The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-05

SuDlpCL Is HOW esp Ciully III
view Of tie repeal by III" act of june %
1884, of al salutary provisions arbitrarily
American vessels t. carry the
mails to and from TN United STA es. AS IL
Is necessary To make pr VISION % cOm,cn-
safe the owners Of sucn >Sel FIR perform
Ing that service after April, 1885 it j. no ,cd
that the whole subj G, WI lec i've early
consideration that VIII lead To the enact
ment of such measures for the rev val of
our merchant marine rs the wisdom of
Congress may GHV s..
THE NATIONAL BANKS.
The per cent. bonds of tl Govern
meIt, 10 the amount of more tGan
500, GOO eco have, since my last'annual
message, been redeemed by the Treas
ury. The bonds OF that issue Stll out
standing amount To lite over 80 o, %,
600, about One-fOurth OF which viii he
retired through the operations of the
sinking fund during The coming year.
AS the bonds still continue the chief
basis for the circulation of the national
banks, the question how to avert the
contraction of the currency caused by
their retirement is one or constantly
increasing Importance.
1t seems TO be generally conceded
that the law governing this matter eX-
acts from the banks excessive security,
and that upon their present bond-de-
poSits larger circulation than is now
allowed may be granted with safety.
| hope that the bill which passed the
Senate ut the last session permitting
the issue of notes equal to the face
value Of deposited bonds will commend
itself to the approval Of the House OF
Representatives.
WAR DEPARTMENT EXPENSES.
In the expenses of the War Depart
ment the Secretary reports decrease
of more than $9,000,0L0 of which re-
duction $5,60j,0 900 was effected in the
expenditures for rivers and harbOrs,
and s., zoe. 900 in the expenditures for
the Quartermaster's Department.. Out
side of that department the annual ex-
penses of all the Army Bureaus proper
Except possibly the Ordnance Bureau)
are substantially fixed charges which
cannot be materially diminished with
out change in the numerical strength
Of tie army. The expenditures in the
Quartermaster's 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 ami
mails in the army, the annual cost Of
and caring for such animals
is now ST, los, OS5.9O less than it was in
1882.
THE INDIANS.
The reports of military commanders
show that the last year has been made
notable for its entire freedom from
Indian outbreaks. In defiance of the
Presidents proclamation of July l.
1881, certain intruders sought to make
settlements in the Indian Territory.
They were promptly removed by de-
tachment OF troops. During the past
suitable fire-prOOf building for
TIE ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM
and the library of the Surgeon Gene
rails office received the approval Of the
Senate. A similar bill reported favor
ably to the House of Representatives
by one of the committees, is still pend
ing before that body. 1t is hoped that
during the coming session the measure
mediate steps may be taken to secure a
place of safe deposit for these valuable
collection now in state of insecurity.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The fund with which the works for
the inn rovement of rivers and harbOrs
were prosecuted during the past year
were derived from the appropriations
of the act of August 9, 1852, together
with such few balances as were on
hand from previous appropriations.
The balance in the Treasury subject to
requisition July /, 1883 was SIC, OBJ $40.
So. The amount appropriated during
the fiscal year 1884 was $1,3l9, 1884 ,627,
and the amount drawn from the
Treasury during the fiscal year was
So. 22S, 703. "a, leaving balance of IS,
IL, 5S0.63 in the Treasury subject to
requisition July J., 1884.
The Secretary of War submits the re-
port of the Chief of Engineers as to
the practicability of protecting our
important cities on the seaboard by
FORTIFICATIONs AND OTHER DE-
FENsEs
able to repel modern methods of at
tack. The time has now come when
such defenses can be prepared with
confidence that they will not prove
abortive, and when the possible result
of delay in making such preparation is
seriously considered, delay seems mex
cusable. For the most important
cities, those whose destruction or cap
ture would be a national humiliation,
adequate defenses inclusive of guns
may be made by the gradual eXpendi-
ture of $6O, 600, a sum much less
than victorious enemy could levy as
IL contribution. An appropriation of
about me-tenth of that amount is
asked to begin the work, and concur
with the Secretary of War in urging
that it be granted. The War Depart
ment is proceeding with the conversion
of tcn-inch smooth-bore guns into
eight-inch rifles by lining the former
with tubes of forged or of coiled
wrought iron. Fifty guns will be thus
converted within the year. This, how
ever does not obviate the necessity of
providing means for the construction
of guns of the highest power, both
for the purposes of coast defense and
for the armament Of war vessels.
MANUFACTURES OF ORDNANCE.
The report of the Gun Foundry
Board appointed April 2, 1883. in pur-
suance of the act of March, 1888, was
transmitted to Congress i'm special
message of February 8, 1854. In my
message of March 26, 1884, l called
attention to the recommendation of the
board that the Government should en-
courage the production by private steel