The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-12-18

o more summary and less lncunNenent man
ner than by courtmartial.
If some Of the proceedings Of courts-maie
tial which | have had occasion to examine
present the ideas of Justice which generally
prevail in these tribunals, am satisfied that
they should be much reformed, II the hohor
and the honesty of the army and navy are by
their instrrmentality to he vindicated and
protected.
appointed in pursuance of the provisions OF
the act Of Congress approved Maioh .,
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 dcfcnceless condition OF our sea
coasts.
There should be a general law of Congress
prohibiting the construction of bridges over
navigable wuuers in such manner as 20 OBJ
struct navigation, with provisions for pre-
venting the same 1t seems that under eX-
isting statutes the government cannot inter
vene to prevent such 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 obstIuc-
ton of navigation by bridge across the Mis-
sissippi river at st. Paul, large pier for
bridge has been built just below this place
directly in the navigable channel of the river
argument is presented against the appropria-
ton of large sums of money to improve the
navigation of this and other important high
ways Of commerce.
THE NAVY.
The report of the secretary of the navy
gives q history of the operations OF his depart
ment and the present condition oil 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 nt the time
l. t.l loA; nd ,1c Or
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 thC5 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 as 'er-
tainment by n 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 partial failure to perform such contract,
or the payment of the sum still remaining un-
paid upon her price, in case 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 S2995,0O0 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-
tion 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-
tion and selection.
All must admit the Importance of an effec-
tive navy toa nation like ours, having such an
extended sea coast to protect. And yet we
have not a single vessel of war that could
keep the seas against n frst-class vessel of any
important power. Such 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 i'll condition
to enforce the terms dictated by its sense of
right and justice.
Inspired as | am by the hope, shared by all
patriotic citizens, that the day is not very far
distant when our navy viii 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 consummation, l
deem it my duty to especially direct the at
tenton of Congress to the close of the report
of the secretary of the navy, in which the
mmilating weakness of the present organi-
Zation of his department is exhibited, and
the startling abuses and waste of its
present methods are exposed. The CON
viction is forced upon us with the
certainty of mathematical demonstration,
that before we proceed further in the restora-
ton of a navy we need thoroughly reorgan-
lied navy department The fact that within
seventeen years more than S15OOO,O0O have
been spent in the construction, repair, equip
ment, and armament of vessels, and the
further fact that, instead of an effective and
creditable fleet we have only the discomfort
and apprehension of a 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, foI
the most part, been misdirccted, and all ouI
efforts in that direction have been little better
than blind groupings and expensive, ainless
follies
Unquestionably if we are content with the
maintenance of navy department simply a.
a shabby ornament to the government, 1
constant watChfulneSS may prevent some OF
the scandal and abuse which have found theii
way into our present organization, and il
incurable waste may be reduced to the mini
mum. But if we desire to build shiIS fol
present. USEFULNESS luSteuu Oh naval lc
mindeIs of the days that are past, W,
must have a department organized fo
the work, supplied with all the talent and in
genuity our country affords, prepared tC
take advantage of the experience of other ma
tions, systenatized so that all effort shal
unite and lead in one direction, and fully i'm
bued with the conviction that war vessels
though new, are useless unless they combin
all that the ingenuity of man has up TO thi
day brought forth relating to their construc
tion.
/ earnestly commend the portion of the sec
retary's report devoted to this subject to tn
attention of Congress, in the hope that hi
suggestions touching the reorganization c
his department may be adopted as the fir
step toward the reconstruction OF our navy.
THE POSTAL SERVICE
The affairs of the postal service are e,
hibited by the report of the postmaste
general, which will be laid before YOU
The postal revenue, whose ratio Of gai
upon the rising prosperity of 1882 and les
outstripped the increasing expenses of on
growing service, was checked by the redu'
tion in the rate of letter postage, which too
effect with the beginning of October in I'll
latter year. and it diminished during the Nv
past fiscal years 81, 10000 in abou
the proportion of S2,210,0O0 in 1884
$500 OnO in lsS5 Natural growth and deye