Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-03

| t,NS~>
policy requires the nationa! government to
employ all its legitimate powers to increase
| the strength of our mercantile marine, SO
that 1t may be commensurate with all the
wants and necessities of our commerce. The
increase of one should be proportional
to that Of the other. Our material wealth is
upon the ocean. AS this is extended, 80 will
our wealth be increased, end as at no time
in the past has this wealth increased SO rap
| idly as at the present, now Is thsmost Op-
perfume time for us to extend it the necessary
degree of protection. This is conceded on all
hands, but about the best method of doingit
| there are differences of opinion. 1t IS
the province of Congress to build vessels
| for the merchant service, nor is it expedient
or possible to allow commercial articles to
undoubtedly within its constitutional powers
to give the necessary protection to our ship
building interests, so as to Justify an in
crease of our mercantile marine to such
extent as the necessities Of our commerce
shall require. Il is entirely competent to
arrsnge with private ship builders with
reference to the extension of our postal
services on the oceans, and 10 require that
Btructed, that in event of war they may be
employed Immediately for war purposes
Such vessels built both for strength and
speed would add materially, in case of neces-
sity, to our means of national defense, and
the increase of our naval force, by this
means, would soon enable us to compete on
the ocean with the strongest naval power in
the world. England owes her present naval
an kT .nIf nd
no valuable purpose to con-
trast our condition with her
unless we shall profit by her example. So
long as her merchant vessels, built under
her protection and patronage, are allowed to
draw annually from our wealth about one
hundred millions of dollars for freighting our
commerce, just SO long will our inferiority
exist. Whenever our own commerce shall
be carried on in vessels owned and built by
our own people, capable of being turned
into ships of war when necessary,
then we shall reach point of equality
with her and be prepared, when the necessity
shall arise, to test With her tine question of
superiority upon the sea. Before the war
we had nearly succeeded in RAINING British
vessels from the ocean, and sincs then have
contented ourselves with uttering complaints
against England for her agency in destroy
ing ours while the war was in progress. The
time for active and energetic measures. has
nov arrived and every future year of neg
lect will add to our inferiority.
MILES AND HzAEN.
The reports which have been published
alleging that Col. Miles is candidate for
the position of chief signal officer prove up
on inquiry in official quarters TO be errone-
GUS. Col. Miles is noted as a fighter and
has been engaged for several years on the
most arduous duties and his friends feel
that he is entitled to the promotion he has
earned, but this promotion is likely TO be in
the line of active service, and he will prob
ably be made brigadier general to succeed
Gen. Ord, in the course of changes provided
for by law. It is understood Gen. Hazsn
will bs appointed chief signal officer.
MISCELLANEOUS CAPITAL NEWS.
The postmaster general has issued an or
der raising the following fourth class post
Offices to the grade of "Presidential Offices"
from and after the 1st of January next, with
increased salaries as stated: Murphysboro,
Ills, ST. 800; Sullivan, Ills, $1,100; Pied
mont, w. Va, 81, 100 Qainnandec, Mich,
81, 500.
During November the United States mints
coined 4,574, 200 gold, and $500, 900 silver
dollars.
The President has appointed o. 7. K.
Stafford, of Arizona Territory, delegate to
the worlds fair in New York, in 1888, and
M. r. Barr 10 be collector of customs for
the district of Erie in Pennsylvania.