Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-07

department, and contains sundrY recon-
menodt'ons Tor the Improvement OF the SER
vice, which fully approve. The army con-
sisted, az the date of the lat con olidated re-
turn. OF 2.l03 officers and 24,9i6 elisted mel =.
me expenses of the department for the ast
HscN year Were S56.9lJ.!O3 IS. including
s6,Z9i,3O5 10 for public " orks and river and
hhrDor improvements. | especially direct
the attention OF the Congress to the recon-
mendaIlon that officers be required to submit
10 an examination IS preliminary to their
promotion. see no objection but many adj
vAntages IN adopting this feature, which has
operated so benehcially IN our Navy Depart
ment as wei As In some branches of the army.
COAST DEFENsEs.
The subject of coast defense and fortifica-
lions has been fully and carefully treated by
the Board on Fortfcations, whose report was
submitted ut the last session OF Congress, but
NO construction work of the kind recon-
mended by the boarI has been possible dur
ing the last year from the lack OF apprOpria
tons for sucn purpose.
The defenseless condition of our sea coast
and lake frontier Is perfectly palpabIe. L he
examinations made must convince US all that
certain OF our cities named in the report of
the bard should be fortified, and
o mt ,S %or< on rt, the N; mos lmpOrtaSt
commenced at once. The work has been
thoroughly considered ana laid out, the Sec
Rotary OF " ar reports, but all is delayed in
default Of Congressional action. The abso-
lutte necessity, Judged by all standards of
prudence ana foresight. of our preparation
Tor an efectual res stance against The ar
morec snip and steel guns and moruars Of
modern construction which may threaten the
cities on our coasts, is SO apparent That hope
effective steps will be taken in that direction
Immediately. The valuable and suggestive
treatment oil this question by the Secretary OF
War Is earnestly recommended TO the consid
GRAFTON OF Congress.
INDIAN WARS.
In September and October last the hostile
Apaches VINO, under tue leadership OF Geroni-
III ., hau for eighteen months been on the War
path, and during that time had committed
many murders and been the cause of constant
terror 10 the settlers OF Arizona, surrendered
10 Gen. Miles, the military commander VINO
succeeded Gen. Crook ia the management and
al ectlnS OF their pursuit. Under the terms
OF their SURRENDER, as then reported, and IN
view OF the Understanding which THESE muir
derOus sbvages seemed 10 entertain OF the
assurances given them, it was considered
best to lmprison them in such a manner
as 10 prevent their ever engaging In such out
RACES again, lnsteai OF trS ing them for muir
DEF. Fort Plckeus having been selected as
sale place OF confinement, ali the adult m aIes
were sent thlther, ana Will be closely guar ded
as prisoners. In the meantime the residue of
the band. who, though still remaining upon
the reservation were REGARDED as unsafe, and
the war path, had been removed to Fort
Marlen. The women and larger chiluren Of
the hostlles were also taken there. and ar
rangemenis nave been made for putting the
children OF proper age in Indian schools.
CONDITION OF THE NAVY.
The report OF the Secretary of the Navy
contains detailed exhibit Of he condition of
his department, with such a statement OF the
action needed 10 improve the same a. should
challenge the earnest attention OF the Con-
gress, Inc present navy OF the United states,
aside from the ships in course Of construction,
consists II
l. Fourteen single-turreted monitors, none
of which are in commission, nor at the present
ha n Esh rs
are obsolete ami they can only be relied upon
as auxiliary ships in harbor defense, ana then
after such an expenditure upon them as might
not be deemed justha5le.
2. Five fourth-rate vessels of small tonnage,
only one OF which was destined IS war ves-
Sci, and all OF which are auxiliary merely.
3. Twenty seven cruising ships, three OF
which are built of iron, OF small tonnage. and
twenty -four of wood. OF these wooden ves-
sells il Is estimated by the chief constructor of
the navy tnat Ouly three will be servIceabe
beyond period of six years, at which time II
may be SAID that of the present naval force
nothing worth The name will remain.
NEW VESSELS.
All the vessels herr tofore authorized are
under contract or in course Of construction,
except the arinored ships, the torpedo and
dynamite boats, ana one cruiser. AS to the
last OF these, the BIDS were in excess OF the
limit fixed by Congress-. The production in
the United States OF armor and gun steel is
question which 1t seems necessary TO settle at
to be comp ed with those materials of home
manufacture. This has been the subject of
Investigation by TWO boards and by two special
committees of Congress within The last three
years. The report OF the Gun Foundry Board
In 1884, of the Board OF Fortlfcatlons made in
January last. ana the reports OF the select
committees Of the two houses made at the last
session IF Congress, have entlr, ly exhausted
the subject 81 far As preliminary lnvestiga
tlOn Is involved, and IN their recommenda-
tlOns they are substantially agreed. In the
event that the present invitation of the de-
partment for bids To furnish such OF this ma
Jeral { 9 is now authorized small fail TO in
duce domestic manufacturers TO under
take the large expenditures required
TO prepare for his new manufacture, and
10 other steps are taken by COngres-at it's
coming session, the Secretary coptempiates
with dies ttlsfsctiOn the necessity OF obtaining
abroad the armour anu the gun It ell for tle
authorized th rs. 1t would seem des raule
that the wants OF the army and navy in this
regard should lie reasonably met, and that D.,
uniting their contracts such inducement
mi Sht lie offered as would result IN securing
the domest.catlon of these Important inter-
ests.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The affairs of the postal service show marked
aud gratifying Improvement during the past
year. A particular account of its transactions
and condition Is gwen in the report of the
Postma- ter General which will be laid before
you. The reduction of the rate of letter post
a.e in 1888 rendering the postal revenues in
adequate TO sustain the expenditures, ana the
buslue.s depre sion also contributing, re-
suited in al excess of cost for the fiscal year
ended jane 80, 1885, OF eight and third mill
lion dollars. An ad iitiOnal check upon re-
ceipts by doubling the measure of weight in
rating sealed correspondence and diminishing
One-h half the charge for newspaper carriage
was imposed by legislation, which
took effect with the beg ming Of
the past fiscal year. While the
constant demand for our territorial develop
ment aud growing population tor the eXten.
sion and increase OF mail facilities and ma
chlnery necessitates a steady annual advance
in outlay, and the careful estimate OF year
ago upon the rates Of expenditure then exist
ing contemplated the unavoidable augmenta-
tion of the deficiency in the last fiscal year by
nearly 100000 The anticipated revenue
for the last year failed Of realization by about
500 900. but proper measures of economy
have 80 satisfactorily limited the growth
of expenditure that the total de-
1ciency. in fact, fell below that of 1885.
a gaining ratio over the increase of cost.
demonstrating the sufficiency OF the present
rates or pos, age ultimately to sustain the SER
wee. This is the more Pleasing because our
people enjoy now both cheaper postage pro-
pOrtionably to distances, and yaster and more
costly service than any other upon the globe.
WHERE MONEY HAS BEEN SAVED.
Rctrenchment has been effected in the cost
OF supplies. Some expenditures unwarPanted
by law have ceased, and the outlays for mail
carriage have been subjected 10 beneficial
scrutiny. At the close of the
last fiscal year the expense OF
transportation on star routes stood, at an an