Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-12-05
DAILY RECORD UNION SPpyEs.
VOLUME xFa-su98EE 81,
THE AIMING AND rqUlppnG OF THE MILITIA.

4
Oar NfO" 80 eA'e"
| COMPULSORY RETIREMENT IN THE ARMY
The Secretary of War calls attention to the fact
that an embarrassment growing out Of the recent
Act OF Congress making the retirement OF officers of
the army compulsory at the age Of g. The Act Of
1878 is still III force, which limits to 400 the number
OF those who can be retired for disability or upon
| their own application. The two Acts when con.
strued together, seem to forbid the relieving even
for absolute incapacity, of officers who do not ian
within the perview OF the latter statute save at such
| times as there should chance to be less that 400
names on the retired list. There are now i2O 1t is
not likely that Congress intended this result and
agrees with the Secretary that the law ought to be
amended.
THE JEANETTE EXPEDITION.
| On the 21st of December, 1851 information was
received that the exploring steamer Jeanette had
been crushed and abandoned in the Arctic ocean,
The officers and crew, after journey over the ice
embarked in three boats for the coast Of Siberia.
| One of the parties, under command OF Chief Eng1-
neer George W. Melville, reached the land, and fall
| ing in with natives saved. Another, under
| Lieutenant Commander De Long landed IN barren
region near the mouth OF the Lena river. After six
| weeks had elapsed all but two of the number had
dled from fatigue and starvation. No tidings have
been received from the party in the third boat, IN
| der the command of Lieutenant Chip; but long
and frritess investigation leaves little doubt that
| all Its members perished at AS sight
tribute to their heroism, I give in this com
| munication tine names Of the gallant
| men who sacrificed their lives on the
expedition Lieutenant Commander George W. De
! Long, Surgeon James NJ. Amber Jerome J. Collins
| Hans Halter Ericsson, Heinrich H. Kaache, George
| a Bryd, Walter Lee, Adolph Dressler Carl Gerts
| Hels lverson, the cook, All Sam, and the Indian
| AleXy. The officers and men in the missing boat
were Lieutenant Charles W. ChIpp, commanding,
| VIM. Dunbar, Alfred Sweetman, Walter Shorteii
| Albert c. kuehne, Edwin Star, Henry D. Warren
| and P. Z. Johnsoo. Lieutenant Giles B. Harber
4 eraT and Snkg
| home the remains Of Lieutenant De Long and com
| rades.
| THE RODGERS DISASTER.
In pursuance of the directions Of Congress the
Rodgers, fitted fo- the relief Of the Jeanette
sailed from San Francisco June lG h. under the COM
| mandof Lieutenant Robert NJ. Berry On Novem-
Der 30th she was accidentally DESTROYED by fire while
| in winter quarters in St. Lawrence Bay, but the
officers and crew succeeded IN escaping the shore
| Lieutenant Berry and one Of his officers, after
making search fer the Jeanette along the coast of
Siberia tel IN with Chief Engineer Melvilles party
| and returned home by way Of Europe. The other
officers and the crew Of the Rodgers were brought
| from St Lawrence Bay by the whaling steamer
| North Star. Master Chss. F. Putnam, who had
been placed in charge Of depot Of SUPPLIES at Cape
SerdeZ returning TO his post from ST Lawrence BAY
across theice IN binding snow-ssorm, carried
out to and lost, notwithstanding all efforts to
| rescue him.
TIE QUESTION OF AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING.
The subject Of American ship-buildiug is one Of
the utmost importance to the general welfare.
Methods Of revising American ship building and Of
restoring the United States flag in the ocean carry
ing trade should receive the immediate attention of
Congress. We have mechanical skill and abundant
material for the manufacture OF modern steamships
in fair competition with our commercial rivals Our
disadvantage IN tudi ships is the greater cost of
labor and in sailing, s.-f taxes ard greater in
terest capital while the ocean highways are al
| ready monopo'ized by our formidable competitors.
| IhaCa Hi.ra Ria in arrzt h.
and, by rapid cOmmun cation with foreign
lands, should not continue TO depend wholly
upon vessels built in the yards of other countries
and sailing under foreign flags. With no United
States steamers on the principal lines, or for
| any foreign ports, our facilities for extending our
commerce are greatly restricted while the nations
which build and sail the ships and carry the mails
and passengers obtain thereby conspicuous advan-
| tages in increasing their trade.
PLEA FOR CHEAPER POSTAGE.
The report Of the Postmaster General gives evil
dence of the satisfactory condition Of that depart.
ment, and contains many valuable data and accom-
panyng suggestions which cannot fail to be Of in.
terest. The information which it affords that the
receipts for the fiscal year have exceeded the ex-
pen tures, must be YER gratifying 10 Congress and
| to the people of the country. AS matters which
may fairly claim Your particular attention, refer
you to his observations in reference to the advisa
bty OF changing the present basis for fixing saa-
ries and allowances Tor extending the money order
! system Of charging the functions of the Postal
| establishn cut, so as to nave under its coUtrol~a
| telegraph system of tbe country - though
| from this last aud most important recon-
| mendation / must withhold my concurrence
At the last session of Congress several bills were in
troduced IN the House OF Representatives for the re-
duction OF letter postage to the rate Of two cents
| half ounce have given much study and re-
| Election TO this subject, and am thoroughly
| persuaded that such a reduction would
| be for the best interests of the public The
reports during the last thirty years disclose that
domestic letters constitute the only class of mail
| matter which has never been favored by a sub.
stant1a reduction OF rates am convinced that the
burden Of maintaining the service falls most I'M
| equally upon that class, and that more than any
other it is entitled to present relief. That such re-
| lief may be extended without dttriment to other
public interests will be discovered upon reviewing
| the results of former reductions Immediately
prior to the Act of 1885, the postage upon a letter
| composed OF single sheet was as follows:
| Conveyed thirty miles or less 9 cents
between so and so miles, 10 cents; between so aud
| $50 miles, l23 cents; between $50 aud 400 miles
Isl cents over 400 miles, 25 cents. BY the Act of
ls45, the postage upon single letter conveyed for
| any distance under 80 miles fixed at cents
| and for any greater distance, at 10 cents By the
Act of 1851, it was provided that a single letter
| if prepaid, should be carried any dis
| tance not exceeding 5000 miles for cents
and any greater distance for six cents II will be
noticed that both Of these reductions were of radi-
cal character, and relatively quite important as
| that which is now proposed. In each case there
| ensued temporary loss Of revenue, but 4 sudden
and large influx Of business which substantially re-
paired that loss within three years Unless the ex-
perience OF past legislation in this country and else
| where goes for nought, it may be safely pre-
| dcted that the stimulus of the fifty per cent
| reduction in tax for carriage would at once
| increase the number OF letters CONSUMED
to the mail. The advantage of secresy would lead
to very general substitution Of sealed packets for
postal cards and open circulars and in divers other
ways the volume of first class matter would be eror-
mOusly augmented. Such increase amounted in
England in the first year after the adoption of the
penny postage to more than 1875 per cent After
| careful estimate, the details Of which cannot
be here set forth, l have been convinced
that the deficiency for the first year
after the proposed reduction would not exceed
per cent. Of the expenditures, or 5000 O0O while
the deficiency after the reduction Of 1Si5 was more
than II per cent, and after that of 1851 27 per
cent Another interesting comparison is afforded by
the statistics furnished by the PostJcs DEPART
The Act of lsi5 passed in the face Of the
fact that there existed deficiency of more than
$50 900 that II 1851 encouraged by the slight
surplus of 81 $500 600. The excess Of in the
next fiscal year is likely 10 be IS 100000. If Con
gress should approve these suggg stions, it may be
deemed desirable to supply to some extent the def
cheney which must for time result by increasing
the charge for carrying merchandise, which is now
only l6 cents per pound but even with ut such ~
increase, am confident that the receipts under the
diminished rates would equal the expenditures after
lapse Of three or four years.
THE STAR ROUTE TRIALS.
In my message of December last, referred to the
pending criminal proceediCg Is grown out of the
frauds known the "Star Route Sc. vice OF the
Post flee Department, and advised you that had
enjoined upon the Attorney General and associate
| counsel, TO whom ths interests Of the Government
| were intyusted, the duty of prosecuting with the
utmost vigor Of the law all persons vino might be
found Chlrge2bls with thOge ofenses. tIiIl Of
these cases has since occurred. IL occupied for
many weeks the attention of the Supreme Court Cf
this district, and conducted with great zeal and
ability. 1t resulted in disagreement of the jury
| but the cause has again been placed on the calen-
dar, and will shortly be tried. II any guilty per-
sons shall finally esc1pe punishment for their Of
fenses it will not be for lack Of the 1iligent and
| urgent efforts Of the prosecution
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary Of the Interior with
its accompanying documents, present full state
ment OF the varied operations Of that department
In respect to Indian affairs nothing has occurred
which has changed or seriously modified the views
to which have devoted much space III former COM
municatiOns to Congress- renew the recommended
tons therein contained 10 extending the Indian
the protection Of law, slloting land in sevcraty to
such as deserve it, and making suitable provision
for the education Of the youth Such provisions AS
the Secretary torcbiy maintsins, will prove unayail-
ing unless they are broad enough 10 include all
those who are able and willing make use Of them
and should not relate solely TO intellectual training