New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-05


| mand of Lieutenant Chimp. but long aud ruthless
inveshga ion leaves little doubt that all Its mem
| heroism 1 give in this communication the names Of
the gallant men who sacrificed their lives On this
Leuienant Commander, George W. De Long;
surgeon, James NJ. Amber jerome j. Collins. Hans
| Halmer Erickson. Heinrich II. Kaackc, George w.
Boyd. Walter Lee Adolph Dres>ler, Carl 4. Grrtz,
| Mise lveTsOn; the cook All sam, and tue Indian,
Alexy.
The officers and mon in the missing boat we're:
! Lieutenant, Charles w. Chipp, commanding; VIII
| lam Dunbar Alfred Sweet ran, Walter Sharvcl,
Albert c. Kuehne, Edward Star, Henry d: Warren
and Master William il. Schenile are now bringing
| home the remains of Lieutenant DE Long ana his
| comrades. IN pursuance of the directions OF Con-
! Rress.
he Rodgers fitted ont for the relief of the jean
ne &c, In accordance with the Act Of Congress OF
| March 3, 1881 sailed from San Francisco June 1G.
\ under the command OF Lieutenant Robert NJ. Berry
| On November 30 she was accidentally de trcyed by
| trc wmle In winter quarters III 81. Lawrence Bay,
but the officers and crew succeeded ESCAPING TO TIE
shore Lieutenant Berry and one o. his officers. az
| ter making search for the Jcannette aiong the
coast OF Siberia, fell in with Chief Engineer Met
xliie's parry ana returned home by way "a Europe
Tie other officers and the of tue Rodgers ere
| brought from st. Lawrence Bay ny tue whaln-
| steamer North Star, Master Char es +. Putnam,
| who had been placed in charge OF u depot OF sup
Plies at Cape Serllse. Returning TO his post from
III. Lawrence Bay across the zee ina binding snow
| storm he WIS carried ont to sea and lost, nOt"lth-
standing alf efforts TO rescue him.
1t appears by the Secretary's report that the
available naval force y the United states CONSISTS
of 81 cruisers, Ia sing turre ted monitors, bult
| during the rebellion, "A large number OF smo tn
bore guns and ParrOtt rifles, and 81 rillcd canuon
The cruising vessels should he gradually replaced
| by iron or steel ships, the monitors by mO,e rn
armored vessels, and the armament by hlgl-po"er
rlted guns.
recommended IN my last message wa begun by Con-
gTess authorizing IN its recent act the construction
OF two large unarnored steel vessels OF 'he Galac
! ter recommended by the Naval AdVlsoIy
| Board, aud subject to the hnal approval
OF new advisory board to he Organiz d, as pro-
| viOcd by that act | cal Vour attention To no
| Recommendation of tue secretary and tine Board
| that aulhOn he gwen 10 construct two I'M re
cruisers of sna Ter dimensions ana ono Meet uls-
patch vessel, and that appropriations be made lot
| high,pOwer llhed cannon lor INC tOIpeuo seI'lcc
ana for oJher harbOr dc ences Pend.nB Inc con
sderatoL by Congress of tie policy 10 DC hctealter
| adopted III conducting the eight large n4Vy-yhlds
and their expensive establishments, tile Secretary
| advocated the reduction OF expenditures tntreler
| 10 the lowe possible amounts.
For the purpose of a1lording the officers ana sea-
men of The navy opportunities Tor c%crclsh ana cis-
| cpne fl their profession under apprO ,rete con
| trol and direction, tue Secretary advises tha1 me
| Lighthouse Service Il ID Coast survey De rams
| ierred, as organized, from he Treasury TO tn
| Navy Department ana he also suggests, Tor me
reasons which he assign. that Sill 4 transfer
may wisely be made of the cruising revenue vessels
| THE MERCHANT MARINE.
The Secretary forcioly depicts the intimate con.
| necton and interdcpendcnce of the Navy aud the
| Commercial Marine. and invites attention to the
| continued decadcnce OF the Latter ana inc coIIe-
| spending transfer of growing commerce to for
| eIgn bottoms. THIS subject is one Of the utmost
Importance to the national welfare. Methods OF
| revivlng American shIp-builling and OF restoring
the United States flag III the ocean-caIying trade
should receive the immediate attcnt o. Congress
| We have mechanical skill and abundant material
| Tor tine manufacture oil modem iron steamships IN
tar competition with our commercial rivals. Our
disadvantage IN building snlps II the greater cost
| of labor aud In SAILING tncm, higher taxes and
| greater interest on capital, whIe The ocean hgh-
| formidable compe itors These obstacles should in
| som wa, DO overcome, and for our rapid commuhl
| cation with lOrtign lands We should not continue
TO depend wholly upon vessels buut III the yards OF
| other.coun rIes ana sailing under foreign ilags
| With no UnltcG SAFES steamers on the principal
| ocean lines. in any foreign DORIS, our faciiltles
| for extending our commerce are greatly restricted
whsle the nations which build ana SAL the snps
and carry the mails and passengers obtain thereby
| conspicuous advantages IN Increasing tnelf taue.
| THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Postmaster-General gives evil
dence OF the satisfactory condition Of that Depart
| ment and contains many valuable data and accom-
panying suggestions which cannot fail to be of in
| terest The information which it Affords that the
receipts for the fiscal year have exceeded the expen
dItures must be- very gratifying TO CONGRESS ana to
the people OF The country. Al matters which may
fairly CLAIM particular attention. refer YOU TO has
observations III reference TO the adylSabiuty Of
changing the present basis for fixing saiares and
| allowances of extending the m0ney-ordcr system,
and of enlargng the functions OF tho postal esta-
shmcnt so ~ put under its control the telegraph
| system of he country, though from TINS last anu
most important recommendation l must withhold
| my concurrence
| THE REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.
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 half ounce. have given much study and
rejection to this subject, and am thoroughly per-
1. 4 H.. l.rt
interests of the public II has been the rolcyof the
Government from its foundation to d,fray as far as
possible the expenses of carving the mails by a
direct tax i'm the iOn OF postage IL has never b, en-
claimed, however, that his service ought To be
ID objective Of Il net revenue. As has been stated
already the report Of The Postmaster-Gcnera SHOWS
that there is now very considerable surplus in his
| Department, and that henccforth the receipts are
likely To iuCl at "A much greater ratio than the
| necessary expenditures Unless change IL
made III the existing laws the prof of the postal
service will in very few years swell the revenues
OF the Government many millions OF dollars he
time seems suspicious, therefore, for reduction
i'll the RACES OF postage In what shall thai Teduc-
ton consist? review of the legislation
which has been had upon This subject
during the last thirty years disCloses that dome stc
letters constitute the only class of mail matter
" hich has never been favored by substantial re-
ductIOn of rates. am convinced that the burden
| of maintaining the service falls most unequaily
upon that class and hat more than any OtHor il IL
entitled to present relief. That such relief may be
extended without detriment TO other public inter-
CstS viii DC discovered upon reviewing the results
! of former reductions.
immediately prior 10 the Act Of 1915 the postage
| upon letter composed of single sheet rs fol-
lows If conveyed 30 miles or less cents, be-
| tween 80 and 50 miles ten cents, between 50 and
100 miles I2l2 cents between 100 and 100 miles
| lS3 cents, over 100 mics % cents BY tho Act OF
| 1915 the postage upon single letter conveyed for
| any distance under 300 miles liked at D
cents. aud for any greater distance 10 cents.
by the Act of 1901 it was provided that Il single
letter, if prepaid, shOnld he carried any distance
not exceeding 5000 mics for 3 cents, and any
greater distance Tor 1t Will be noticed that
both OF those reductions OF a radical character
| and reaiYelN nntn as imnnIlanL ~ iLnL MLlch Is