Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-16

and regimental courts martial were for Of
fences almost frivolous; and there should, I
think, be way devised to dispose of these in
q more summary and less lnconvenlent man
ner than by courtmartial.
If some of the proceedings of courtS-mar-
fial which I have had occasion to examine
present the ideas of justice which generally
prevail in these tribunals, am satisfied that
they should be much reformed, if the honor
and the honesty of the army and navy are by
their instrumentality to be indicated and
protected.
The board on fertilization or other defences
appointed in pursuance of the provisions OF
the act ST Congress approved March 3,
1885, will in a short time present
their report; and it is hoped that this may
greatly aid the legislation so necessary to
remedy the defenceless condition of our sea
coasts.
There should be general law of Congress
prohibiting the construction of bridges over
navigable waters in such manner as to OBJ
stTuct navigation, with provisions for pre-
venting the same 1t seems that under ex-
fsting statutes the government cannot inter-
vene to prevent such a construction when
entered upon without its consent, though when
such consent is asked and granted upon con-
dition, the authority to insist upon such
condition is clear. Thus it is represented
that while the officers of the government are
with great care guarding against the obstruc-
ton OF navigation by a bridge across the Mis-
sissippi river at st. Paul, large pier for a
bridge has been built just below this place
directly in the navigable channel of the river.
If such things are to be permitted a strong
argument is presented against the approprla-
ton of large sums of money to improve the
navigation of this and other import high
ways of commerce.
THE NAVY.
Tho TaD0,.t of tha coorntaru of tba navy
gives a history of the operations of his depart
ment and the present condition of the work
committed to his charge.
He details in full the course pursued by him
TO protect the rights of the government in re-
spect of certain vessels unfinished at the time
of his accession to Office, and also concerning
the despatch boat Dolphin, claimed to be
completed and awaiting the acceptance
of the department. No one can fail
to see from recitals contained in this
report that only the application of business
principles has been insisted upon in the treat
ment of these subjects, and that whatever
controversy has arisen was caused by the ex-
action on the part of the department of con-
tract obligations as they were legally con-
Strued. In the case of the Dolphin, with en-
tire justice to the contractor, an agreement
has been entered into providing for the ascer-
tainment by a Judicial inquiry of the COM
plete or partial compliance with the contract
in her construction, and further providing
for the assessment of any damages to which
the government may be entitled on account
of a partial failure to perform such contract,
or the payment of the sum still remaining I'M
paid upon her price, in case a full perform
ance is adjudged. The contractor, by reason
OF his failure in business, being unable to
complete the other three vessels, they were
taken possession of by the government in
their unfinished state under a clause in the
contract permitting such course, and are
now in process of completion in the yard of
the contractor, but under the supervision of
the navy department.
Congress at its last session authorized the
construction of two additional new cruisers
and two gunboats, at a cost not exceeding in
the aggregate 81, 935, 900 The appropriation
for this purpose having become available on
July last, steps were at once taken for the
procurement of such plans for the construc-
ton of these vessels as would be likely to in
sure their usefulness when completed These
are Of the utmost importance, considering
the constant advance In the art OF building
vessels of this character, and the time is not
lost which is spent in their careful considera-
ton and selection.
All must admit the Importance of an effec-
tive navy to a nation like ours, having such an
have not single vessel of war that could
keep the seas against first-class vessel of any
important power. Such a condition ought
not longer to continue. The nation that can
not resist aggression is constantly exposed to
it. Its foreign policy is of necessity weak,
and its negotiations are conducted with
disadvantages, because it is not in condition
to enforce the terms dictated by its sense OF
right and Justice.
Inspired as l am by the hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens, that the day is not very far
distant when our navy will be such as BELTS
our standing among the nations of the earth,
and rejoiced at every step that leads in
the direction of such a contamination,
deem it my duty to especially direct the at
tention of Congress to the close of the report
of the secretary of the navy, in which the
humiliating weakness of the present organi-
cation of his department is exhibited, and
the startling abuses and waste of its
present methods are exposed The con-
7viction is forced upon us with the
certainty of mathematical demonstration,
that before we proceed further in the restora-
sGion of a navy we need thoroughly reorgan-
ized navy department. The fact that within
seventeen years more than S75,0O0,0O0 have
been spent in the construction, repair, equip
Lnent, and armament of vessels, and the
further fact that, instead of an effective and
creditable fleet, we have only the discomfort
and apprehension of nation undefended by
war vessels, added to the disclosures now
made, do not permit us to doubt that every
attempt to revive our navy has thus far, for
the most part, been instructed, and all our
efforts in that direction have been little better
than blind groupings and expensive, almless
folleS
Unquestionably if we are content with the
maintenance of navy department simply as
a shabby ornament to the government, a
constant watchfulness may prevent some of
the scandal and abuse which have found their
way into our present organization, and its
Incurable waste'may be reduced to the mini
mum. But if we desire to build ships for
present usefulness instead of naval re
minders of the days that are past, we
must have a department organized for
the work, supplied with all the talent and in
genuity our country affords prepared to
take advantage of the experience of other ma
Gons, systematiZed so that all effort shall
ANTE and lead in one direction, and fully i'm
Jbued with the conviction that war vessels,
though new, are useless unless they combine
all that the ingenuity of man has up to this
day brought forth relating to their construc-
1tion.
earnestly commend the portion of the sec
retarys report devoted to this subject to the
attention of Congress, in the hope that his
suggestions touching the reorganization of
his department may be adopted as the first
step toward the reconstruction of our navy.
THE POSTAL SERVICE
The affairs of the postal service are ex-
hibited by the report of the postmaster
general, which will be laid before you.
The postal revenue, whose ratio of gain
upon the rising prosperity of 1882 and 1888