The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-12-04


department, has been demonstrated by recent
development In ship building abroad.
TIE MONITORS.
The machinery OF the double-turreted mont
tors Puritan, Terres. and Ann hitrite contracted
for under the act OF March 8, 1888, IL in process
OF construction. No work has boen done during
the past year on their armor. for lack or the
necessary approximations fourth monitor,
navy yard in California. IL Is recommended that
early steps be taken to complete these vessels,
and TO provide also an armament for the mont
tor Miantonomah
The recommendations of the Naval Advisory
Board. approved by the department, comprise
the construction OF one steel cruiser OF 800 TONS
one cruiser OF 1000 TONS two heavily armed gum
boats, one light cruising gunboat, one dispatch
vessel armed with Hotchkiss cannon, one ar
moted ram and three torpedo boats. The gem
eral designs all or which are calculated TO meet
the existing wants of The service. are now well
advanced, and the construction OF the vessels
can be undertaken as soon as you shall grant the
necessary authority.
ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
The act OF Congress approved August Z,
1882 authorized the removal to the United
mander George w. De Long and his com
panons OF the Jeanette expedition. This re-
moval has been successfully accomplished by
Lieuts. HARDER and Schuetze. The remains were
taken from their grave In the Lena Delta in
March, 1888, and were retained at Yakutsk until
the following winter. the season being too tar
TO OF tnclr immediate trans
portation They arrived in New York Feb. 20,
1884, where they were received with suita-
Die honors. In pursuance or the JOINT resolu-
ton OF Congress, approved Feb. IL, 1884 naval
expedition was fitted out for the relief OF Lieut
A. W. Greedy, United States army, and of the
party who had been engaged under his com
mGnd in scientific observations at Lady Frank
lin Bay. The fleet consisted OF the steam sealer
Thetis, purchased in England, the Bear pur-
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
Secretary OF the Navy, with the active co-opera-
ton of the Secretary of War. Commander Geo
w. Coffin was placed in command or the Alert,
and Lieutenant w. II. Emory In command OF
the Bear. The Thetis was intrusted to Comman-
der Winfield s. Copley, TO whom also was assign
ed the superintendent OF the entire expedition
Immediately upon it, arrival at Upernavik the
fleet began the dangerous navigation OF Melville
Bay, and, in spite OF every obstacle, reached
Littleton Island on June ga fortnight earliex
than any vessel had before attained that point
On the same day 1t crossed over to Cape Sabine,
where Lieutenant Greedy and the other surviv-
ors of his party were discovered. After taking
on board the living and the bodies of
the dead the relief ships sailed for
st. Johns. where they arrived on July H.
They. were appropriately received at Ports
mouth, n. H., on August l. and at New York on
August 3. One of the bodies was landed at the
former place. The others were put on shore at
Governors Island, aud, with the exception of
one which was inferred in the National Gene
terry, were forwarded thence to the destination
indicated by friends. The organization and con-
duct OF this relief expedition reflects great
credit upon all who contributed TO its success
THE NAVY.
In this, the last of the state messages that
shall have the honor TO transmit to the Congress
of the United States, can not too strongly urge
on it's attention the duty of restoring our navy
as rapidly as possible TO the high state OF eff
cheney which formerly characterized it. As the
long peace that has lulled us into sense of
fancied security may at any time be disturbed
it is plain that the policy OF strengthening
this arm of the service Is dictated by con-
sidcrations of use and economy, of just regard
for our future tranquility. and oil true apprecia-
tion of the dignity and honor of the republic.
THE POSTAL SERVICE.
The report OF the Postmaster General ac-
quants you with the present condition and
needs Of the postal service. 1t discoses the graft
tying fact that the loss of revenue from the re-
duction OF the rate in letter postage, as recon-
mended in my message of December, 1892
and effected by the act OF March 3, 1888, has
been much less than was generally anticipated
My recommendation OF this reduction was
based upon the belief that the actual falling oil
in receipts for letter postage for the year imme
datey succeeding theechange of rate would be
$1,000, 600. 1t has proved TO be only S2,215,0O0
This is a trustworthy indication that the revenue
will soon be restored TO its former volume by
the natural increase of sealed correspon-
dence. / confidently repeat, therefore,
the recommendation of my last an
upon drop letters be reduced to cent where
ever payment OF cents is now required by law
the carr er system is in operation, and it appears
that at these offices the increase in the tax upon
local letters deirayS the cost not only of their
own collection and delivery, but of the collec-
ton and delivery Of all other mail matter
This is an inequality that ought no longer to
exist.
approve the recommendation of the Post
master General, that the unit OF weight in the
rating of first class matter should be one ounce
instead of one-half ounce, az IL now is. In view
of the statistics furnished by the department, it
.taI. .l.a
result in any loss Of revenue; that it would
greatly promote the convenience of the
public is beyond dispute. The free deliv-
cry system has been lately applied 20 five
cities, and the total number of offices in
which it is now in operation is l59. Ex-
perience shows that its adoption under proper
conditions, Is equally an accommodation to the
public and an advantage to the postal service
1t is more than self sustaining, and for the rea-
sons urged by the Postmaster General may
properly be extended. 1t is the opinion of that
officer, that it is proper to provide means where
by exceptional dispatch in dealing with letters
in free-delivery offices may be
secured by the payment of extraordinary
made effective by the employment of a special
stamp whose cost should De commensurate
with the expense of the extra service In
some of the large cities private express COM
panies have endeavored to- outstrip the Gov
eminent mail carriers by affording for the
prompt transmission of letters better facili-
ties than have hitherto been at the command
of the Post Office 1t has always been the pol
icy of the Government to discourage such enter
prises and in no better way that
policy be maintained than in supplying
the public with the most efficient mail service
that, with due regard to its own best interests
can be furnished for its accommodation.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
The Attorney General renews the recon-
mendation contained in his report OF last
year touching the fees of witnesses and
burors. He favors radical changes in the fee
mill, the adoption of system by which attor-
joys and marshals of the United States should
ere ction by the Government of penitentiary
for the confinement Of offenders against its laws.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
OF the varied governmental concerns in
charge of the Interior Department, the reports
of its Secretary presents an interesting sum-
mary. Among the topics deserving particular
attention, refer you to his observations re-
timber culture acts, the failure of railroad COM
panies to take title TO lands granted by the Gov
eminent, and the operations of the Pension
Office, the Patent Office, the Census Bureau, and
the Bureau of Education.
THE INDIANS AGAIN.
Allusion has been made already to the circum-
stance that both as between the different Indi-
the past year has been one of unbroken peace.
In this circumstance the President Is glad to
find n justification for the policy of the
Government in dealing with the Indian
question, and confirmation of their views
which were fully expressed in his first COM
munication TO the Forty seventh Congress. The
Secretary urges anew the enactment of n statute
for the punishment of crimes committed on In
dian reservations, and recommends the passage
of the bill, now pending in the House of Repre-
sentatives for the purchase of tract of 1900
square miles from the Sioux reservation. Both