Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-12-05
laily insure its ultimate payment.
THE NAVY.

uaily insure its ultimate payment.
OF the four new steel cruisers az
thorized by Congress and now under
contract, one, the Chicago, OF 800
tons, is more than half finished; the
Atlanta, 3, GOO, has been successfully
launched and her machinery is now
In fitting. The Boston, also OF 3 600
tons, is ready for launching, and the
Dolphin, dispatch steamer OF l 800
tons, Is ready for delivery. Certain
adverse criticisms upon the design
of these cruisers are discussed by
the Secretary, who insists that the
correctness of the conclusions
reached by the Advisory Board and
by the Department have been dem
onstrated by recent developments
in ship building abroad. The ma
chinery of the double turreted moni-
tors Puritan, Terror and Amphitrite
contracted for under the Act of
March 3, 1888, is in process OF con-
struction. No work has been done
for the past year on their armor for
lack of necessary arl'"l riations. A
fourth monitor, the \. II doock. still
remains unfinished iii he navy yard
in California. 1t is recommended
that early steps be taken to complete
the vessels, and to provide also an
armament for the monitor Miantono-
nah.
The recommendation of the Ma
val Advisory Board, approved by the
Department, comprise the construct
ion of one steel cruiser of 4 500 tons,
one cruiser of 5000 tons, two
heavily armed gun boats,
one light cruising gunboat,
one dispatch vessel armed with
Hotchkiss cannon, armored ram and
three torpedo boats. The general
designs all, of which are calculated
to meet the existing wants
of the service, are now we'll
advanced, and the construc-
ton of the vessels can be un.
dertaken as soon as you shall grant
the necessary authority.
The President devotes long par
agraph to suggestion of means of
extending foreign trade. These are
First-A series of reciprocal COM
mercial treaties with the countries of
America which shall foster between
the United States and them prosper
Gus trade. The conditions OF these
treaties should be the free admission
of such merchandise as this country
does not produce, in return for the
admission, under a favored scheme
of duties, Of our products, the bene-
fits of such an exchange to apply
only to those goods carried under
the flags of the parties to the con-
tract; the removal on both sides
from vessels SO privileged of all tom
mage dues and national imposts,
that their vessels may ply unhin-
dered between our ports and those
of the other contracting parties,
though without infringing ON the
reserved home coasting trade: the
the removal or reduction of burdens
on the exported products of those
countries coming within the benefits
of the treaties, and the avoidance OF
the technical restrictions and penal
ties by which our intercourse with
those countries is at present ham.
pered. Secondly, the establishment
of the consular service Of the United
States on salaried footing, permit
ting the REIMBURSEMENT of consular
fees, not only as regards vessels I'M
der the national flag, but also
as respects vessels of the treaty ma
tons carrying goods entitled to the
benefits of the treaties. Thirdly,
the enactment of measures to favor
the construction and maintenance
of steam carrying marine under
the flag of the United States.
FourthIy, the establishment of uni
form currency basis for the coun-
tries of America, so that the coined
products of our mines may circulate
on equal terms throughout the whole
system of commonwealth. This
would require monetary union of
America whereby the output of the
bullion producing countries and the
circulation Of those which yield nei.
Their gold nor silver could be adjust
ed in conformity with the popula-
ton, wealth and commercial need of
each. AS many of the countries
furnish no bullion to the common
stock, the surplus production of our
mines might thus be utilized and a
step be taken toward the general re-
monetization of silver.
To thu accomplishment of these
ends, so far as they can be attained
by separate treaties, the negotiations
already concluded and now in pro-
gress have been directed, and the
favor with which this enlarged policy
has thus far been received, warrants
the belief that its operations will ere
long embrace all, or nearly all, the
countries OF this hemisphere. It is
by no means desirable, however, that
the policy under consideration should
be applied to these countries alone.
The healthful enlargement of our
trade with Europe, Asia and Africa
should be sought by reducing the
tariff burdens on such of their wares
as none of the American States are
fitted to produce, and thus enabling
us to obtain in return better mar
ket for our supplies Of food, of raw
material and of the manufactures in
which we excel. It seems to me that
many of tho embarrassing elements
in the great national conflict be-
tween protection and free trade may
be thus turned to good account; that
the revenue may be reduced so as to
no 10noer tiny tina manila. that ,oro