The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-12-04

that the last year has Been notable for its
freeuom from Indian outbreaks In defiance
qf the PRESIDENTS proclamation Of July /,
1884, certain intruders sought 70 make set.
were promptly removed by a: detachment of
troops, During the past session of congress
bill, to provide a: suitable fire. p1oof.! build
ing Tor the army medical museum and the
library OF the surgeon generals Office. re-
ceiyed the approval of the senate A similar
bill, reported favorably to the house Of rep
resentatives by one of it's committees, is stiH
pending before that body. II is hoped that
during the coming session the mea sur
may become q law and thereafter imme-
d1ate steps may be taken to secure a place of
safe deposit for the valuable collections now
! in state of insecurity. The funds with which
the works for the improvements Of rivers
and harbors were prosecuted during the past
year We're derived from the appropriations
OF the act Of Aug. 2, 1882, together with
such few balances as were on hand from pre-
vious appropriations The balance of the
was $1O,O21 ,649.55. The amount appro-
priated during. the fiscal year 1884 was
$13, 106, 34e "a and the amount drawn from
the treasury during the fiscal year was
$S, 229, 7O3. 81, leaving a balance Of So, l12,-
PsO. f3 in the treasury subject to requisition
July 1, 1884. :: -
-: sEACoAsT: DEFENsEs.
). The; aecretaryof war submits the report of
the chief ct engineers as to the practicable
ity of protecting our important cities on the
seaboard, by Notifications and other de-
lenses 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 results Of delay id making such
preparations is seriously, considered, delay
Seems es: inexcnsable., For the most important
Sities, ThesH whose, destruction or capture
would. .be q national humiliation, adequate
defenses, inclusive of guns. may be made by
the gradual expenditure OF 500, OOO, 900,
sum much less than victorious enemy
could levy as contribution. An appropria-
asked to begin the work, and concur with
the secretary of war in urging that it be
granted. The war department. is pruueed=
ing with the conversion OF ten-inch smooth
bore guns into eightinch rifles, by lining the
former with tubes Of forged or: Of cold
verified within the year. This, however, does
not ObViate the necessity of providing means
for the CONSTRUCTION OF guns. of the high
est power, but for the purposes of coast de-
| tense and for the armament OF war vessels
The report Of the gun foundry board ap-
act of March 3, 1888, was transmitted to
congress ia special message Of Feb. 8, 1854.
In my message of March 26, 1884, I called
attention to the recommendation of the
the production at private steel works Of the
required material for heavy oannons, and
| that two government factories one for the
army and one for the navy, should be estab=
lished for the fabrication of guns of such
material: No action having been taken
the beasd was subsequently reconvened
to determine more fully the plans and esti-
mates for carrying out it's recommendation
1t has received information which indicates
| that there are responsible steel nlanufaettir-
ers in this country who, although not pro
| vided at present with the necessary plant,
| are willing to construct the same and to
make bids for CONTRACTS With the govern
lnent for the .stpply; of the requisite material
Tor the heaviest guns adapted to modem war
fare, if q guaranteed order of sufficient mag
nitude accompanied by a positive appropria-
ton extending over series of years, shall
be made by congress. All doubts as to the
feasibility Of the plan being thus removed,
renew my recommendation that such &C
tion be taken by congress as will enable the
government to construct its own ordnance
ornaments demanded by considerations of
national safety and honor.
THE NAVY.
THE NEW CRUISERS
The report Of the secretary Of the tiaxSv ex,-
ARlts the progress Which e.us poeh ,1,,aiie Oh
the new ESv.e. erhisofa at,thGiiled Dy tue acts
Of Aug: 3, 1882, and March 3d. 1883. OF
tie Tour vessels under contract one, the Chi
cago, of 4,50o tons, is more than half
| finished; the Atlanta, 5000 tons, has been
successfully launched, and her machinery Is
now fitting; the Boston, also of 5000 tons,
| is ready for launching; and the Dolphin, a
dispatch steamer Of ], 800 tohs, is ready for
| delivery Certain adverse criticisms upon
the designs OF these cruisers are discussed by
the secretary, who insists that the correct
ness of the conclusions reached by the adj
visory board and the dfpest,n eht Pas heeh
deml,esnstratea b tseshta ehts il ship
AuliliEl ji ntttaea ahS lnae4lPeES 81 the
s S@ tufFsten monitors Puritan, Ter a
act Of &ch {ss$ is IN PROCESS aSe sn Of cone one
structiop. No work has been done during
the past year on their armor, for lack of the
necessary appropriations. A fourth mon
itor,. the Monadnock, still remains ,,1r-
recommended thai carly steps be taken to 10
complete thase vessels, and to provide also
On armament for the monitor Mlantonomah
The recomner .atiOns of the naval advisory
board, approved by the department, COM
prise the construction Of one steel cruiser of
s gg sRssss e. s ss S S5
Hotehkiss Cannon, One ARMED ,ra1R and three
torpedo boats. The general designs, all of
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.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITIONS.
The act Of congress approved Aug. z, 1882,
authorized the removal to the United States
Of the bodies OF Lieutenant Commander G.
w. De Long and his companions of the jean
nette expedition. The removal has been sue
cessfully accomplished. The remains were
taken from their grave in the Lena delta, in
March, 1883. but were retained at Yakutsk
until the following winter. the season being
transpoftatioA. They arrived at New York
Feb. 20, 1884, where they were received
with suitable honors In pursuance of the
Joint resolution Of congress approved Feb
ID, 1884, a naval expedition was fitted
out fol; the relief Of Lieut. A. ". Greedy,
had been engaged under his command in
scientific observations at Lady Franklin
bay. The fleet consisted OF the steam
sealer Thetis. purchased in England; the
Bear, purchased at st. Johns, Newfound-
land, and the Alert, which was generously
provided by the British government Prep
arations fol. the expedition were promptly
made by the secretary Of the navy. with the
active cooperation Of the secretary Of war.
Commander George W. Coffin was placed in
command of the Alert, and Lieut.. ". e. En-
cry in command Of the Bear: The Thetis
was intrusted to Commander Winfield s.
Sch]ey, to whom also was assigned the SUI
perintendence of the entire expedition. I'm
mediately upon it's arrival at Upernavik.
the feet began the dangerous navigation of
Melville bay, and in spite of every obstacle,
reached Ittleton island on June %, a
fortnight earlier than any vessel had be-
fore attained that point. Oh the same day it
crossed over to Cape Sabine: where
Lieut. Greeley and other survivors 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 II. They were appro-
priately received at Portsmouth, n. H., on
Aug l, and at New York on Aug. g. One of
the bodies was landed at the former place.
The others were put on shore at Governors
island, and with the exception of one,
which was inferred in the national cemetery,
were forwarded thence to the destination in
Dictated by friends. The organization and
conduct of the relief expedition reflects
great credit upon all who contributed to its
success. In this, the last of the state mes
sages that shall have the honor to transmit
to the congress of the United States, can
not too strongly urge on its attention the
sible to the high state of efficiency which
formerly characterized it As the long peace
that has lulled us into sense of fancied &C.
curity may at any time be disturbed. it is
plain that the policy of Strengthening
this arm of the service is dictated by consid-
erations of use, economy, OF just regard for
our future tranquility and of true apprecia-
ton Of the dignity and honor Of this repub-
lic - =. -. ~. -. .r..-
POSTAL AFFAIRS.