The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-12-05

has been done during the past year on their
armor for lack of the necessary appropria-
tlons. A fourth monitor, the Monadnock.
still remains unfinished at tho Navy-yard in
| California. IL is recommended that early stems
he taken to complete these vessels, and 10
| provide also nm armament for the monitor
| Mantonomch The recommendations of the
Naval Advisory Board, as approved by the
| Department, comprise the construction of one
steel cruiser OF 1000 tons, one cruiser of , 900
tons, two heavily armed gunboats. one light
| cruising gunboat, ono despatch vessel armed
| with Hotchklss cannon, one armored ram and
three torpedo boats The general designs all
! of which are calculated to meet the existing
wants of the service, are now well advanced,
and the construction of the vessels can be un-
dertakcn as soon as you shall grant the neces-
sary authorit
THE GREEDY EXPEDITION
In pursuance of the joint resolution of Con
| greSs approved February Is, 1884 naval
expedition was fitted out for the relief of Lieu
tenant A. w. Greedy, U. S. Army, and of
the party, who had been engaged under his
! command in scientific observation at Lady
Franklin Bay. The fleet consisted
Of the steam scaler Thetis. mr..
chased in England. the Bear, Dur
chased at st Johns, Newfoundland, and the
Alert, which was generously provided by the
British Government. Preparations for the
expedition were promptly made by the See
retary OF the Navy, with the active co-opara-
ton of the Secretary of War Commander
George w. Coffin was placed in command of
the Alert, and Lieutenant William II Emory
in command of the Bear. The Thetis
was intrusted to Commander Winfield $.
Schley, to whom also was assigned the super
intendence of the entire expedition. Imme-
lately upon its arrival at Upernavik the
lleet began the dangerous navigation of Mel
vile Bay, and in spite of every obstacle
reached Littleton Island on June -. a fort
d Olrlt earlier than vessel hnI hpfOrp n
, tanned that point. On the same day it
crossel over to Cape Sabine, where Leuten-
ant Greedy and the other survivors of
his party were discovered. After taking
on board the living and the bodies
I of the dead, the relief ships
sailed for st. Johns where they arrived ON
July Ii. They were appropriately received
at Portsmouth, y. H., on August /, and at
New York on August S. One of the bodies
was landed at the former place The 9th r.
were put ON shore at Governors Island and
with the exception of one which was entered
IN the National cemetery, We're forwarded
thence to the destinations indicated by
friends. The organization and conduct of
this relief expedition reflects great credit
upon all who contributed to its success
NEED OF NEW NAVY.
In this, the last of the stated message that
| shall have the honor to transmit to the Con
gress of the United States, cannot too
u
restoring our navy as rapidly
as possible to the high state of
efficiency which formerly charar terized
it, As the long peace that has lulled us into
n sense of fanCied security may at any time
be disturbed, it is plain that the policy of
strengthening this arm ofthe service is dictated
by considerations of wise economy, of just
regard for our future tranquility, and of
truc appreciation of the dignity and honor of
the Republic.
THE POSTOFFCE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the PostmasterGenerala c-
quaints you with the present condition and
needs of the postal service. 1t disclo,es the
gratifying fact that the loss of revenue from
the reduction in the rate of letter postage
is recommended in my message of De
cember, 1882, and effected by the act of
March 3, 1883, has been much less than
was generally anticipated My recommen-
dation of this reduction was based upon the
belief that the actual falling off in receipts
from letter hostages for the year immediately
succeeding the change of rate would be
S3,OOO,0OO. 1t has proved to be only S2,2i5,-
OO0. This is a trustworthy indication that
the revenue will soon be restored to the for
mer volume by the natural increase of sealed
correspondence. confidently repeat
therefore, the recommendation of my last
annual message that the single rate postage
upon drop letters be reduced to one cent
wherever the payment of two cents Is now re
quired by law. The double rate is only ex-
acted at offices where the carrierSystem is i'll
operation. and it appears that at tHoSe offices
the increase in the tax upon local letters de-
fraYS the cost not only of its own collection
and delivery, but of the collection and de-
livery of all other mail matter, This is an in
equality that ought no longer TO exist
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The Acknowledgement rcnewS the recon
incubation contained in his report of last
wear touching the fees of witnesses and
Jurors. He favors radical changes in the
fee bill, the adoption of a system by which
attorneys and maIshas of tho intel States
shall be compensated solely 10y salaries and
the erection by the Government of peniten-
tiarv for the confinement of offenders against
its laws
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
OF the varied Governmental concerns iii
charge of the Interior Department, the re-
port OF the Secretary presents an interesting
summary: Among the topics deserving par
tcular attention, | refer You to his ObSer-
vauons respecting our Indian affairs, the
presumption and timber culture acts, the
failure of railroad companies to take
title to lands granted by ,he Government, and
the operations of the Pension Office, the Pat
ent Office the Census Bur tau, AMI the
Bureau of Education. AlluSon has been
made already to the circumstance that both
as between the different Indian tli es and
past year has been one of unbrohen peace.
In this circumstance the President is glad to
find justification for the policy Of the
Government in its dealing with the
Indian question, and confirmation of the
views which were fully expressed in his first
communication to the Forty-seve 'th con
gresS. The secretary urges anew the enact
ment of n statute Tor the punishment Of
crimes committed on the Indian rcserva-
tons, and recomne IDS the passage of the
bill now pending III the House of Repre-
scntatives for the purchase of a tract
of 5000 square miles from the Sioux
reservation. Both these measures are
worthy Of approval concur with
him also in advising the repeal of
the rs-emption law, the enactment of stat
utes resolving the present legal complications,
touching lapsed grants to railroad companies,
and the funding of the debt of the several
Pacific railroads under such guaranty as shall
eifectually secure its ultimate payment
MORMONISM.
The report of the Utah Commission will be
read with interest. II discloses the results of
recent legislation looking to the prevention
and punishment of polygamy in that Terri
tory. | still believe that if that
al hn