New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-15
4 PLANTO STRENGTHEN THENAVK.
VIEWS OF CONGRESSMAN THOMAS-MR.
RELFORDS SUCCESSOR-GOSSlPi

(FnoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE
WASUIvGTON Dec. 11.-COngressm Thorn
as, OF Illinois, has been member OF tho Naval
Committee of the House tor number OF years. lie Il
of the best Informed men regarding the needs OF the
Navy Tor the few weeks lie has been engaged III
drafting bill which, in the MAN, Will follow the recon-
Inendations contained in Secretary Whitncys report
My BILL lie said to-day, appropriaes - OOoOOo LOT
the construction OF ten vessels: two lronciaus lhIco
cruisers Of the Atlanta type and live gunDoats Inns
amount does not the cost Of armnS these vessels
The gunboas will be OF light draught say four feet with
centreboari to enable them go out TO sea In heavy
weather Under treaty stpulatlons with Great Britain
we are allowed keep hut manOfwar on the lakes
In the OF therefore, great part Oh our Nor'"
crn frontier would be exposed to invasion BY water
England could send fleet OF hundred vessels up tAo
ST. Lawrence River and enter the lakes with
ont meeting any opposition Now II we IA"
these hght-draught Gunboats We could SEND them
in case Of an emergency through the Erie Canal Without
of time. Ii would not DC much III eeiehce put IL
would be- at least: start in the right direction. The
r0ncads are TO have tcnnch plates, three feet ABOVE
and four feet below the waerne. The vessels are TO
built by in private yards II tho Govern
ment were build them they would cost three times as
much My bin also contcmpates reorganization OF
the Navy Department and the adjustment OF thesaareS
paid officers OF the staff and line. am IN favor Oh
aboishng the present bureau system Hastrlcuy NOM
partisan policy adopted by the Democrats In tho re-
Republicans will support It unanimously
The derry oratory OF James B. Belford his wild western
humor his amazing figures speech and his frankness
OF uterauce which in the least restrained by
the conventional parliamentary proprictrs' VIII DO
greatly miscdn the House His successor Judge symeS
Is not likely MI the place left vacant by
the "Rcd. headed Rooster Of the Rockies" lie
seems n quiet and unobtrusivo man, altogether
mike Eclford In Colorado lie has tho reputation OF
being OF the most drnihcd men. II seems probable
therefore. that he will never make such name for him
self Beord did Mr. symes Is native oil AshtIbuIa
County Ohio. whore he was born IN 1910. He served
with distinction during the and was wounded at
tho first battle of Bull Run and again before Atlanta
After practising for short time IN Kentucky, he ac-
ccptcd an appointment by General Grant as Assistant
Justice OF the supreme Court 81 Montana. lie resigned
hi, seat on the bench ~ practscd his profession
until - in Helena, Montana. a"d finally moved to
Colorado whcro he has lived since Judge synes IL
man of wealth acquired partly In tho practice OF hs
partly through lucky investments In min
ing property It's said that the iron mine OF LeaivIe.
OF which l. Letter large owner paid him In ;crs
within the last ten 80 not less IMAM slVoVo ana 'h"
other companies lave contributed rroporuonatc
amounts his Judge syncs is the owner also
OF great dear o; real estate In Denver. bcIE nrm be
lever ia the security anI the future OF such invest
mems ia the West
The mnilcuity Of the Commissioner Of the General
Land once involve Eiu I'm number Of contradictions
iu bis report. Ucrci- u Iicu!lry fragrant instance
II shows how much doI cud.rcc can Ice placed ON The
statement Of the " General:
Tic VAS, machinery Of NJ predecessor hAi FOR
the Land Department APP three cr~ tir' tie Aitr"
pear. 20 been devoted ton oi C9u-rcs, 20 tc cA,
To- 90" rhci result 81 opu- t"lt a.d nd-uitIi" "I
the United ;,aucurut appropriations
i;g' To- r2!r l.'' "I'" o., i-' srt aI sg,c.
luc pole, OF thi- depart reports
in,n.,ucut o. tho prc-cnt
Admins radon, upHtu, tol
Ia.c promoted IathiI than
checked TIMBER dcrsCdh.
ions.
H. looking through tho Corcorau Art Gallery q few
day. ago ,i, surprised 10 nI among the portraits Of
eminent u,u o. the great military chieain, Of
the siou whose % Do. country. remembered
a where. -hoIl Dee rendered here at the scat of the
Governments winch Dc dd -o much 90 ri' serve. IN one
"t tlc t'ou-. ''uu"dI'r' l'''. 'h ,!.L, 81 '"r
rohr entrance % cI4"u.r the attention 81 every
visitor ai. r''n tel 90 m',.l:c .tAms', A. s..-n-
portraits in largo size. ~ Robert !. Ice ana TOM
, JACKSON butu arrtycI u tIr iIli uniform 81 CON
General Grant. How Few of O. e. men. Thought WHO
duiu I.u. tiyiic uaf- rf sol O." -h5 mAicri Hei"-'
ycar afer tho CLOSE OF the war. visitor AZ the sc q"
tho eminent might wander through an tHc rooms 90
vain Tor the faces 81 Grant. or Met c.lhn OF Meade or
Huru-lr or Thomas. OF iIo"Sr or lai'AS, ol .'''
s' ,. lin, "a, President lu. even that O., hung
800 high aud Ia darn cUrutr thai IL serve. "hp 10
I.pi t.r1er. Jti.un 4 f,a yc.r, ago. when -eua-
Tor -,uuurr I'M bic reslrI iui tie tender feelings ~
IcHc.-. introduced tu''u declaring i"'i u' l'uit'
-ruiln. victories fellow citizens should hc per
u'.eI An lie National Capitol lcst they tend &" keep
alive the auimostc- Of tuc WAY, thr rultc 0u,h,ih
,,rr-. aud many Northern newspapers appiudrd the
i.uftucut That resolution dcuici 10 the heroes ot
trtf uIs Nicn -llr-, ~ the Mississippi llFti, o
Nnhi,c iy OF the WILDERNESS ~ The March - the -ch
of Fort Fisher and ~ App"nltoN, the rish To hANo
then cn;- recorded on Oh" walls OF The tArt"
Yet ip criticism protest j. heard from 20" crippled
Iuau veteran and thr soldier widow, who, pcrclhnce
have ur here visit the graves Ot their dead al AIRING
Ton. when they walk through The most important puhlc
Art Gallery IN Washington ana hud the honor oi loT-
trlItirc paid only To rchcl generals.