The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-02
NO. f52.

IN the han0s OF foreigners. One phase
OF this subject is now especially plOmi-
nent IN view OF the repeal Of the act Of
june 18th, 1851, OF all salutary pTOVis-
ions, arbitrarily compelling American
vessels TO carry the mails to and from
the United States. AS it Is necessary to
make provisions to compensate the
owners OF such vessels for performing
that service after April, 1885, it is hoped
that the whole subject viii receive early
consideration that viii lead 20 the en-
actment OF such measures for the revival
OF our merchant marine as the wisdom
OF Congress may devise.
The Circulation.
The three-per-cent bonds OF the gov
eminent, to the amount Of more than
500, 10000 have, since my lass annual
message, been redeemed BY the treasury.
lie bonds OF thatiSSue still outstanding
amount to a little over 500. OOO. 600.
about one-fourth of which will be retired
through the operations Of the sinking
tund during the coming wear. IS these
bonds still continue the chief basis for
circulation OF the national Banks, the
question how to avert The con
traction Of the currency caused
by their retirement is one OF con
stantly Increasing importance, 1t
seems to be generally conceded that
the law governing this matter exacts
from the banks exceSsjve,security, and
that upon their present bond deposits, a
larger circulation than is now allowed
may be granted with safety. ] hope
that the bill which passed the Senate at
the last session, permitting the issue OF
notes equal to the face value Of deposited
| bonds, viii commend itself to the an
prevail OF the House OfRepresentatiyes
War Departments Expenses.
In the expenses osthe War Depart
ment, the Secretary, reports a decrease
Of more than $4,000, geo, Of which reduc-
ton $5,6o0, 600 was effected in the ex-
pendltureS for rivers and harbors, and
S2,7O0O0O expenditures for the Quarter
masters department. Outside of that
department, the annual expenses of all.
the army bureaus proper, Except pos
slbly the ordnance bureau) are sub
stantlally fixed charges which cannot
be materially diminished without q
change In the numerical strength of the
army. The expenditures in the quarter
masters department can readily be
subjected TO administrative discretion,
and it Is reported by the Secretary OF.
War, that as result of exercising. such
discretion, In reducing the number Of
draught and pack animals in the army,
the annual cost Of supplying and caring
for such animals is now 81 Jos, 055s90'less
than it was in 1882.
The reports Of military commanders
, show that the last year has been notable
for its entire freedom from Indian out
breaks. In defiance of the Presidents
proclamation July 1, 1884, certain in
truders sought to make a settlement In
the Indian Territory. They were
promptly removed By detachment of
troops.
During the past session Of Congress, q
bill to provide suitable freproOf build
: ing for the army medical museum and
: the library Of the Surgeon-G GENERALS
office, received the approval of the
; Senate. A similar bill reported favorably
: to the House of Representative by one
, of its committees is still pending before
? that body,t It is hoped that during the
coming session the measure may be-
come a law and thereafter immediate
{ steps may be taken TO secure a place OF
safe deposit for these valuable cOllec-
tons now IN state Of insecurity.
: The funds with which the works
for the improvement OF rivers and har-
bOrs we're prosecuted during the past
, year, were derived from the appropria-
tons Of the act of August I'd, 1852, to-
gether with such few balances as were
on hand from previous appropriations.
The balance In the treasury subject to
! requisiti0H July LIST, 1888, was $40 021, :
649.55 The amount appropriated dur
ing the fiscal year 1884, was $13, 1876. :
S46-1 and the amount drawn from the
! Treasury during the fiscal year was
s., 22aS 1854, leaving balance of IS III
58063 IN the Treasury, subject to requI-
sitien July LIST, 1881
Sea Coast PrOteet&on..
The Secretary OF War submits the re-
!. port of the Chief of Engineers as:to the
probability Of pTotectingsO0r important
cities on thesseaboard by Notifications
; and other defenses able to repel nndsrn
: methods of attack. The time has now
+ come when such defenSes can. be PIE
: pared with confidence that they viii /. II
) prove abortiye, and when. the possible
result of delay in making such. prepare
tons are seriously considered, DELAY
seems inexcusable; for the most impor-
: tant cities, those whose destruction or
= capture would be a national humiliation
= adequate. Defsnses, inclusive of guns.
may be made by the gradual expendS-
v ture OF $50 ,OOo,aO z. sum mach less than
e a victorious enemy could levy as q con.
; tribution. An appropriation of about
}, One-tenth the amount is asked to begin
e the work, and concur Nth the Secre.
8 tary OF Wax in urging thatit be granted.
: The War Department is proceeding with
|. the conversion Of ten-ineh, smooth bore
s guns into eight inch rites, BY lining thu
e former With tubes of forged or of coiled
;; wrought iron. Fifty guns viii be thus
converted within theyear. Tais. how
ever, does not Obviate the necessity O
providing means for the construction Of
IS guns Of the highest power, boil
IS for the purpose of coast defense anC
= for the armament OF war vessels
: The report of the gun foundry board
u appointed April 2, 1883, In pursuance O
2 the act CT March 8, 1883, was transmit
e ted to Congress in my ANNUAL message
lie of February Sth, 1884 In my messag,
s. Of March 26, 1884, / called attention {,
le the recommendation Of the board tina
s the government should encourage th'
4 production OF private steel works of fhs
ST required material for heavy cannon and
e thai two government actories. one foi
r the army and one for the navy should
1r be established for the fabrication o
=. u