The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-05

to this subject'I call your attention to the
Importance of perfecting our submarine
torpedo defenses. 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 princi-
pal iron and steel works in this country
and in Europe. 1t is hoped that this re-
port will soon be made and that congress
will thereupon be disposed to provide
suitable facilities and plans for the manu-
facture of such guns as are now impera-
lively needed.
STRENGTHENING THE NAVY.
The secretary of the navy reports that
under the authority of the acts of August
5, 1882, and March 8, 1888, the work of
strengthening our navy by the construc-
ton of modern vessels has been au-
spiciously begun. Three cruisers are in
process of construction, the Chicago OF
$500 tons displacement, and the Boston
aud Atlanta, each Of $500 tons. They
are TO be built of steel, with the tensile
strength and ductility prescribed by law,
and in combination OF speed, endurance
and armament are expected to compare IA
vorably with the best unarmored war ves-
sells of other nations. A fourth vessel, the
Dolphin, is to be constructed of similar
material, and it 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 mon
itor, the Monsdnock, has been launched
in California. The naval advisory board
aud the secretary recommend the compile
tion of the monitors, the construction of
four gunboats, and also of three additional
steel vessels like the Chicago, Boston and
rial defense. The secretary urges also the
immediate creation of an interior coast line
of waterways 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. 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 l have already intimated,
makes the present an au.picious time for
putting this branch of the service in
state of efficiency. 1t is no part of our
policy to create and maintain a navy able
to cope with that of the other great pow
ers of the world. We have no wish for
foreign conquest, aud the peace which we
have long enjoyed is in no seeming dan
ger of interruption, but that our naval
strength should be made adequate for the
defense of our harbors, the protection Of
our commercial interests aud the mainte-
nance of our national honor, is q PROPOSE
ton from which no patriotic citizen can
Withhold his assent.
POST-oFFICE DEPARTMENT..
The report of the postmsster-genera
contains q gratifying exhibit of the condi-
ton and prospects of the interesting
branch of the public service committed to
his care. 1t appears that on June 80,
1883 the whole number of post-ofices was
47,S63, of which 1852 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 "a 1915 $50 50, a sum
exceeding by 81, 02l 1914 Oh the entire cost
of the carrier service of the country.
The to of postage on drop letters pass
ing through these offices is now fixed by
law at two cents per half ounce or frac-
ton thereof. In offices where the carrier
system has not been established the rate
is only half as large 1t will be remem-
bered that in 1863, when free delivery was
first established by law, the uniform sim
gle-rate postage upon local letters was one
cent, and 80 it remained until 1872, when
in those cities where carrier service was
established, it was increased in order to
defray the expense of such service. 1t
seems to me that the old rate may now
with propriety be restored, and that, too,
even at the risk of diminishing, for q
time at least, the receipts from postage
upon local letters. can see no reason
why that particular class of mail matter
should be held accountable for the entire
J cost of not only its own collection and de-
livery, but the collection and delivery OF
, all other classes. And am confident, after
r full consideration of the subject, that the re-
} duction of rate would be followed by such
growing accession of business as to CO.
casion but slight aud temporary loss to
3 the revenues of the post-ofH,e. The post
1 master-general devotes much Of his re
r port to the consideration, in its various
, Aspects, Ol tuo Ioidtlouo VI tuo govern
: ment to the telegraph. Such reflection
. as | have been able to give to the
i subject since my last aunaal message has
r not led me to change the view which
t | there expressed in dissenting from tht
Q recommendation of the then postmaster
l general tn at the government assume thu
9 same control over the telegraph which i
Q has always exercised over the mail. AID
hitting that its authority in the premises
is as ample as has ever been claimed
a for it, it would not, in my judgment, be
n wise use of that authority to purchase o
q assume the control of existing telegraph
i lines, or to construct others with view
a of entering into general competition witt
a private enterprise. The objections whicl
: may be justly urged against either o
a these projects, and indeed against an
a system which would require an enormou
% increase in the civil service list, do moi
:. however, apply to some of the plans whic
n have lately provoked public comment an
4 discussion. 1t has been claimed, for e1
r. ample, that congress might wisely author
"a izs the postmaster-generalt to contract wit
some private persons or corporation fo