Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-05
NO. 287.

opposition to these suggestions that the
number of works of internal improve
ment which are justly entitled to govern
mental aid is so great as to render il i'm
practicable to have separate appropriation
bills therefor, or even for such comparatively
limited number as make disposition Of large
sums of money. Whether this objection
may be we'll founded. and whether it be or
not. the advantages which would be likely to
enure from the adoption Of the course have
recommended may perhaps be more effectual-
ly attained by another, which I respectfully
| submit to Congress as an alternative PROPOSE.
| ton.
| 1t is provided by the constitutions Of four
teen of our States, that the executive may
disapprove any item or items Of bill ap-
propristing money, whereupon the part of the
bill approved shall be Law and the part dis.
approved shall fail to become law unless re-
passed according to the provisions prescribed
for the passage of bills over the veto Of the
executive. The States wherein some such
provision as the foregoing is 4 part Of the
fundamental Law are California. Colorado,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana. Missouri, Ne.
braska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsyl-
vanis, Texas and West Virginia. commend
to your careful consideration the question
whether amendment of the federal constitu.
ton in the particular indicated would not
| afford the best remedy for what 10 often Q
grave embarrassment, both to members Of
| Congress and to the executive, and sometimss
a serious public mischief.
The NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the Secretary of the
| Navy states the movements of the vari-
| Gus squadrons during the year, In foreign
waters where our officers and seamen
| with such ships as we possess have continued
| to illustrate the character and excellent die.
cipline Of the naval organization.
On the 2lst Of December, 1881, 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
their boats for the coast of Siberia. One Of
| the parties under the command of Chief En-.
Rineer George w, Melville reached the land,
and falling in with the natives was saved.
Another under Lieut.. Commander DeI.ong
| landed in barren region, near the mouth Of
the Lena rive. and after six weeks had elapsed,
| all but two Of the number died from fatigue
| and starvation. No tidings have been received,
from the party in the third boat under the
command Of Lieutenant Chipp. but long fruit.
less investigation leaves little doubt that ito
| members perished at sea. A q slight tribute
| to their heroism give in recommendation
the names of the gallant men who sacrificed
their lives on thi. expedition: Lieut.. Com
| mander, Geo. w. DeLong, Surgeon James
NJ. Adler, Jerome J. Collins, Hans II. Almer
Erickson, Heinrich II. Kaacke, George w.
Boyd, Walter Lee. Adolp Dressler, Carl A.
GOrtz, Nelse Ivorson, the cook All Sam and
the Indian Alexy The officers and men Of the
| missing boat were Lieut.. Chas. w. Chip.
Commander, VIM. Dunbar, Alfred Sweet
| mans, Walter Sharwell, Albert G. Kuehne,
Edward Star, Henry ID. Warren and Peter +.
johnson. Lieut.. Giles b. Harber and Mas.
ter William H. Scheutze are now bringing
| home the remains Of Lieut.. DeLong and his
| comrades.
In pursuance Of the directions Of Congress
the Rodgers was fitted out for the relief of
the Jannette. In accordance with the act Of
Congress of March 3, 1881, she sailed from
San Francisco. June l6, under the command
| of Lieut.. Robert M. Berry, and on Novem-
Der 80 she was accidentally destroyed by fire
| while in winter quarters in st. Lawrence Bay,
but the officers and crew succeeded in escaping
to the shore. Lieut.. Berry and one Of his ofncers
| after making a search for the Jeanette along
the coast of Siberia, fell in with Chief Engi-
| neer Melville's party and returned home by
way of Europe. The other o6cers and the
| crew Of the Rodgers were brought from St.
Lawrence Bay by the whaling steamer North
| Star, master Charles F. Putnam, who had
been placed in chaage Of . depot of supplies
| at Cape Serdz. Returning to his post across
the ice in q binding snowstorm, he was car
| ried out to sea and lost, notw outstanding all
efforts to rescue him. II appears by the sscre-
| tary's report that the available naval force Of
the United States consists of thirty-seven
cruisers, fourteen single turreted monitors,
built during the rebe lion, With 4 large number
| Of smooth bore guns and Parrot rifles and
eighty-seven rife cannon. The cruising yes.
| sells should be gradually replaced by iron or
steel ships, the monitors by modern armored
| vessels, and the armament BY high power
rided guns.
The reconstruction of our navy which WAS
recommended in my last message was begun
by Congress authorizing in its recent act the
| construction oftwo large unarmored steel ves-
| sells Of the character recommended by the late
| advisory board, and subject to the final approx
al of q new advisory board to be organized -
provided by that act. I 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 fleet dispatch vessel, and that appropria-
| tions be made for high power rined cannon
| for the torpedo service and for other harbor
| defenses. Pending the consideration BY Con-
gress Of the policy to be hereafter adopted in
| constructing the eight large navy yards and
their expensive establishments, the secretary
| advocated the reduction of expenditures
! therefor to the lowest possible amounts.
For the purpose OF afording the ofacers
| and seamen Of the navy, opportunities 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 ~ now organ