Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-05

him.
1t appears by the Seoretary's rerort that
the available naval force of the United
States consists of thirty seven cruisers;
fourteen single turreted monitors, built dur
ing the rebellion; a large number of
smooth-bor guns and parrot rifles and
eighty seven rifed cannon The cruising
vessels should be gradually replaced by
IRON Oh STEEL SHIPS,
The monitors by armored vessels, and the
armament by high power rided guns The
reconstruction of our navy, which was
recommended in my last message, was be-
gun by Congress authorizing, in its recent
act, the construction of two large unar-
mored steel vessels, of the character recon
mended by the late naval advisory board,
and subject to the approval of new ad
visory board, to be organized as provided
by that act. l call your attention to the
recommendation of the Secretary and the
board, that authority be given to construct
two more cruisers, of smaller dimensions,
and one feet dispatch vessel; and that ap-
preparations be made for high power
RELIED CANNON
For the torpedo service and for other
harbor defences, pending the con
sideration by Congress of the
policy to be hereafter adopted in
conducting the eight large navy yards and
their expensive establishments, the Score
tary advocates the reduction of expendi-
lures, therefor, to the lowest possible
amounts; for the purpose of affording the
officers and seamen of the navy opportu-
mites for exercise and discipline in their
PROFESSION, under appropriate control and
direction. The Secretary advises that the
LIGHT HOUSE SERVICE
And coast survey be transferred as now or
gained from the Treasury to the Navy
Department, and he also suggests for the
reason which he assigns, that a similar
transfer may wisely be made of the cruising
revenue vessels. The Secretary foroibly de-
plcts the intimate connection and inter de-
pendcnce eff the navy and commercial ma
r1ne, and invites attention to the continued
decadence of the latter, and the correspond
ing transfer of our growing commerce to
foreign bottoms. This subject is one of the
utmost Importance to the national welfare.
Methods of reviving
AMERICAN SHIP BUILDING,
And of restoring the United States flag in
the ocean carrying trade should receive the
immediate attention of Congress. We have
mechanical skill and abundont material for
the manufacture of modern iron steam
ships in fair competition with our CONNER
cial rivals; our disadvantage in building
ships is the greater cost of labor, and in
sailing them higher taxes and greater inter-
est on capital, while the ocean highways are
already monopoized by our formidable
competitors. These obstacles should in
some way be overcome, and for our rapid
communication with foreign lands we 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 ocean lines
or In any foreign ports, our facilities for
extending our commerce are greatly re-
stricted, while the nations which build and
sail ships and carry the mails and passen-
gers obtain thereby conspicuous advantages
In increasing their trade.
The report of
PosTMASTER-GENERAL
Gives evidence of the satisfactory condition
of that department and contains many val.
liable data and accompanying suggestions
which cannot fail to be of interest The
information which it affords, that the re
ceipts for the fiscal year have exceeded the
expenditures, must be very gratifying to
Congress and to the people of the country.
As matters which may fairly claim particu
lar attention l refer you to his observations
in reference to the advisability of changing
she present basis for fixing salaries and
allowances, of extending the money order
system and of enlarging the functions of
the postal establishments, so as to
put under its control tine telegraph
system of the country though from
this last and most important recommenda-
ton, I must withhold my concurrence.
At the last session of Congress several
bills were introduced into the House of
Representatives for the reduction of letter
postage to the rate of two cents per hall
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 1t has
been the policy of the government from it.
| foundation to defray as far as possible ths
expenses of carrying the mails by direc
tax in the form OF postage. 1t has never
been claimed, that this service ought to b.
| productive of net revenue. AS has beer
stated already, the report of the Postmaster
General shows that there is now a consid
cradle surplus in his department, and tina
henceforth the receipts are likely to in
crease at much greater ratio than tn
necessary expenditures. Unless SOM
change is made in the existing laws, tn
profits of the postal service will in yer.
| few years swell the revenues of the govern
ment many millions of dollars.
The time seems suspicious, therefore, TO
some
| REDUCTION IN THE RATES OF POSTAGE.
In what shall that reduc
ton consist A review o
| he oh hoc had
this subject during the last thirty years
discloses that domestic letters constitute tn
only class of mail matter which has neve
been favored by substantial reduction o
rates. I am convinced that the burden o
maintaining the service falls most unequall
upon that class, and more than any othe
it is entitled to present relief, and that sucl
relief may be extended without detrimen
to other public interests, will be discovere,
upon reviewing the results of former reduc
tons. Immediately prior to the act of 1845
the postage up ,n letter composed of
single sheet, was as follows:
If conveyed 80 miles or less, 6 cents; be
tween 80 and 80 miles, 10 cents; between
80 and $50 miles, 124 cents; between Is
and 400 miles, Is cents By the act o
1845 the postage upon single letter, con
veyed for any distance under 800 miles, wa
fixed at cents, and for any greater distance
at 10 cents. By the act of 1851, it was pro
vided that single letter, if prepaid, shout,
be carried an. distance not exceeding thre
thousand miles, for 3 cents, ard any create
distance, for 6 cents. It will be noticed tina
both these reductions were of radica
character and relatively quite as importan
as that which is now proposed In eacl
case there ensued temporary loss of rev
enue. but sudden and large influx of bust
ness, which substantially repaired that los
within three years, unless the experience o
past legislation in this country and else
where goes for naught, it may be safel,
predicted that the stimulus of 334 per cent
reduction in the tax for carriage would q
once increase the number of letters con
signed to the mails. The advantages of Sc
crecy would lead to a very general substitu
ton of sealed packages, for postal card
and open circulars and in divers other ways
The volume of
FIRST-CLAsS MATTER
Would be enormously augmented. Sucl
| increase Amounted in ENGLAND in the frs