New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-09

the Executive pr oc lamatIon warning them 10 re-
move was complied with without their !htcflcl-
ence Troops were also sent to Rock Springs, In
Wyoming Territory after the massacre on tHIlip5e
there. 10 prevent further disturbance, aud aller.
ward to Seatt e. in Washington IerrItorN,t 10 aver
threatened attack upon C1lheSe Iahnless Inu a.
nestle vinle zee there In hoth cases iiio 're pres
ence of the troops had the desired en- c.. -.
Ii appears that the number OF OeserIious haNe
diminished but that during the last Scal wear 'h'3
numbered 2.027; and one inst ance IS gwen ny 'il'
Lieutenant General Oh SIX Gc3erf"nS by, the same
r.crnt am convinced that TINS number OF oc-
sertlons can be much diminished by better dlSrl-
pllYe and treatment; but tie punishment Shoud %
increased for repeated offences. lh"od deseltl0hS
might also be reduced by lrsSenihg tAc term 81 hl2
enlistmentS thus allowing GlScontchttd recruit
to contemplate nearer diSchar5a ana tHe ARMY
profitable radiance. After one term OF service
rf-euiistlnent would be qdI.e api 10 SecnIe con-
tened recruit and Il good soI'uer lbo actihE
Iudge- Advocate General reports That the number
of trias Inv general courts-artial Aurlhg the year
was 2 32S, and that Sol trlaS TOOK piace oeio'o
ralrlSon and reRlmcntal court S-mdillu me sdg-
restlon that pr baby nor liao njId ~ AZ ~
have been trcd Tor o1elc s. grea ana 3nail III one
yeat NAV well arrest att :nti'n. VI course many
OF these trials before garrison ana rcIllheatH
courts-mgrtiai were iOr OfeuccS almost frivolous;
and there should. TANK. be way deyi Sed to dis
pose of thee IN a III r. summary ana less neon
venient manner than by curt martial ~ sohl" oi
the proceedings of conrts-narlia l WhcH nave naI
occasion TO examine present the ideas OF justice
which generally prevail in thee tribunals, am
satisfied that they should be mnch reformed II Ihc
honor and the honesty OF the aFlN ana NaNI, "lo
by their instrumentailty TO be vlndicated ana pro-
tectcd.
appointed III pursuance OF tIe PROVISIONS OF the ac
OF Congress approved March3. 1850. VIII IN snort
time present the'r report; ana II IL hoped thht IS
NAV greatly aid the legislation 50 necessary 10
remedy the present dciencelcsS CONDITION VI our
ibc Work of the Signal Service has
been prosecuted during he last year
w IN results of increasing benefit 10 tie country.
The field f nsnu .tiOn has been enlarged with
view OF adding TO It's usefulness lne nhmDfr OF
,;,,o FINN
graphic reports received from 100 stations. he-
ports are also received from % Canadian
stations 37J volunteer Observers % army surgeons
at military posts. and 333 foreign stations. 20
expense of the service during the hSca year after
deduciIng receipts from military tcePraPh nlo =,
was S792, 500 81. In view of he tact referred 10
by the Secretary Of War; that the work OF TINS ser
vice ordinarily is OF n scientific nature, ana the
further fact that it is assuming larger PROPORTIONS
constantly, and becoming more and IN re unSuIted
70 the fixed rules which must govern in" Army,
am inclined 10 agree with him IN the opinion trat
should be separately established ii ans Is done
the scope aud extent of ITS operations sl0ul1' rs
nearly as possible be definitely prescribed by law,
and ALWAYS capable of exact ascertainmcni.
The Military Academy at West Point IS reported
os heinc III n hrh ate of efficiency ana well
equipped for the satisfactory accom- lshment Oh
the purposes of Its maintenance. The fact that me
class which graduates next wear i an unusua ~
large one has constrained me 10 dccline TO make
APPOINTMENTS to second leutenanclcs III the Army
from civil life so that such VcanclcS a. III
these places may be reserved Tor Such graduates
and vet II il not probable that there Will
he enough vacancies 20 provide poSillonS i"i
them all when they leave the military scn0oi.
Under fine preyalling law and usage those not thus
assigned to duty never actively enter the military
service 1t Is suggested tuat the law on TINS subject
he red so that such of these young men aS are
not assigned to duty after graduation may be re-
tanned rs second lieutenantS In the Army II lhty
desire it, subject to assignment when opportunity
occurS and under proper rules as 10 prloIIIN % -
lection The expenditures account of the Mill.
tary Academy for the last hsca wear, exclusive or
the sun taken for us PURPOSES lro a az
The act approved March 3, 1881 designed 10
compensate officers and enlisted men Tor loss OF
private property while IN the service o, tne ul.JIi
States Is indefinite IN ITS terms ana apparently
admits so many claims, the a'Ju tment oi "hrh
could not have been contemplated that II II Is To
remain upon the statute book II needs amendment.
Thrrc should be "A general law of Congress pro-
hibItIpg the construction OF bridges over ntVlgape
waters in such manner as 10 oD3iruci haNlgd' loH'
with provisions for preventing the same. IL seems
that under existing statutes the Government can
not intervene to prevent such construction "Hrh
entered upon without IFS consent, th"hEh Whch
such consent Is asked and granted upon condl,i"I
the authority TO INSIST upon such couuloh j. ccr'
Thus II Is represented tudt winnie tic officers az the
Government arc Win great care GuaI'llhg against
the obstruction of navigation y bridge across the
Mississippi River at Saint Paul a large pier Tor "A
bridge has been built Just below MS place dli"ctiy
i'm the Dayigable channel of the nycr If such
things are 20 he permitted strong Argument Is
presented against the appropriation OF large sums
of money to improve the navigation OF TINS ana
other important highways OF commerce.
NAVY DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Secretary of tie Navy gives a
history of the operations Of his Department and
the present condition of the WORK committed TO
his charge He details in full the course pursued
bv HIM 70 protect tie rights of th Government In
re,pcct of certain vessels unfinished at the time Of
ms accession to Office. and al,o concerning the dis
patch boat Dolphin. claimed 10 b. completed ID
awaiting the acceptance 81 'he pcpu iiutnt 80
one can fa to see from recital, contained IN tins
report al only the app ic1'ibl oi business pIln-
cpcs has heen insisted upon IN the treatment OF
these subjects, and that Whatever COhuo'cf7N hd,
arlscu Wa- caused BY the cXtCuru on the part OF
the DpaItmcut of contract Dusatlpns d' tncY were
legally cons rucd. III the case OF toe Dolphin with
entire Justice to the contractor, ali agree
ment he's been entered INTO pIOViing Tor
the asccItainmcnt. 10y q Juulci1l inquiry, of
the complete or partial compliance VITA the con
tract in her coHstrHct ton ana further providing Tor
the assessment of any damages TO which the Gov
eminent may ho entitled on account OF partial
failure 10 perform sIch coutr4c. or Inc payment
of the sum still remaining unpaid upon her Price.
IN case a full performance IS adlJdgrd. The con
tractor by reason OF MS failure IA business, being
unable TO complete the other three vessels, t1cF
were taken possession of by the Government IN
their unfinished state under clause IN e contract
permitting such course, ana are now IN process OF
compIetIOn the yard of the contractor but under
the super VISION Of the Navy Dcpai tmcnt
Congress AT its last session authpIllrd the con-
stIuctiOn OF two additional ucN cruisers ANA two
gunb0ats al a cost not exceeding IN tnc aggregate
% 99J. 900. The appropriation Tor TINS purpose
L,vi,g n.colnc ava, !dhc ON the first daV OF July
OF such plans Tor she COnstwCtlOhO those vessels as
would be likely insure thciIuscfuintsa when COM
pIeted. rLcscare OF the utmost Importance consider
inc The constant advance IN the art of buiidIug
vessels OF tins character and the time Is not lost
which rs spent III tEeIr careful confederation and
selection.
All must admit the importance of an effective
Navy t0a Nation like ours, having suchan extended
sca-cOast to pTOicc Aad yet we have moi single
vessel oil war that COuId keep the seas against "a
fiist-class vessel OF any important Power Such Il
condition ought NOS longer to continue. The
Nation that cannot resist IrcS,On Is constantly
30 cd 10 IT, its sTcign policy Is, of necessity weak
and its negotiations are conducted with dIsadyan-
tagc, because il is not IN condition to enforce the
terms dictated by It's sense Of rgHt and JuSt &C. In
spned, as am. by the hope shared by All patTlOuc
citizens that the diN is not very Tar distant when
our Navy Will be such as bchts our standing among
the NaiO OF the earth and rejOccd at every step
that leads III tine direction OF suCH cOuSummatIOn,
deem IL my duty TO especially direct the attention
Of Congress, to the close OF the report of the Sccrc
tary OF the Navy, In which the minimizing weak
ness OF the present organization OF his Department
is exhibited ana the startling abuses and waste OF