Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

circulation in domestic trade has now ceased
and they have thus become disturbing ele-
ment They should not be longer permitted
to embarrass our currency system. recon-
mend that provision be made for their re-
| ception by the treasury and the mints as
bullion at small Percentage above the cur
rent market price of silver Of like fneness.
REVENUE DISTRICTS CONSOLIDATION.
The secretary of the treasury advises q
! consolidation OF certain of the customs dis
| tricts OF the country, and suggests that the
President be vested with such power in rela-
ton thereto as IS now given him in respect
to collectors OF internal revenue, by section
3l4l of the Revised Statutes The statistics
on this subject, which are contained in his
report, furnish Of themselves strong argu-
ment in defense of his views
At the adjournment of Congress the num-
Der OF internal revenue collection districts
was l26. By executive order, dated June 25
| 1888, directed that certain of these districts
be consolidated. The result has been q re-
duction of one-third their number, which, at
| present, is bat So.
INDIANS QUIET.
From the report of the secretary OF war it
| will be seen that in only single instance has
there been any disturbance Of the quiet con-
dition of our Indian tribes. A raid from
Mexico into Arizona by small party Of In
dians, which was pursued by General Crook
into the mountain regions from which 1t
had come. 1t is confidently hoped that
serious outbreaks will not again occur, and
that the Indian tribes which have for so
many years disturbed the West will here
after remain in peaceable submission
sRA-CoAsr DEFENSE.
again call your attention to the present
| condition of our extended sea-coast, upon
| which are SO many large cities whose wealth
| and Importance to the country would in
time of war invite attack from modern
armored ships, against which our existing
defensive works could give no adequate pro-
| lection. Those works were built before the
introduction of modern heavy-riied guns
into maritime warfare, and if they are net
| put in efficient condition we may easily be
subjected TO humiliation by hostile
power greatly inferior TO ourselves.
As germane to this subject, call
your attention to the importance
fenses. The board authorized by the last
Congress to report on the method which
should be adopted for the manufacture of
heavy ordnance adapted to modern warfare
has visited the principal steel works in this
country and in Europe: 1t is hoped that its
will thereupon be disposed to provide suit
| able facilities and plans for the manufacture
of such guns as are now imperatively
| needed
| STATE MILITIA.
On several occasions during the past
year officers of the army have, at the
| request of the state authorities, visited their
militia encampments for the inspection
| of the troops. From the reports of these
officers l am induced to believe that the en-
couragement of the state militia organiza-
tions by the national government would be
followed by very gratifying results, and
would afford it in sudden emergencies the
aid of large body of volunteers educated in
the performance of military duties.
NAVAL CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The secretary of the navy reports that un-
der the authority of the acts of August s.
1882. and March 3, 1SS3 the work Of strength
ening our navy by the construction of mod
ern vessels has been auspiciously begun.
| Three cruisers are in process of construction
| the Chicago, of 1900 tons displacement
and the Boston and Atlanta, each of 25OO
tons. They are to be built of steel,
with the tensile strength and ductility pre-
scribed by law, and in combination of speed,
| endurance and armament, are expected to
| compare favorably with the best unarmed
| war vessels of other nations. A fourth YES
| sel the Dolphin, is to be constructed of SIM
| liar material. 1t is intended to serve as a
fleet dispatch boat The double-turreted
! monitors Puritan, Amphitrite and Terror
| have been launched on the Delaware river
| and contract has been made for the supply
| of their machinery. A similar monitor, the
| Monadonock has been launched in Califor-
| mia. The naval advisory board and the
| secretary recommend the completion of the
| monitors, the construction of four gunboats
| and also of three additional steel vessels like
| the Chicago, Boston and Dolphin as an i'm
| portant measure of material defense. The
| secretary urges also the immediate creation
| of an interior coast line of water ways across
| the peninsula Of Florida; along the coast
| from Florida to Hampton roads; between
| the Chesapeake bay and the Delaware river,
| and through Cape Cod.
l feel bound to impress upon the attention
| of Congress the necessity of continued pro-
I gress in the reconstruction of the navy. The
| condition of the public treasury, as have
| already intimated, makes the present an
! ausPicious time for putting this branch of the
service in state of efficiency. 1t is no part
of our pslicy to create and maintain 8 navy
| able to cope with that of the other great
powers of the world. We have no wish for
foreign conquest, and the peace which we
have long enjoyed is in no seeming danger
strength should be made adequate for
the defense of our harbors, the protection of
our commercial interests, and the mainte-
nance of our national honor is proposition
from which no patriotic citizen can withhold
his assent.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The report Of the postmaster general con-
tains gratifying exhibit of the condition
and prospects of the interesting branch of
the public service committed to his care. 1t
appears that on June 80, 1888, the whole
number of postoffices was 47,S6S, of
which 1882 were established during the pre-
.; 50 - 80 ~ -, af e. aoI;
was 154. At these latter offices the postage
on local matter amounted to 81, 195, $50 81,
sum exceeding by S1,02l 94.Ol the entire
cost of the carrier service OF the country.
The rate of postage on drop letters passing
through these offices is now liked by law at
two cents per half-ounce or fraction thereof.
In offices where the carrier system has not
been established, the rate is only half as
large
DROP LETTERS.
7. mill y. ronon,horod tho, - ,sea ,.ho,,
VII ue en er.t d 10 .t
mnifo.r, s;ry,," r,ta mon ,oc.I Ie;tars .
- - :, nd ot;i 100
49, mas OH 49, "n o;.;os r,hara nsrrar a';o,
,vos astabl;sbed Il was increased IN ordar ~
d., aS tha oxpa,se of srch ser,';ca 7. sear.
~ mo thot the Old rate NAV now nitb n-o'
,;a4, s, ha resto-od and tbot TOO ~1'
p;sL ~ 5;n,;r;sh;uI g. t;,o ~ ronst AZ