The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-05

subject, call your attention to the i'm
portance Of periecting our submarine tor
pedo defences. The board authorized b.
the last Congress to report on the me.hot
which should be adopted for the manutlc
4 ture ef heavy ordinance in modern warfare
! has visited the principal iron and stee
, works in this country and In Europe. It'll
hoped that its report will soon be madt
and that Congress will thereupon be dis
posed 10 provide suitable facilities ant
plans for the manufacture OF such guns q
are now imperatively needed.
On several occasions officers Of the army
have, at the request OF the State authort
ties, visited their militia encampments tol
inspection Of the troops. From the report
of these officers am induced to believe
1 that tho encouragement Of the State militia
; organizations by the National Govern
ment would be followed by very gratifying
. results, and would afford 1t In sudden
emergencies the aid OF large body OF vol
unteers educated in the performance o.
military duties.
The Secretary Of the Navy reports that
under the authority Of the acts Of August 8
1882, and March Sd, 1888, the work Of
strengthening our navy by the consruc'
ton ofmodern vessels has been suspicious.
" begun. Three cruisers are in process OIL
construction, the Chicago, Of 4. 500 tons dis
placement, and the Boston and Atlanta,
both OF $500 tons. They are to be built
OF steel with the tensile strength and dura.
bility prescribed by law, evolution and
armament, and are expected to compare
iayorably with the best armed war vessels
OF other nations A fourth vessel, the Dol.
phin,i Is to be constructed Of similar material
and Is intended to serve as feet dispatch
boat. The double turreted monitors, Puri-
tan, Amphitrite and Terror, have been
launched on the Delaware river and q con-
tract has been made for the supply Of their
machinery. A similar monitor, the Mon.
adnock, has been launched in California.
The Naval Advisory Board and the secre-
tary, recommend the completion OF the
monitors, the construction OF four gun.
boats, and also OF three additional steel
vessels like the Chicago, Boston and Dol.
phin, as an important 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 Hampden Roads
between the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware
river and through Cape Cod. / feel bound
to impress upon the attention Of Congress
the necessity OF continued progress in the
reconstruction OF the Navy. The condition
OF the public treasury as have already In.
timated makes the present an suspicious
time for putting this branch OF service in a
state OF efficiency. It Is no part Of our
policy to create and maintain navy TO
cope with that ofthe 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 OF
interruption, but that our national strength
should be made adequate for the defense Of
our harbors, the protection OF our com.
mercial interests and the maintenance OF
our national honor is proposition from
which no patriotic citizen can withhold his
assent.
POSTAL SERVICE.
The report Of the Postmaster General
contains a gratifying exhibit Of the condi-
ton and prospects Of that interesting
branch Of the public service committed to
his care. 1t appears that on June 80, 1883,
the whole number OF postoffices was AZ 1888,
OF which 1882 were established during the
previous fiscal year. The number OF Offices
operating under the system OF free delivery
was 154. At these latter offices the postage
on local matter amounted to 81, l95, 230 81,
sum exceeding by 81, OIL ,S04 OF the en-.
tire cost OF the carrier service oil the coun-
try. The rata Of postage on drop letters
passing through these offices ia now fixed
by law at two cents per half ounce or frac-
ton thereof. At offices where the carrier
system has not been established the rate Is
only half as large. It will be remembered
Iished by law the uniform single rate OF
postage upon local letters was one cent, and
80 1t remained until 1872 when in those
cities where carrier service was established
it was increased increased In order to de-
fray the expense Of such service. It seems
to me that the old rate may now with pro-
priety be restored, and that, too, even
at the risk Of diminishing, Tor time al
least, the receipts from postage on local
letters. lean see no reason why that par
ticular class Of mail matter should be held
accountable for the entire cost OF not only
it's own collection and delivery but the
collection and delivery Of all other classes,
and am confident, after full consideration
OF the subject, that the reduction OF the
rate would be followed by such growing
access OF business as to occasion but slight
and temporary loss to the revenues OF the
Postoffice. The Postmaster. General de-
votes much OF his report to the considera.
ton, in Its various aspects, OF the relations
OF the Government to the telegraph. Such
reflection IS l have been able to give To
this subject since my last annual message
has not led me to change the views which
then expressed in dissenting from the
Postmaster General that the Govern
ment assume the same control OF
the telegraph which 1t has always exercis-
ed over the mail. Admitted that its au-
thority in the premises Is as ample as has
ever been claimed for 1t, 1t would not in
my judgement be wise use OF that au-
| thorlty 10 purchase or assume the control
Of existing telegraph lines or to construct
others with view OF entering into general
competition with private enterprise. The
objections which may be Justly urged
against either OF these rejects, and indeed
against any system which would require
an enormous increase in the civil service
list, do not however apply to some OF the
plans which have lately provoked public
comment and discussion. It has been claim
ed for example that Congress might wisely
authorize the Postmaster General TO con.
tract with some private persons or cor
poration for the transmission oil messages
at specified rates and under Government
supervision. Various GuOh schemes Of the
same nature hut widely differing in their
special characteristics, have been suggested
| In the public prints, and the arguments by
which they have been supported and OPP
posed have doubtless attracted your atten.
lion. It Ia likely that the whole subject will
be considered by you at the present aes-
sion. In the nature Of things 1t involves
10 many questions OF detail that your de-.
liberations would probably be aided slight,
lily, Il at all, by any particular suggestions