The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1875-12-18

ln~gllltrant return Tor C9uectlnE might NC
RENTED to the direct advantage of consumers
at home. | would mention those articles
which enter into manufactures of all sorts,
All dUtio, pai. upon such articles 20 directly
to the cost OF the articles when manufactured
here, and must be paid by consumers. The
duties nu' only come from consumers at nome
but act Is protection 10 foreign manut'ctur'
er, of the same or competing articles III our
own and distant mark
rgoTEcTioN AGAINST rEAupULENT CLAIMS.
suggest or mention another subject bear
ing upon the question Of how to enable the
Secretary of the Treasury to accunul ate bal
anc,s. II i to devise some better method oil
verifying claims against the government than
at present exists OF claims growing out OF
the late war, nothing is more certain than
that IA large per ccntage OF the amounts
passed and paid are partly or wholly
fiat lulen' or arc far in excess OF the
real lose, sustained. The large amount
of l)S.cs proven OH good testimony according
to ,xi>,ing laws. but by aiilavitS of fictitious
or interruptions persons, To have been suS-
taii ed ON small farms ana plantations, are not
only far beyond the possible yield oi those
plYces for any one year but as every one
knows who has experience in tlling the son,
and who has visited the scenes OF these spoIa-
lions. arc I'm many eases more than the per,
sons were ever worth, including their personal
and real estate. The report of the Attorney
General, which will be submitted to Congress
at an early day. will contain detailed history
of the awards made OF claims ptndlnS OF the
class here reported.
REPORT or SECRETARY or WAR
The report of the Secretary of War accom-
panNing this message gives IA detailed account
of army operations for the year just passed
the expenses for maintenance, etc, with re
COMMUNICATIONS for legislation, to which ]
respectfully invite your attention. To some
of these and of the first Importance, Is the
necessity of masking an appropriation of
$500 coo for the Subsistence department, avail
able before the beginning Of the next fiscal
car. Without thi. provision troops at points
distant from supply points must either go
without foot or the existing law must be
violated. This j. not attended with cost to
the Treasury. Second. His recommendation
for tltc enactment of Il system of annities tor
families of deceased officer, by voluntary de
ductinns from the monthly Fay of officers.
Til, again j. not ATTENDED with burden upon
the Treasury. and would tor the future relieve
much distress which every old arIly officer
has Witnessed in the past il cases at officers
dying Suddenly or being killed. leaving their
families without even til" means OF reaching
their friends ii fortunate enough and have
friends tn aid them. Third. The repeal of the
law ahuii ,hing mileage and ii return to the
old system. Fourth. The trial with torpclocs
under the corp, of engineers and an appro-
priaton for the same. Should war ever occur
bet tween the United States and any maritime
power, torpcdocs will be among if not the
most effective cheapest auxiliary for defense
OF harbors and also for aggr, ssive operations
that we can have Hence it i, advisable to
learn hv experiments their best construction
and application as well rs their effect. Fifth.
Permanent organization of the signal service
corps. This service has now become ncc''s
sitv of peace rs well rs war, under advance
Sixth. Renewal OF the appropriation for COM
prtiny the official records OF the war etc.
THE CONDITION OF OUR NAVY
At this time is Il subject of satisfaction. II does
not contain it is true, any Of the powerful
cruising ronclad- which make SO much OF TIL"
maritime strength of some other nations, but
neither Oar continental situation nor our for
ci4n policy require we should have large
number OF ships of this character lille this
situntinn and the nature of oar ports contin-
ucS Ia make those of other nations of but lit
tie danger to the United states under such cir
cumstanccs. Our navy does contain. howcv-
er, a considerable number of ironclad> of the
monitor class, which, thgifh not property
cruisers are powerful and effective for harbor
defense and for operations near our own
shores OF these, all the single turreied, fit
teen in number, have been substantially re-
built, their wooden beams replaced with IRON,
hlIlls strengthened, and their engines and ma
chincry thoroughly replaced, 50 that they are
now in most efficient condition, and ready
for sea rs soon ~ they can be manned aud
put in commission. The five doublcturreted
ironcads belonging to ollr navy, by far the
most powerful OF orr ships for fighting pur-
poses are also in hand undergoing complete
repairs. and could be ready for sea in periods
VARYING from four To six months. With these
completed according to the present design, and
oar two iron torpedo boats now ready, our
I,n al al
Tense at home, equal To any force that can be
readily brought against it. Our wooden
navy. also, cruisers OF various sizes to the num-
Der of about forty, including those now
in commission, are i'll the Atlantic and
could he ready for duty as fast rs men could
be enlisted. OF those not already in commits
sion onc-third are, in effect, new ships, and al
though of the remainder considerable repairs
to their boilers and machinery are necessary,
they are or can readily be made effective.
This constitutes Il fleet OF more than hlty war
ships, of which fifteen are iron-clads now on
hand. On the Atlantic coast the navy has
been brought to this condition 10y IA iudicious
and practical application of What could be
spared from the current appropriations OF the
last few years, and from that made to meet
possible emergency two years ago. 1t has
been done quietly, without proclamation or
display, and though it has necessarily straight
cncd the department in lis ordinary cXpendi-
turc and ~ far as iron clads are concerned
La, added nothing to the cruising force of the
navy. the result is not less satisfactory, be-
cause it j. to he found a great increase of real
rather ,aan apparent force. The expenses IN
cured in the maintenance OF Il naval force III
all its branches are necessarily large, but siich
"A force is essential to our population. relations
and character and affects seriously the weight
of our principles and policy throughout the
whole sphere OF naval responsibilities. The
estimates for the support of Ibis branch of the