF the Navy, but be-
n, "a no this
x would IN my opinion. be wise AZ once u Al
fori sufficient means for the immediate compile
ncn Of the ave double turresed mosltors now
undergoing repairs. which must otherwise al.
vance slowly and only as money can be spared
IRON current expenses supplemented By these.
our Navy. armed with the destructive wespons
n uslern warfare, manned by our seamen and
IN chsr.e OF our instructed officers, VIII pre-
sent . force powerful for the home purposes
NJ . responsible. though peaceful nation.
THE Posr -oFFICE DEPARTMENT.
TIE repor. OF the Postmaster -General. here
with transmitted. gives full history OF the de-
parrnen< for the year Just passed. IL viii be OBJ
served. that the deficiency to be supPhed from
TIE tseneraI Treasury is increased over the
kraoont required for the preceding year. In
country 80 vast in area Ne the United states. IN
large portions sparsely settlei. II mus be en-
tc-s bursien upon the Treasury for many years
N cone. bat there IL no branch OF the public -ers
ne which interests the whole people more Than
thst0 cheap and rapid transin sion Of the mails
The Commercial advantages 10 IL gained by di-
recs line of American steamers ~ south Arneri-
can sestes viii far outweigh the expense of ser
Woe. by .ct Of Congress approved March ), ISIS.
sams-t all matter. whether properly mail matter
OF not. may be sent any distance through the
mails in packages not eNceeiing four pounds IN
weight for the sum Of Is cents per pound. 80 far
n the transmission OF real mail matter goes THIS
woud seem entirely proper. but l suggest the
,aw be So amended as 70 exclude from the mails
nerchandise Of all descriptions and Limit this
transportation 70 al articles enumerated and
which may be Chased as mail matter proper.
THE BLACK HILLS.
Toe discovery OF gold in the Back Hills. por-
ton Of the sioux walton. has had the effect
To induce q large emigration of miners % that
point Thus far the effort 10 protect the treaty
rights q the Indians o; that section have been
successful. but next year viii certainly witness a
large increase Of sucn emigration. The negOua-
eous for the REIMBURSEMENT Of the gold nelds
having failed. It viii be nrcessary for Congress
70 ADOPT some measures D. relieve the embarrass-
menf growing out OF the causes named. The
>ecretsry OF the Interior suggests that the sup
plies nov appropriated for the sustenance Of
That people. being no longer obligatory under the
treaty OF 1865. but simply gratulty. be issued
IN Withheld az his discretion The condition OF
sne lnis.n Territory. 70 which have referred IN
practically unchanged The secretary OF the
Interior has taken measures 70 obtain full re-
pcrt Of uae condition Of that Territory. and will
make t The subject OF special report At an ear
y day. IL may then be necessary 70 make some
further Recommendations in regard 70 legislation
for he government Of that Territory.
NHE FAIE>T-OffllE.
I've stesdy growth and increase OF the business
Of rhe patent ofice indicate in some measure The
progress Of the industrial activity Of the coun-
nv. The receipts Of the ONCE are in excess of
Is expenditures, and the Office generally Is in
prosperous and satisfactory condition.
OUR PUBLIC LANDS
The repsrt OF the General Land Office shows
that there were 49, l acres less disposed Of
during this than during last year. More than
oe-half % this decrease vas in lands disposed
n under the Homestead and Timber culture
laws. The cause Of this decrease is supposed
tob f1-nd in the grasshopper scourge aud the
of the frOntev states and Territories during that
time a. TO discourage and deter entries by actual
settlers The cash receipts were less By $780,
y a. than during the preceding year. The en-
Ere surveyed area u the public dOmaiR Ia ESQ.,
s's.rs' scres. Of which - ,c7' ,a3l acres were
veyei during the past year, leaving / Isl an
20 acres still unsurveyed.
THE PENSION BUREAU.
The number Of pensioners still continues 70 de-
crease. the highest number having been reached
dnrIng the year ending June 30, 1873. During
he last year ~ ,s55 names were added 70 the
rslls and IL sT' were dropped thercfrom. show.
IA net decrease Of go. But while the mum
Der Of pensioners has decreased the annual
smcans due on the pension rolls has increased
f4,ES. BIB. This u CAUSED by the great increas-
Cd average rate d pensions, created by the lber-
"A n5l-Lssion o. Congress. Al the close OF the
~ 81 persons, Of whom sl0. 35S were Army
pensioners. rs .f1s being invaiids and l04 SIS
WILLOWS AMI aepenntnt relatives, . 40 we're Ma
W pensioners. OF whom ,f.5 we're tnvalids, and
l,iss widows and dependent relatives; a.
as were pensioners OF the War OF 1872, - SIS OF
whom were survivors and 5, iss were widows. IL
~ estimated that - .5sj ,Ooo will be required for
tbe payment Of pensions for the next nscal year,
an amount 95s 900 less han the estimate for the
present. gear.
GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS.
The geotogical explorations have been proee-
oued with energy during the year. covering an
ARA ot about W 90 square miles in the Terrific
NJ Ift.h nnAN Ma
oprng the Agricultural and mineral resources,
and furnishing interesting scientific and topo.
GRAPHICAL details Of thai region.
TIM INDIAN QUESTION.
Inc nc<hod for the treatment OF the Indians
adopted st the beginning Of my frrt term has
been steadily pursued and with satisfactory and
encouraging results. IL has been productive Of
evident Improvement in the condition ~ that
race, and will be continued with only such mod
ncaton "A fsrsber experience may indicate 10 be
necessary