Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-08

honest claims would not be denied Justice
through delay. The report OF the Secre-
tary Of War gives q detailed account OF
the administration of his department and
contains sundry Recommendations for the
improvement Of the service. which fully
approve.
consists at the date OF the last consolidated
return OF 2, ,1O3 officers and "a 946 enlisted
men. The expenses of the department for
the last fiscal year were $63, 800. .9O3. SO,
including $6,294, ,305.43 for the public
works, river and harbor improvements.
I especially direct the attention OF the
Congress to the recommendation that
officers be requested to submit to an ex-
animation as q preliminary to their pro-
motion. see no objection but many ad'
vantages in adopting this feature. which
has operated beneficially in our navy depart.
ment, as we'll az in some branches of the
army.
COAST DEFENsEs.
The subject of coast defenses and no for
ti6cations has been fully and carefully
treated by the Board on Fortiications
whose report was submitted at the last
session Of Congress, but no construction
work of the kind recommended by the
board has been possible during the last
year. from the lack OF appropriations for
such purpose. The defenseless condition o.
our seacoast and lake frontier is perfectly
10 a
convince us all that certain OF our cities
named in the report of the board should be
fortified, and that work on the most i'm
portant of these Notifications should be
commenced at once. The work has beer
thoroughly considered and laid out, the
Secretary Of War reports, but all is delayed
in default of Congressional action. The
absolute necessity, judged by all standards
of prudence and foresight, of our prepara
ton for an effectual resistance against the
armored ships and steel guns OF modern
construction, which may threaten the cities
ON our coasts, is SO apparent that hops
effective steps will be taken in that direc
tion immediately. The valuable and sug
gestive treatment of this question by the
Secretary of War is earnestly commended
to the consideration OF the present Con
grees.
Al 0CPiCIAOCI duO OVOOOCA Aooo 0AA0
HOSTILE APACHLs,
when under the leadership of Geronimo
had for eighteen months been on the war
path szd during that time he had com
mltted many murders and been the cause
of constant terror to the settlers of Ari
zona, surrendered 60 Gen. Miles, the mill
tary commander who succeeded Gen. Crook
in the management and direction of theil
pursuit, under the terms of their surrender
as then reported, and in view of the under
standing which this murderous savage
seemed to entertain of the assurances given
them, it was considered best to impIisoI
them in such manner as to prevent theil
ever engaging in such outrages again. in
stead of trying them for murder Fort
Pickins having been selected as saft
place of confinement. all the adult males
were sent thither and they will be closely
guarded as prisoners. In the meantime
| the residue of the band, who, though still
remaining upon the reservation, were re
garded as unsafe and suspected of furnish
ing aid to those on the warpath, had beer
removed to Fort Marion. The women anG
larger children of the hostiles were also
taken there and arrangements have beer
made for putting the children OF proper
age in Indian schools.
THE NAVY.
The report of the Secretary OF the Navy
contains detailed report OF the condition
of his department with such statement
of the action needed to improve the SAM
as should challenge the earnest attention
of Congress. The present Navy of th'
| United States, aside from the ships il
course of construction, consists OF, first
| fourteen single turreted monitors, none o
time serviceable. The batteries OF thes
ships are obsolete and they can only be re
lied upon as auxiliary ships in harbor de
fense, and then after such an expenditur
on them as might not be deemed justifiable
Second-Five fourth-rate vessels OF smal
tonnage. only one OF which was designed a
a war vessel, and all of which are auxilliar.
merely. Third-Twenty-sev cruisin
ships, three of which are built OF iron, Q
small tonnage, and twenty-four OF wood
OF these wooden vessels, it is estimates
by the Chief Constructor OF the Navy tina
only three will be serviceable beyond
period of six years, at which time it ma
be said that of the present naval fore
nothing worth the name will renal
All the vessels heretofore authorized al
under contract or in course OF constructio
except the armored ships. The torped
and dynamite boats and one cruiser. A
to the last of these, the bids were in exces
of the limit fixed. by Congress. The pr
duction in the United States of armor an
gun steel is q question which it seen
necessary to settle at an early day it tt
armored war vessels are to be complete
with these materials of home manufactur
This has been the subject OF investigate
by two boards and by two special commi
sioners of Congress within the last thr
| years.
= The report OF the Gun Foundry Board
, 1884. OF the Board on Fertilization
| made in January last, and the Select Cor
: mittee of the two houses made at the Ia
Y session of Congress have entirely exhaust
I the subject so far as preliminary investig
: ton is involved and in their recommend
+ tions they are substantially agreed.
9 the event that the present invitation
: the department forbids to furnish su
: of this meterial as is now authorized sh'
t fail to induce domestic manufacturers
r undertake the large expenditures requlr
0 to prepare for this new manufacture.
r No other steps are taken by Congress
a its coming session. The Secret ary conte
n plates with disaffection the necessity OF c
h tanning abroad the armors and the g
h steel for the authorized ships. 1t wou
e seem desirable that the wants OF the arr
II and navy IN this regard snOuiQ De reaso
o ably met and that by inviting the &C
l. tracts such inducenent might be offered
=. would result IN securing the domesticati
e of these important interests.
The affairs of the
POSTAL SERVICE
show marked and gratifying improveme
'e during the past year. Particular accor
E. OF it's transaction and condition is given
II the report OF the Postmaster General VIII
u will be laid before you,
LETTER POSTAGE.
Ia The reduction Of the rate of letter po
6. age in 1883, rendering the postal reven1
"a inadequate to sustain the expenditu
) and business depression also contributi
in resulted in an excess OF the cost for
3. fiscal year ended June 80, 1885, OF 81 Z
}. lions of dollars; an additional check uI
ne the receipts by doubling the measure
~ weight in rating sealed correspondence 9
Iit diminishing one-h half the charge for ne
OF paper carriage. was imposed by legislat
I which took effect with the beginning OF
rs past fiscal year, while the constant dems
IN Of our territorial development and grow
1d population for the extension and incre
he of mail facilities and machinery necesiea
n. q steady annual advancein outlay and
Mt careful estimate of year ago upon
he rates of expenditures then existing, C
We templated the unavoidable augmentat
be oi the deficiency in the last fiscal year