Arkansas weekly mansion., 1883-12-08

I'm time of war invite attacks from modern
armOrcd ships, against which our existing de-
fcnsivc works could give no adequate prutec-
tion. These works were built before the in
tropiucfion oc modern heavy rffied guns into
maritime warfare. and if they are not put in
an efficient condition we may easily he sub
}Sf,G rio 1o otirlIye As eernain 70 this
subject | call your attention to the import
ance of parfccting our submarine torpedo
dctcnScS The board authorized by the last
Congress to report on the M thOd which should
he ;,,topi,d for the ,I!anIfactilr. of heavy ord
nance adapted 70 modern warfare. has visit
ed the principal iron and steel works in this
country and Europe 1t is hoped that its
ErcSS will thcroupOn b. disposed to provide
suitable facilities and plans for the manufac-
tIIrc of such guns as are now lnpcratlVcly
needed.
STATE MILITIA.
ON several occasions during the past year
officers of the army have, at the request of the
Stat" authorities, united their military en-
equipments for inspection of the troops. From
ahc rcpnrts of thcs,. officers, | am Induced TO
I,eIieVc the encouragement of the State mill
TIA organization Icy the National Government
w"uli Ice followed by very gratifying results.
and would afford it in sudden emergencies the
aid OF II large body of volunteers. educated in
the performance of military duties.
THENAvY.
The Secretary of the Navy reports that
der the authority of the acts Of AUGUST >. lcs.,
navy By the cons'r s'ructiun of modern YES
ec!s has been auSpiciouSy begun. Three
cruisers in process of con -tructiOn: the
Chicago of 4:lGi ton, displacement. and the
Foston and Atlanta, each of $50 tons. They
are To bc built of steel, with the tensile
strength and ductility prescribed by law. and
combination of speed endurance and arm
Hmcnt expected to compare favorably
with the best unarmcd war vessels of other
nations. y fourth vessel, tn" Dolphin, is to
bc constructed of similar material, and is in
tcUdrl to serve as Il fleet dispatch boat The
dpEi,c-turr,-tci monitors Puritan. Amph;tritc
ami Terror have been launched ON the Dcl;-
ware River and IL contract has been made for
III" supply of their machinery \ similar
in California. The Naval Advisory Board and
the Secretary recommend til" completion of
pFfstr.- he.
boats and three additional steel vessels Ike
the Chicago, Boston and Dolphin, as an i'm
lurtant measure of 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 t" Hampton Roads be
tween the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware
Rifcr and through Cape Cod ! feel bound TO
impress upon the attention or tonprcS> the
necessity Of continued Pr9grcSS m the recon
struction of the navy; The condition OF the
public treasury. as | hav" a ready intimatcd.
makes tine present an au>picioIIs time for put
ting this branch of service i'll IL state if ciii
and rrIin,ain u navy ah" to cope with that of
the other great powers of the world We have
no wish for foreign conquest. AMI the peace
which have long enjoyed is in no seeming
danger uf int Eruption. But that nur naval
strength should isc made adequate for the de
f.nS.. of oIIr harbur-. IN" protection of our
commercial interests and the maintenance of
our national h"no". - Il lr"poSilnl from
which II" patriotic citizen can withhold his
THE POST OFFICE.
The report of the Pu~.mastcr-Gc General CON
1.ju> Il gratifying 'Nhihit Of the condition
and prospects nt this interesting branch of
tho public service committed to his care Ii
app"ar~ HAT ON June 81. lNSi. th" whole mum,
E"r "f P"~t-"!iccS was i..NFi, OF which l,'Ss'
were. established during the previous year.
th- system of free delivery WAS Iji.
Al tIi,.~.. latter Offices the postage on local
matter amounted to Si,l!.52rD. o. sum rN-
c.,cdin-s hy SI.t:l.soi,0l tn" entire cost of the
carriers service Oi the country The rate ni
postage. drop letters passing through these
offices * now fixed Icy law at two cents per
ris,rh t,.srn a.
v her. the carrier system has not been cetab-
I>h,'l the. rat" is only half n large. IL will be
remembered that in ls5:;. when free delivery
vs. tir-t established 10y law.thc uniform single
IIf. po~-IL" upon local icttcrS Was one cent
and - remained until lS12, when in thoSt.
cities Nh"r" Garner service "iiT cS'anliHh'N
u increased i'll order to dcfriy the cN-
Iru>s.~ of such service. II seems to me TINT
inc. old rat, may with pr"pricty be
stored and that too even ut The risk Of dimin-
i-hiug. tor Il time at least. the receipts from
p"S;ns upon local letters can see no rc;i-
son why that particular lass of mail matter
should Toe held accountable for the entire cost
Ot not "nii ITS own collection ana heilFcTy- hh'
the collect iun and delivery of all other classes
and am c"ttitcn', alter iuii c"ilSidrri,tinn
ct th" subject. that tn" reduction OF the rate
would 10 fpit.,'....i hay such growing" acc"S
sion of nIiNiurSS sS tn ouCa SION hut slight and
tcni'orarH loss to the revenues OF the Post
p:i:cc Department.
TELEGRAPH.
The rpoSfTnaSts.r-6icuCrl IcNOtcS much of his
report to the C"nSid- ration i'll its various as
Icc;s of tn" Governments relation {" the tcl'-
graph. SiICh rejection as haV. been ah" 10
r!v,. to this subject since my laSt annual nir~-
s.-' has not i',i rrs. tu change the view which
th..n rNurcS~,-l i.l ,iis>cntin. from the
0,,,Tu"n'l.rtion of ihc P"~Ima ~tcf-t;encral that
the Government assume the same control
Over rh, r,.i,r.ri,tt winch 1t ha~ always ,.N,.r
,-.~..i over th,. mail Admitting that its
thnriry in tn" iG"uiS'.~ IL IL ample as has
Judgment, H.. 4 Wis. u~,. that authority to
purchase or assume the control OF exist ing
telegraph lines .,r to- construct others. with
View uf ,ntCrIu" into general competition
with private enterprises The ohtc;'1""S
which woiIid require an enormous incrcas' in
tie. ,.iyii -..r,!cr ,ln not however. apply 10
s.,r.,,. ui tl;. pin~ which have lately provoked
continent and discussion 1t has h"rn
,..f-t.,! tor ,.y;,r,r;,l, that Congress rni=ht
Nt-,-iy authorize. III" PO~tua-tcr', ,rn"ral t"
contract with some private persons or c"rp"-
Sl'-s-iii,l! rates and under Government super
NI-:,n- Various such schemes of the SaIn,
,..r,,.,l nature but widely differing in their
,:.,-,.;il ,hur;I.1rristis.s have been suggested
in til" public prints, and the arguments 10y
hIN,. doubtless attracted your attention IL iS
likely that the whole subject will he considered
L.. you nj the present session In the nature of
things il inv olives 81 many IUcStonSni detail
that your deliberations world prol'rhy tfc
anIc,l >l=h'ly. II at all. Icy any particulnr su2-
.rStiOnS which | might now submit | aV"w
1'tv belief. however that the Government
should hc HuthHriHcd ny In" tr .,x,rftI.
communication. and cypress the hop" that
for uitainin" that end som" measure may b,,
devised " whIch will receive your Appreciation
I;-EpRS' FEES
The Attorney Is cucral critici>cS, in his re
fees of Jurors and witnesses i'll the Federal
GotI;tS. These provisions ar" chiefly contained
in the act of February ~. lStS. though some ot
them were Introduced into that act from
statutes which had been PASSED many years
previous. 1t il manifest that such comirnSt-
lion :> might. when these laws wcrr enacted
have been Just ana reasonable. would in many
instances he Justly rcyard. I'll ut the present
1Iay as Inadequate. | concur with the Attor-
n"v-ticnrra in the belief that the statutes
should lac revised 10y which these fees are reg
uaJcd.
ATTORNEYS AND VI tIsSHAT.S FEES
So. too should The laws which regulate the
COMPENSATION of District Attorneys ani Mar
slIals- They should be- pail wholly by salaries
instead of in part hy fees. as is now the case
The change would prove to he Il measure ol
economy and would discourage the institution
Of needless and oppressive legal proceedings
which il is he feared have in some in.
stances been conducted tor the mere sake OF
personal gain
PENSION FRAUDS.
Much interesting and varied information Is
contained in the report of the secretary OF the
Interior | particularly call your attention to
his presentation of certain phases OF the IN
dian question: to his Recommendations Tor
Ih.. rppe:Il of the prc-Cmptipn and tliuntr cut
1ur.. acts, and for more stringent ic'lSIalloil
To prevent frauds under the pension i;twS
Tho. statutes which prescribed the dcf1nltioils
puniShmcntS of crimes relating 70 pen
sTrnS could doubtless be made more cHet.tlNe
by certain amendments and additions whlch