The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-04
OUR NAVY.
The President Sends q Special Message to
Congress In Regard to Naval Appropri-


The President Sends q Special Message to
Congress In Regard to Naval Appropri-
atiOns-The Opium Bill.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The President
yesterday sent to Congress the following
message recommending appropriations for
The construction of naval vessels: 'In my
annual message l impressed upon Congress
the necessity of continued progress in the
reconstruction of the navy. / now deem it
my duty to advise an appropriation be made
at the present session toward designing and
commencing the construction of at least
three additional steel cruisers and -four 80
boats recommended by the Secretary of the
Navy, the cost of which, including arma-
ment, will not exceed 81, 2s3, 600, of which
one half should he appropriated for the next
fiscal year. The Chicago, Boston. Atlanta
and Dolphin have been designed and are
being built with care and skill. and there is
every reason to believe that they will prove
useful and seryiceable modern cruisers.
Technical questions concerning these
or additional vessels cannot be wisely
settled except by experts and the
Naval Advisory Board organized by
direction of Congress under the act of
August ), 1882, and consisting Of three line
officers. a naval constructor and a naval
engineer. selected with reference only 10
character. experience, knowledge and skill,
and a naval architect and marine engineer
from civil life. of established reputation and
standing as experts in naval or marine con
struction. and is appropriate authority to de-
eide finally all such questions. | am I'M
willing 10 SEE the gradual reconstruction OF
our Navy cruisers. now happily begun in
conformity with modern requirements. de-
layed n full year for any unsubStantial
reasons. Whatever conditions Congress
may see fit To impose in order To secure
judiciouS designs and honest and ecOnomi-
cal construction will be acceptable to me;
but 10 rclingiSh or postpone the policy al
ready deliberately declared. will be, in III
judgment. AZ act of national imprudence.
The appropriations should also be made
without delay for finishing the four
d~ouble.turreted monitors, the Puritan,
.Amphitrite. Terror and Monadnock.
and for procuring their armament and that
of the Mianitonomah. Their LullS are
built and their machinery under contract
hitNa bltA'o, ms NANNAA tiAhh W
the MonadnOck on the Pacific coast. This
should also be built and arlIsor and heavy
guns all procured AT the earliest practical
moment The total amount appropriated
to this time for the four vessels Is S3,546.-
PAL. a sum not exceeding S3.S5S. 800 includ-
ing S6G. 725 for four powerful rified cannons
and for the remainder of the ordnance out
nj will complete and equip them for service.
Of the sum required only $4,000, 900 need
be appropriated for the next fiscal year. 1t
Is not expected ono of the monitors Will be
a match for the heaviest broadSide iron
cladS which certain other Governments have
constructed at a cost of II. 900. 600 or
-, 000.0 900 each, but they will be armored
vessels of approved and useful type and
possess such >ea-gOing capacity and
offensive power As to fully an
Swer our Immediate necessities. Their
completion having been determined
upon in recent legislation of Congress.
no time should he lost in accomplishing the
necessary object. The gun foundry board
appointed 10y the direction of Congress. con
sisting of three army and three navy officers.
has submitted its rc9ort. duly transmitted
on the Goth of February, 1884. recommend
I'M that the Government should promote the
production at private steel works OF the
required material for heavy cannon. and
that TWO Government factories, "ne for the
army and one for the navy. should be estah-
liSllcd for the fabrication of gum from such
material. An early consideration of the IT,
port is recommended. together with such ac-
ton as will enable the Government Ia con
strIct its ordnance upon its own territory.
md so Ia provide the ornaments demanded
by the considerations which concerns the
national safety and honor"
THE oPITM BIZ.
Senator Miller. Of California. reported from
the Senate Committee ON Foreign Relations
a substitute for the bill TO prohibit the inn
portation of opium. 1t prohibits the i'm
uortation of OPIUM in any form 10y Chinese
subjects: provides for the seizure and for.
fixture of packages. in whole or part. of
opium consigned Ia Cinnamon III the United
States. and for the punishment, by a
fine and imprisonment. of persons offend
ing against the act. L prohibits
the importation. by any one of opium
upon vessels owned Ivy Cinnamon CT
dying the Chinese fla. even when chartered
Az citizens or subjects of another country.
Ii provides for the seizure and furteitW. of
all opium found "n such vessels in United
States ports. and imposes Il fine cgrla. 10 the
value of the opium seized upon the master
of the vessel. Whenever il appears that
the Chiaese Government has mui@atcl
appropriate legislation prohibiting citizens
Of the United States from importing opium
into open loTtS. of China. or transporting i:
from II port 10 another. or 5uying and
selling opium in China. the Consular courts
are authorized To Try the Offenders and i'm
pose a fine and Imprisonment uyOn convic.
tion.