The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-09
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

cont, mplate q nearer discharoe a,a ..
army a profitable riddance. Astar "
term OF service a reenlistment wonld h,
quite apt to secure a c%Ontente,l recrn;t 49,
agood soldier. The acting oil
JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL Rrpoer
that the number Of trials by genera, co,,.4
martial during the year was sas an@
that 1,1S5 trials took place before pacrr;
son and regilnental courts martial IN
suggestion that probably more than hoifna'..
the army have been tried for offenses oraat
and small, IN one year may well arrest o.
t%ention. VI course many of these tr;ai u
before the garrison and regimentaI co,.ts
martial were Tor offences almost frivnlo"S
and there should, Think, be a way dev;sed
to dispose OF these In q more summary ana
less nconvenient manner thar bv CONT.
martial. Ii some OF the proceedings of the
courts mareia' which | ave had occasion
to EXAMINE present the ideas of inat;c.
which generally prevail in these trihnnals :
am satisfied that they should be much 70
formed. II the honor and the honesty ~,
the army and navy are by their instru.
mentality to b." indicated and nrotactoJ
COAST ~DEFENsEs.
The board on Notifications or othor ao
lenses, appointed in pursuance of the nro
visions OF the act of C .ngress annrnved
March 3D., 1855. will in a short time ,,ro'
sent their report. and it is hoped that th;s
may greatly aid the legislation 40 necas
sary t" remedy the present defenselss.
condition Of our sea coast.
The work OF the signal service has been
prosecntedi during the last year with re.
suits ct I'creasing benefit to the country
The field of instructions has been enlar,.,
with IA view OF adding to it's usefulness
The number OF stations in operation on
June Both, 1885. was 489. Teleeran bic
reports are received daily from ia stas
tons; reports are also received from "
Canadian stations; 375 volunteer observ
ers; 80 army surgeons at military pnsts
and 3 foreign stations. The expense ni
the service during the fiscal year, after de-
Quoting the receipts for military telegram
lines, was $797.592 81. In view OF the
fact referred to by the Secretary of War
that the work of this service ordinarily ia
OF a scientific nature aud the further fact
that it is
ASSUMING LARGER PROPORTIONS
constantly, and becoming more and more
unsuited to fixed rules which must govern
the army, l am inclined to agree with him
in the opinion that it should be separately
established. II this is done the scope and
extent OF it's operations should as nearly as
possible be definitely prescribed by law.
and always capable OF exact ascertain
ment.
The military academy of West Point is
reported rs being in a high state of efficiency
and well equipped for the satisfactory &C
complishment Of the purposes of it's mainte-
nance. The fact that the class which gradu-
ates next year is an unusually large one has
constrained me to decline to make ap-
pointments to second l~ieutenancies in the
army from civil life, SO that such vacancies
as exist in these places may be reserved for
such graduates, and yet it is not probable
that there will he enough vacancies to pro-
vide positions for them all when they leave
the military school Under the prevailing
law and usage those not thus assigned to
duty never actively enter the military SER
subject be changed SO that such
OF these young men as are not
at once assigned to duty after
graduation may be retained as second lieu
tenants in the army if they desire it, sub
ject to assignment when opportunity &C.
ours, under the proper rules as to priority
OF selection. The expenditures on account
OF the military academy for the last fiscal
year, exclusive If the sum taken for this
purpose from the appropriations for the
support OF the army, were $29O,712.O7.
PRIVATE LOSSES.
The act approved March 8, 1885, de-
signed to compensate officers n enlisted
men for the loss of private property while
in the service OF the United States is SO in
definite in it's terms, Inc admits SO many
claims, the adjustment of which could not
have been contemplated, that it it is to re-
main onthe statute book it needs amend
ments.
BRIDGING TREAMs.
There should be a general law of Congress
prohibiting the construction OF bridges
over n~avigabIe waters in such a
as to obstruct navigation, with provisions
for preventing the same. 1t seems that
under existing statutes the T. Government
cannot intervene to prevent such q con.
strlction when entered upOn without it's
consent; though when such cOnsenti is asked
and granted upon such condition, it is clear.
Thus it is represented that while the OFF,
GERS Of the Government are with great care
guarding against the distractions OF navl.
CATION by a bridge across the Mississippi
river at st. Paul, a large pier Tor a bridge
has been built just below the place directly
in the n%avigable channel OF the river. Ii
such things are to be permitted a strong
argument is presented against the appro-
~priation of large sums OF money to improve
IL l1n iShtl'h VI $500
highways OF commerce,
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy
gives a history of the operations OF MS de-
partment, and the present condltlon OF tne
work committed to his charge. He details III
full the course pursued byhimt to protect the
rights of the Government in respect OF Ger
tain vessels unfinished at the time vi his
D. ma and alan cnncar ming The
dispatch boat Dolphin" claimed to De
completed and waiting the acceptance or
the department.. No one can fail t" see
from the recital contained in this report
that only the application OF business
PRINCIPLES has been insisted upon IN tne
treatment of these subjects, and that what
ever controversy has arisen was caused oy
the exactioh on the part OF the depar1-
mert of contract obligations, as they were
legally construed in the case OF the DOL
min" with entire business to the con,
tractor. An agreement has been entered
into providing for the ascertalnment oy a
judicial inquiry OF the complete or partla'
comp lance with the contract IN ner
construction, and further pIov'olns
Tor the assessment OF any oaihage
to which the Government may pe
entitled ON account of a partial failure 10
Uer1Ortn Sucl COHUIdSp, VI
the urn still remaining unpaid upon her price
in case a full performance is adludseo' .Ie
contractor; by reason OF his failure IN ous.
ness. being unable to complete the otheI
tnree vessels, they were taken possession
Of bv the Government In
THEIR UNFINISHED CONDITION.
a clause IN the contract permitting s'cn q
course, and are now in process OF colaPne'
ton in the yard of the contractor Due u4.
der the supervision OF the Navy DeparV'
ment. L.od
Congress, in it's last session, auenG', ne.
the construction OF two addltlonaI nc"
cruisers and two %gunboats, at a COS cosI o mo-
exceeding in the aggregate $2.9yo,o w.
The appropriation for this purpose aa fnIss
become available on the LIST day OF july .:
last. steps were at once taken Tor tne Rfv u
curernent of such plans for the c1%ns5ra ta on
Of these vessels as would be ilkeiy T 70 49,,
sure their usefulness when "mpleeea. ILL.,;
are Of the utmost Importance, cons,G ;,d;ne
the constant advance in the art OF ou'l t;n,.
vessels of this character. n the vaf,
is not lost which is spent in their care ad
consideration and selection: An nIa a"v r.
nit the Importance OF an ell ctive na
Nation ike o,.rs, havingsuch an eAt aat :
Vet we haVe NOV G