Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-12-01
Mr.. CLEVELAND'S FUTURE
He Will Go to Europe in June
to Travel for a Year.
SECRETARY wHITNEY's REPORT.
Present Condition and Future Outlook OF
Our Navy = Its Present Progress Re
viewed-Inaugural Preparations - Rail-
road Mileage of the Country.

road Mileage of the Country.
WASHINGTON, Dec THE Star says:
THE people who have been engaged in map
ping out Mr.. Clevelands future for him when
he shall have ceased TO be president can now
base their representations on something
tangible. On undoubted and indisputable
authority il can be stated that Mr. and Mrs
Cleveland will SO abroad very shortly after
they bid farewell to the White House The
programme as at present arranged calls for
the departure OF the ex-president and his
wife early in June. France is to be the first
country visited and then Great Britain will
be explored. Mrs Cleveland has always been
anxious to make trip to Norway and Swe
den, and il is more than probable that they
viii journey there in August Italy and
ipain will be the next countries in the tour
and if Mrs. Cleveland can only convince the
ex-president that Italy is a desirable land in
which to spend few months, the couple
will stay through the winter at San Reno
or Nice
CONDITION OF THE NAVY.
Secretary Whitney, in his annual report,
after presenting a brief review Of the condi.
ton Of the navy as il will exist on the 4th OF
next March in comparison with the same on
the 4th Of March, 1SSs, SAYS: $50 far as
armored ships are concerned, the subject is
yet to be treated in broad way by the de
partment and congress As a result of the
policy adopted and carried out during the
past three years, the conditions at the present
inle, the secretary says, are such that every
thing necessary TO first class fighting ship
can be produced and furnished to the depart
ment in this country as soon as in the course
Of construction any element or feature is
required; but this has never, heretofore
until the present time, been true, and there
fore the consideration Of the subject has
been necessarily postponed by the depart.
ment until the present time
The efforts Of the department in ship con-
struction have necessarily, since March
1855 been devoted TO unarmored vessels, and
as to these the department is able to report
that when the ships in course Of construction
and those authorized shall have been COM
pleted, the United States will rank second
among tho nations in the possession Of un.
armored cruisers or commerce destroyers,
having the highest characteristics of size,
5000 tons and upwards, and possessing speed
Of nineteen knots and upward.
The Importance, the secretary says, which
has been placed upon this branch OF naval
armament will be appreciated from the state
ment that England and France possess sixty
five vessels Of the class known as unarmored
cruisers. The attention Of the world was at
tracted to the destructive effect which wa:
produced upon the commercs Of the United
States bv tine cruisers fitted out under III,
auspices Of the Confederacy in the war o
the rebellion The total tonnage Of regis
tered vessels Of the United States had riser
year by year, until, in 1861, it amounted Z
2.G42. .G2S tons, and between 1861 and 1866 il
was reduced to 1892, G26 tons, or, in othel
words 70 the point which we had reached il
lS4y. from which decline we have never re
covered. The insurance war risk upor
American vessels during the war rose in ex
ceptional cases 70 as high as p pc cent
Referring to the reduction Of expenses dur
ing the past thirty-four years, it is claimed
that the savings Of the department are pay
ing for the navy, and on this topic the secre
tary says: 1T is gratifying to be able to re
port that, notwithstanding the large ex
penditures for the new navy in the last three
years, the reduction in other directions ha,
made the total expenditures Of the depart
ment less for those years than for three yearl
ending June 80, 1884 the ordinary expenses
Of the department having been reduced ovel
20 per cent
A table is included in the report, which
shows that the expenditures for the year
ending June 30, 1882, 1883 and 1854, wer,
/ S4A,9t0397, and for the years ending june
80, 1856, 1887 and 1855, $40, Sl0,G
Discussing coast and harbor defenses. Sec
retary Whitney says "In the last annua
report Of the department the consideration
were given leading to the conclusion that II
would be unwise for the department TO fol
low the course Of the European powers il
I hnf al IL q
the present uncertainty regarding the prac
ticability Of submarine boats, and Will,
waiting the practical trial of the dyna
mite gunboat It has been deemed wise for tn,
department to build one light draught, heav
lily armored, harbor defense floating battery
or ram, for which designs have been pre-
pared
RAILROAD MILEAGE.
The annual report OF the interstate com,
merce commission places the railroad mileage
Of the country on June 30, 1883, at 152, ISL, Of
which 2,3l2 miles had been completed and
brought into operation within the siA
months preceding that day. The railway
construction in 1856 was s AL miles; in 1885,
it was l2,6SS miles. The number Of corpora.
tions represented in the mileage is PSI, but
by reason Of leases or other contract arrange
ments many corporations hold control of and
operate one or more roads owned by Other
corporations, and the whole number making
reports of operations at the date named wa.
G65
INAUGURAL ARRANGEMENTS.
A contract has been signed by Gen. Black
I commissioner Of pansions aud Chairman
/ Britton for the use of the pension building
for inaugural purposes This contract is L
be approved by the secretary OF the interior
I Under its terms the committee is to hay,
the use of the main hall of the pension build
ing for decoration purposes as soon as they
I may wish TO begin the work. The rooms in
/ the building which the committee may de
sire 20 use will be available on tho Saturday
1 preceding March L. An employe OF tn,
office, detailed by the commissioner, viii
have charge of each room.
The inaugural COMMITTEES is in receipt OF
letters from different parts of the country
stating the advantages the inaugural proce $
sion would derive from the presence of Ger
tain individuals 1t is generally added that
these individuals have not the means TO pay
their expenses, and the suggestion is made
that the committee furnish the requisite
means In reply to all such letters the com
mittee states that while it would be glad tC
have the persons named present and will dc
all in its power to secure for them comfort
able quarters in this city, yet there are nC
funds available 10 meet expenses Of thi:
character, either in whole or part.
HAYTI MAKES RESTITUTION.
Mr.. Thompson, the United States minister
n