The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-10

COllEGLlNu HOW III a 0At@N~ ~ A+-SNN
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The fund with which the works for
the ina rovement of rivers and harDorS
were prosecuted during the past year
were derived from the appropriations
of the act of August 2, 1S52, together
with such few balances as were on
hand from previous appropriations. I
The balance in the Treasury subject 10
reeaisition July l, 1888 was $1,000 $40.
S.. The amount appropriated during
the fiscal wear 1854 was Sl,3l9. b34, 81,
and the amount drawn from the
Treasury during the fiscal year was
IS .22S. 703. 81, leaving q balance or 30.
III. $50 So in the Treasury subject 10
requisition jury i. 1881.
The Secretary OF NdrsubmitS the re-
port of tile Chief OF Engineers as TO
the practicability OF Protecting our /
important cities on the seaboard by
FoRr1FfeAFTeSs AND OTHER DE-
FENsEs
able 10 repel modern methods of at /
tack. The time has now come when /
such defenses can be prepared with !
confidence that they viii not prove T
/ abOrtive. and when the possible result I
/ OF delay in making such preparation IS /
/ seriously considered, delay seems mex /
cusable. For the most important .
I cities those whose destruction or cap !
1 ture would be a national humiliation. 4
I adequate de lenses inclusive OF guns 1
NAV be made by the gradual eXpendl- 1
! ture of $50. 1000 010. sum much less 4
/ than a victorious enemy could levy as 4
| contribution. An appropriation or (
/ about one-tentn OF that amount Is I
/ asked to begin the work, and 1 concur I
with the Secretary of War in urging /
that it be granted. The War Depart (
ment Is proceeding with the conversion /
/ of ten-inch smOoth-bore guns into
! eight-inch rifles by lining the former
| with tubes OF forged OF OF colled
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.
MANUFACTURE OF ORDNANCE.
The report of the Gun Foundry
| Board appointed April 2. 1888. in pur-
suance of the act of March. 1888, was
transmitted to Congress in a special
message of February s, lss4. In my
message of March %. 1881, | called
attention to the recommendation OF the
board that the Government should en-
courage the production by private steel
works OF the required material tor
! heavy cannon, and that two Govern
ment factorieS-one for the army and
one for the naYy-should be establish
ed for the fabrication OF guns from
such material. No action having DeeU
! taken the board was subsequently re
convened to determine more fully the
plans and estimates necessary tor caF-
rying out its recommendations u has
received information which indicates
that there are responsible steel lnanG-
facturers in this country who, although
not at present provided with the neceS-
Sary plant. are willing TO construct the
same and to make bids for contracts
with the Government Tor the supply of
the requisite material for the heaviest
guns adapted 10 modern warfare, II
guaranteed orders OF sulhcit mt magnl-
tude accompanied By a positive appro-
priation extending over series OF
| years shall be made by Congress. En-
doubts as to the feasibility OF the plan
being thus removed, | renew my re-
commentator that action he taken by
Congress as will enable the Govern
ment to construct its own ordnance
J upon its own territory, and so to pro-
/ vlde the armaments demanded 10y con-
| SideratiOhs Vi national safety and
honor.
THE NEW STEEL CRUISERS.
The report Of the Secretary of the
Navy exhibits the pr0gr IS which has
1 been made on the new steel cruisers
i authorized By the acts OF August 5,
1882 and March ), 1888. OF the four
vessels under Contract, one the ClIc.t
go of 4.50Q tons. is more than ifal1
finished; the Atlanta. 5000 tons, has
been successfully launched aHd her
machinery IS now fitting; the Boston.
also of 5000 tons, is ready for launch
/ ing. and the Dolphin. a despatch
| steamer Of 1,500 tons, Is ready for
delivery.
Certain adverse criticisms upon the
designs of these cruisers are discussed
by the Secretary, who insists that the
/ correctness of the conclusions reached
! by tie Advisory Board, and by the de-
partment. has beer demonstrated by
recent development III ship building
abroad
THE MONITORS.
/ The machinery OF tire douhle-turret-
| ed monitors, Puritan Ierres and
| Amphitrite, CONTRACTED fog under Act
OF March 3, 1888, is III process OF con
| struction. No work has been done
during the past year on irarmor. for
| lack of the Necessary appropriations.
| A fourth monitor, the MonddnocK. still!
remains unfinished at the Navy Yard
| Ill California. 1t is recommended mat
early steps be taken to complete these
| vessels. and TO provide also an anna
! mept for the monitor Miantonomah.
The recommendations OF the Naval
Advisory board. appro4 I'd hy the de-
partment. comprise the construction C.
! one steel cruiser of 4. 500 tons. and one
! cruiser of 5000 tons. two heavily armed
| gunboats, one light cruising gunboat,
one despatch vessel armed with
Hotchkiss cannon. one aImored ram
| and three torpedo boats. the general
designs. all of which are calculated 10
| meet the existing wants of the service,
| are well advanced, and the construc-
ton of the vessels can be undertaken
as soon as you shall giant the necessary
authoritv.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
The act Of Congress approved Au-
gust I. 1882, authorized the removal to
the United States of the bodies of
| Lieutenant Commander George W.
De Long and his companions of the
| Jeanette expedition. This removal
has been successfully accomplished by
Lieutenants HARDER aud Schuetze.
| The remains were taken from their
grave in the Lena Delta in March. 1888.
and were retained at Yakutsh until the
! following winter the season being too
far advanced to admit of their immedi-
| ate transportation. They arrived at
| New York, February 20, 1884. where
they were received with suitable hon
0Ts. In pursuance of the joint resolu-
ton OF Congress. approved February
ID, 1884, a naval expedition was fitted
out for the relief of Lieutenant A, W.
! Greely, United States army. and of the
! party who had been engaged under his
| command III scientific observations at
| Lady Franklin Bay The fleet consist
| ed of the steam sealer Thetis. pdrchas-
| ed in England. the Bear. purchased at
1 st. Johns, \. F.. and the Alert. which
was generously provided by the British
Government, Preparations for the ex-
| petition were promptly made by the |
| Secretary of the Navy, with the active |
| cooperation of the Secretary of War. !
| Commander G. ". Coffin was placed in |
| command of the Alert. and Lieutenant |
| w. III. Emory in command of the Bear. |
| The Thetis was entrusted to Command |
| er Winfield s. Copely. to whom also |
was assigned the superintendent of |
| the entire expedition Immediately /
upon its arrival at Upernayik the fleet |
| began the dangerous navigation of Mel |
vile Bay, and, in spite of every obsta-
| Gle. reached Littleton Island on June i
ga fortnight earlier than any vessel /
had before attained that point. On the |
same day il crossed over to Cape Sa- |
bine, where Lieutenant Greedy and 9TH
er survivors of his party were discov-
cred. After taking on board the liy-
ing and the bodies of the dead the re-
lief ships sailed for st. Johns. where
they arrived on July II. They were
appropriately received at Portsmouth,
n. H., on August |. and at New York |
on August S. One of the bodies was
landed 1.-THE former place. The others
oil