New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-07
Board has been possible during the last year from

lake frontier 10 perfectly paipable; the exaDIna-
tI0ns nude ust convince Us all that certain OF eur
| cities named in the report OF the Board should DO
fortified and that work on the most important Of
these Qualifications should be commenced at once;
| the work has been thoroughly considered and laid
| out. the Secretary of War reports, but all de.
| Iayed IN default Of Congressional action,
The abso ute necessity judged BY all standards
of prudence and foresight OF our prepare ton for
effectual resistance against the atm0red ships ahd
steel guns and mortars OF modern construction
which may threaten the cities on our coasts - so
apparent that hope effective steps VIII be taken
| In that direction immediately
The valuable and suggestive treatment Of this
question by rho Secret airy OF War earnestly COM
mended to the consideration of the Congress-.
In September and October last the hQslie Apaches
| who under the leadership Of Geronimo bad for
| eighteen months been on the path, and during
thar time had committed many murders and been
the constant terror OF the settlers of Arizona.
rendered to General Miles, the military commander
| who succeeded General Crook In the management
, and direction Of their pursuit.
| Under the terms of their surrender as then re-
| portei. and in view Of the understanding which
these mUrderons savaRes seemed to entertain OF the
assurances gwen them, 1t was considered best to
Imprlson them in such manner as to prevent their
ever engaging in such outrages :gaIn. instead OF
| trying them for murder. Fort Pickeus ha, ing been
selected sale place Of confinement, ell the adult
males sent tbither and will De closely guarded
| as prisoners. In the m antlme the residue OF tho
non We're rded "a unsafe and snspecsd of far.
nishing aid 10 those on the war path, had been re-
moved TO Fort Marion. The women and larger
children OF the bostiles were also taken there and
arrangements have been made for putting the child
| rem OF proper age in Indian schools
IMPROVING THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy contains
| detailed exhibit Of the condition Of bis Depart
msnt WITH such statement of the action needed
to improve the same as should challenge the earnest
attention of the Congress
The present Navy of the United States, aside
from ships in course of construction. consists Of
FIRST fourteen singe-turretted monitors. none Of
which are IN commission, nor at the present timo
servceabe. The batteries OF these ships are obso-
ete and they can only be relied upon as auxiliary
ships in harbor defence. and then after such an ex
pendIture upon them as might not he deemed jusri-
liable.
Second, FIVE fourth-rate vessels OF small tonnage,
only of which was oesl< med awar-yessel. and
ali of which are auxiliary, merely.
Third, tweniy-seven cruising ships, three o,
which are built OF iron. OF small tonnage. and
tweuty-four Of wood OF these wooden vessels II
is estimated by the Chief Constructor of the Navy
that only three will be serviceab.e beyond a period
OF SIX years. at which time II may be said tnat OF
the present naval force nothing worthy the name
will remain.
| All the vessels heretofore authorized are under
contract or III course of CONSTRUCTOR except che ar
mored ships the torpedo and dynamite boats, and
one cruiser As TO the last OF these. rbe bids wero
ID excess OF the limit fixed by Congress. Tue pro-
ductlon IN the United states o armor and gun
steel is question which 1t seems necessary 20
ser lie at an early day. If the armored vessels
are 10 he completed with those materials OF home
manufacture. This has been the subject or inyes'i-
CATION by two Boards, aud by two SPECIAL COm-
mitiees of Congress within the last three years
The report of the Gun Foundry Board in 1884. OF
the Board On foriIhcatOns made IN January last,
ahd the reports OF the select Committees of the
iwo Houses made at the last session Of Congress,
have entirely exhausted the subject, SC far pre-
limnary investigation is involved and 10 their
recommendations they are substantially agreed
ln the event th the present invitation OF tho
Department for bids IT, furnish such or TINS maize
rial as is authorized. shall fail 10 induce do
nestle manufacturers 10 undertake the large ex-
pend,tures required to prepare for this new manu-
factnre, and no other steps are taken by Congress
at its coming session. the Secretary contempaes
with Dissatisfaction the necessity OF obtaining
abroad the and the guu-steel for the author
ized hps II would seem desirable tba' the wants
of the Army aud the Navy IN this regard should
be rea bly, met and that BY uniting their con-
tracts. such inducements might be offered as would
result in securing the dOmestlcatlon or these ia-
portant interests
TIE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
The affairs of the postal service show marked and
gratifying improvement during the past year. A
particular account of its transactions and con-
dlton given the report of the Postniaser-Gen-
cral which will be land before you.
The reduction of the rafe of letter postage in
1883. rendering the postal revenues Inadequate to
sustain the expenditures and business depression
also cOnribui Ing, resulted in excess of cost for
the fiscal year ended June 80. 1883, OF eight ald
one-tEird millions of dollars AT addItonai check
upon receipts by doubling the measure of weight in
rating sea- ed correspondence and diminishing one
half tie charge for newspaper carriage was lm-
posed by legislation which took effect al the benn-
ming of the past fiscal year; while he constant de-
mand OF our territorial development ana growing
population for the extension and increase OF mail
facilities and machinery ncccssltates steady annual
ad vance outlay: and the care vi estimate of a
year ago upon the rates of expenditure then exist
ing con enplacd the yoIdabe augmentation
of the deficiency In the last fiscal year by nearly
two millions OF dollars. lac anticipated revenue
for ,ast wear failed of realization by about S64 OOO
but proper measures of economy have satlsfac-
iOriiy limit ed the grow tn OF expenditure that the
total deficiency. IN fact, fell below that OF 1885;
and this time the increase 0f revenue Is In gain
ing ratio over the increase OF cost. demonstrating
the suhciency of he present rates OF postage uti-
mateiv TO sustain the service This is the more
pleasing because our people ENJOY now both cheaper
postage prOportIonatcly 10 distances and vaster
aud more costly service than any other upon tho
glooe.
ReIrenchment has been effected in the cost IL
supplies, expenditures Lnwarranted by law
have ceased and the out avs for man carriage have
been subjected To beneficial scrutiny. Al he close
of the last fiscal wear tbe expense of transportation
routes stood at annual rate OF cos less by
over S5G0,OO0 than at the close OF the previous
year, and 'eanlboat and maiimessenger service at
nearly $20O000 less.
The service has been in the meantime enlarged
and extended by the establishment OF new Offices.
of routes OF carriage. expansion OF carrier
delivery conveneDces, and additions to the rail-
way mail facilities IN accordance with the growing
exigences of the country aud the long-establlshed
policy of the Government
he Postmaste OF General calls attention the
existing law for compensating railroads, and ex-
presses the opinion that netnod may be devised
which will prove more just to the carriers and beEe-
fetal to the Government; and the subject appears
worthy of your early consideration.
he differences which arose during the year with
certain OF the ocean steamship compSilos ha'o
termn by the scquiescence of all IN the policy
of the Government approved by the congress ~
the postal appropriation at IT'S last session; ana
the Department now ENJOYS the utmost service
ahorred by all vessels which sail from our pdrts
upon cit her ocean-a service generally adequate 10
the needs of intercourse. Petitions have. how
ever. been presented o the Department by numer-
GUS merchants and manufacturers Tor the estaD-
lisnment OF O direct service to the Argentine ae-
upc and for semimouthy dispatches 10 the En-
pre- Of Brazil and the subject Is commended To
your consideration IL is an obvious outy 10 pro-
vide the means Of postal communication which our
commerce requires. and with prudent forecast Vt
results the wide extension OF IL may lead 10 3 imu-
lating in ercoursc and become the hafbinger OF
prota BILE traffic which will opeL new avenues Tor
the disposition Of the pro lucts of our industry.
The cIcum> ances of the countries the far south