The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-12-04

AA5C065Cu ny bAS GCCh cS6IJa WIN AAoASAS
that the correctness OF the conclusions |
reached by the advisory board and by |
the department hiss been demonstrated |
by recent developments on ship build |
ing abroad. The machinery Of the |
double turreted mooItors Puritan, |
Terror and Amphitrite, contracted for |
under the ACT of March 3, 1888, is in pro- |
cess of constructions. No work has been |
done during the past year on their armoE |
for lack of the necessary appropriation.
A fourth monitor, the Monadeock, still |
remains unfinished at the navy yard in |
California. It Is recommended that early
steps be taken to complete these vessels,
and to provide also an armament for the
monitor MiantenomRh- The recommen-
dstions of the navy advisory board, sp
proved by the department, comprise the
construction of one steel cruiser of 500
tons, one cruiser OF 5000 tons, two
heavily armed gunbOats, one long cruis-
ing gunboat and dispatch vessel armed
with Hotchkiss cannon, one armored
ram and three torpedo boats. The gen.
eraI designs, all OF which are calculated
to inset the existing wants of the service,
are now we'll advanced and the constr uc-
ton of the vessels can he undertaken as
soon as you shall grant the necessary au
thorIty.
The act of congress approved August
Z, 1882, authorized the removal to the
United States of the bodies of Lleuten-
ant Commander George belong and his
companions of the Jeanette expedition.
This removal has been successfully &C
complished by Lieutenants HARDER and
SCHULTZ The remains were taken from
their grave in the Lena Delta IN March,
1888, and were retained at Yakeetsku
until the following winter. The season
| being too far advanced to admit of their
immediate transportation, they arrived
at New York, February 20, 1884, where
| they were received with suitable honors
In pursuance of the joint resolution of
congress approved February IL, 1884,
| naval expedition was fitted out for the
relief of Lieutenant A. W. Greedy of the
United States army, and of the party
who had been engaged under his CON-
| maDd IN scientific observations on Lady
franklin Bay. The feet consisted of
| the steam sealer Thetis, purchased
in England, the Bear, purchased In st.
| Johns, Newfoundland, and the Alert
| which was generously provided by the
British government. The preparations
| for the expedition were promptly made
by the secretary OF the navy with the
| active CO operation of the secretary OF
war. Commander George w. Coffin was
placed in command of the Alert, and
| Lieut.. W. II Emery in command of the
| Bear. The ThetIs was intrusted to Com
mauder Winfield s. Copely, to whom
| also was assigned the supplementary
| OF the entire expedition. Immediately
upon its arrival at Upper Navick, tn
| q eet began the dangerous navigation of
! Melville bay, and In spite of every OBJ
stacle, reached Little Island on June %,
fortnight earlier than any vessel had
before attained that point. On the same
20 Sol
where 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 II.
THY were appropriately received
at Portsmouth. N. H, on August
1, and at New York, on August 8. One
of the bodies was landed at the former
place. The others were put on shore at
Governors Island. With the exception
of one which which was inferred in the
National cemetery, they were forwarded
thence to the destination indicated by
friends. The organization and conduct
of this relief expedition reflects great
credit upon ali who contributed TO its
success.
In this, the last of the stated messages
that l shall have the honor to transmit
to the congress of the United States,
cannot too strongly urge on its atten tior
the duty of
RESTORING OUR NAVY
as rapidly as possible to the high state
of efficiency which formerly character
, lied It AS the long peace that has lull-
ed US into a sense of fancied seGnrity may
at any time be disturbed, it is plain tina
the policy of Strengthening this arm o.
the service is dictated by consideration
of use, of economy of just regard for Oul
= future tranquility and of a true apprecia
: ton of the dignity and honor of the re
5 public.
The report of the postmaster genera
: eral acQualnts you with the present con
E dition and needs of the postal service
1t discloses the gratifying fact that thu
! loss of revenue from the reduction IL
: rate of letter postage as recommended il
, my message of December, 1882, and eff
: fected by the act of March 3, 1888, ha
!. been much less than was generally anti
A cipated. My recommendation of thi
+ reduction was based upon the belief tina
q the actual falling off in receipts from
8 letter postage for the year immediatel!
: succeeding the change of rate, could b
y $3,000,000. 1t has proved to d
4 only $2,75O.OO0. This is a trust
worthy indication that the revenu,
4 | will soon be restored TO its forme
q volume by natural increase of sealed cor
a therefore the recommendation of my
q last annual message that the single rat
, | of postage upon drop letters be reduces
r to one cent, wherever payment of tw'
$ cents is now required by law. Tn
e double rate is only exacted at office
4 where the carrier system is in operation
, and it appears that at those offices tina
a the increase IN tax upon local letters de
|. trays the cost not only of its own collec
|. ton and delivery, but Of the collection
4 aud delivery of all other mail matter
4 This is an inequality that ought nj
1 longer TO exist. l approve the recon-
!. incubation of the postmaster general tina
|. the.
! UNIT OF WEIGHT
in the rating of first-class matter shoul'
; be one ounce instead OF One-half ounc
e as 1t is now. In view of the statistic
: furnished by the department 1t may wei
be doubted whether the change woult
i result in any loss of resenue. That /
e would greatly promote the convenience
IS of the public is beyond dispute. Tn
Il free delivery system has been lately ap
o piled to five cities, and the total numbe
6 of offices in which it is now in opera
d ton is 159. Experience show
st that It's adoption under prop
E. er conditions is eQuall
4
.e advantage to the postal service. 1t i
e more than self sustaining and for tn
= reasons urged by the postmaster genera
u NAV be properly extended. 1t is tn
l. opinion of that officer that it Is prope
b 70 provide means whereby exceptions
I, dispatch in dealing with letters in FIRE
IL delivery Offices msy be secured by pay
II ing extraordinary postage. This schem
l. might be made effective by the employ
re ment of q special stamp whose cos
y should be commensurate with the ex
a pense of the extra service. In some c
10 the large cities private express comps
T. MES have undertaken to outstrip th
- government mail carriers by affordin
le for the prompt transmission of letter
ie better facilities than have hitherto bee
r al the command OF the postot1ce.
ID has always been the policy of the goS
b. ernment 20 discourage such enterprises
p and in no better way can that policy b
d maintained than in supplying the publ
~ with the most efficient mall service tina
D. with due regard TO its own best interes'
n can be furnished for It's own accomm'
dation.
q The attorney general renews the re-
m ommendation contained IN his report (
le last year, touching the fees OF Witness
ID and Jurors. He favoTs radical changV
Or in the fee bill, the adoption of systel
Id by which attorneys and marshals of Il
of United States should be compensate
20 solely by salaries, and the erection
D the government, of q penitentiaFy Il
re the confinement of offenders sgainst i
~ laws.
g. OF the various governmental eoncerl
l. in charge Of the
% INTERIOR DEPARTMENT,
ha the reports Of its secretary presents {
~ interesting summary. Among the topi
,ts deserving particular attention, refer
of his observations respecting our IndIi
al affairs, the pre-emption and timber CT
= rure acts, the failure of railroad comp
% MES to take title TO IanGs granted by q
e government. and the operations OF q
-er peusaoa Office, the patent Office, the &C