The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-01-02

of Aug. .. 1882 and March 80, 1883. or
the four vessels under contract one, the Chi
cago, OF $500 TONS is moro than half
finished; the Atlanta, 5000 tons, has been
uccessfully launched, and her machinery Is
.ow fitting; the Boston, also Of 200 tons.
ready for launching; and the Dolphin, q
dispatch steamer of 800 tons, 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 department has been
demonstrated 10y recent Developments In ship
building abroad The machinery of the
double-turrcted monitors, Puritan, Terror
and hmphitrite, contracted for under the
act of March 3, 1883. is in process Of con-
struction. 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 un-
finished at the navy yard In California II ls
recommended that early steps be taken 70
complete these vessels, and to provide also
an armament for the monitor Miantonomah.
The recommendations of the naval advisory
board. approved by the department.. com
prise the construction OF one steel cruiser of
1900 tons, one cruiser OF 5000 tons, two
heayy-armed gunboats, one light cruising
gunboat, one dispatch vessel armed with
Hotchkiss cannon, one armed ram 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 or congress approved Aug. Z, 1882,
authorized the removal TO the United States
of the bodies OF Lieutenant Commander q.
w, De Long and his companions OF the Jean
nctte expedition. The removal has been sue
cesstully accomplished. The remains were
taken from their grave in the Lena delta, i'll
March, 1888. but were detained at Iakutsk
until the following winter, the season being
100 far advanced To admit of their immediate
transportation. They arrived ut New York
Feb. 20, 1851, where they were received
with suitable honOrS In pursuance of the
Joint resolution of congress approved Feb.
10, 1854, naval expedition was fitted
out for the relief of Lieut. A. W. Greedy,
United States army, and of the party WHO
had been engaged under his command in
scientific observations ut Lady Franklin
bay. The fleet consisted of the steam
Sealer Ihetis, purchased in England; the
Bear, purchased Mt st Johns, Newfound
land, and the Alert which was generously
provided by the British government Prep
arations for 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.. W. H. En-
cry in command of the Bear. The Thetis
was intrusted to Commander Winfield =
Schley, to whom also was assigned the SUI
perintcndcnce of the entire expedition I'm
mediatcly upon its arrival at UpernaYik.
the feet began the dangerous navigation of
Melville bay, and in spite OF every obstacle,
reached LittletOn island on June %, a
fortnight earlier than any vessel had be-
fore attained that point On 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 ], and ut New York on Aug 8. One of
the bodies was landed ut the former Place.
The Others were put on shore ut Governors
island, and with the exception of one,
which was inferred in the national cemetery,
were forwarded thence to the destination in
dicated 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
10 the congress of the United States, | can
not too strongly urge on its attention the
duty OF restoring our navy AZ rapidly rs pos
sible to the high state of efficiency which
formerly characterized It. Az the long peace
that has lulled us into a sense of fancied &c
curity may at any time be disturbed, 1t Is
plain that the policy Of strengthening
this arm OF the service is dictated by consid-
crations OF use, economy, of just regard for
our future tranquility and of true apprecia-
ton Of the dignity and honor of this repub-
&c.