Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-11-15
WASHINGTON.

dS1uOs tllnt luoy -uCClblOu VI tu0 6upI0l4o
court in the Morton case allowing the time
spent at West Point to be included as ser
vice In the army in the computation of
longevity pay, will retire officers four years
earlier than hitherto. This is a great mis-
take. Officers can be retired against their
old, in both cases without regard to tn
length Of their service. The president may
retire an officer after thirty years. service
at his discretion If the officer asks for Il,
and after the officer mas served forty Yeas
the president Is Obliged to retire him II he
asks for it. Undoubtedly before a great
1t West Point and thirty-six in the army
will demand to be retired under the law
granting him that privilege after forty
years service in the army, and then the ex-
ecutive branch Of the government will have
to construe the law and the decision Of the
supreme court. 0.,-..
REPORT ON COAST DEFENsEs.
Gen. John Newton has submitted his an
nual. report on the coast d%efenses. He ear
nestly urges that the harbors of our princi-
pal seaports be made impregnable to attack
by the addition, of gun OF heavy caliber
and other appliances known to modern
means Justify tie assertion made that our
cotton and grain have become so necessary
to the nations that they could not engage in
war without us for 0 short period without
interruption of their supplies of these arti-
eaes; Use seems I, 70 ooa De 10 p1}G a1, una nnn . ue-
ed cities under the, guns of a hostile ieSt
would consume but a few months, and, in
the meantime, cotton and grain in sufficient
quantities might be obtained elsewhere.
The modern systemi is to make war sudden,
party paw the expenses. The board of en-
gineers for. Notifications has prepared All
approximate estimate of the cost of, fortif-
ton, New York, PhiladeIphias Baltimore,
Hampton Roads. New. orleans. and san
Francisco. and another estimate. likewise
a%pproximate, for preliminary work. The
total estimate, including the armanents, is
ment Of guns. including armor. guns. and
machinery. is $1O.SSy.WO. These estimates
have been made with care. and it ia 'beiieVed
the fortifcations, including guns for all
harbors on the coast of sufficient import.
ance 10 tempt an enemy can be prepared at
lowing estimates required for fss5 and 1855
are made: For the defense of Boston .har-
boz. SSSO.OOO: New York harbor. Isl. I20. COO:
Philadelphia, $i33,O 600: Baltimore, $lS2,OOO:
Hampton Roads, see, 600: San Francisco
$500, 600; modification of existing forts and
cations, s75.O0O; purchase Of submarine
| mines, $500, 600; easements, etc, $500. 900:
torpedoes, $50, 600. - I'...
INTERNAL REVENUE REPORT. .n,,
I,he annual renort of the commissioner
Of internal revenue contains some Interest,"
ing figures: AS q tobacco manufacturing
state Virginia ranks nrst, New jersey sec
New York fifth. Kentucky sixth and Iiii,'
mis-. which works I'm over q OO0- 0OO nnrnda
| of leaf ANNUALLY. seventh. or the Is0' o6s
retail il4uor,dealers n the country. 1O,S72
are IN LIMOS; n New York, Ohlo,, and
pennsylvania are the only states thai have
the population OF Illinois, has three times
as many retali n~quor,dealers Pronibltory
Maine has va retail liquor-dealers; Kansas
mas agaS, n Iowa has S,9S7. or had on
~ laSt; Wisconsin mas h.lS6; Mlcht-
gan mas 5,65$, and Indiana 1854. Vermont,
llquorIdealers umbcr 1000 less for the last
special-tax year than for the year before.
II the number, Of cattle fed at distilleries
Illinois ~ at the mead or the list, with no
o osae5 s e. en a dpStfIs aainsd II = oc N oot that a. stats
while fed at dtstilleries, and Of these cattle
over 7,oOv were III the chicago district, and
over 1900 In the Peoria district. Kentucky
ranks next to Illinois, but there only 11,600
cattle were fed at distilleries. In the whole
pounds, and 4a,1o6 hogs gained .4,sssi,0oC
amount Of spirits, produced and deposited
cal year was slightly greater than the
amount produced and deposited in the pre-.
vious year, but the amount Of spirits re.
naming In bond June 80, 1884, was about
l7,0O0, OOO gallons less than June so, 1888. and
6;VOO,0Oo less n the amount June S0,1SS2
when the amount was 5000, 600 gallons.
The amount Of spirits withdrawn for ex:
port during the last fiscal year was 8, 500, O0(
gallons, being an increase from the preyi.
Gus year OF more than 100000 gallons. In
ILLINOIS 2sss,s81 gallons, OF alcohol were