Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1888-12-05
Ordnance ana Fortific..iaas.

Ordnance and Fortiaca tians.
The secretary of war reports that the
army on the date of the last cor solilated
returns consisted of 9. 1S9 officers and "a
$40 enlisted men. Tbs acts;. eSaendi-
lures of the war deparsn, NJ los the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1888. amounted to
$41 1875 ,107. 07. of which, sum so, las, 516.-
83 was expended for pubic works, in
Guiding river and harbor Improvements.
THE board OF ordnance and fortitica-
ton, provided for under the act ap-
proved Sept. 90 last, was convened
Oct. 80, 1888, and plans and specifica-
tions for procuring forgings for s, 10 and
12-inch guns under provision Of section
6, and also for procuring 12-inch breach
loading mortars, cast iron hooped with
steel, under the provisions of section 3,
of the said act, were Submitted to the
secretary of war for reference to the
board, By the ordnance department. Of
the same date. These plans and specif-
cations having been promptly approved
by the board and the secretary of war,
the necessary authority to publish ad-
vertisements inviting proposals in the
newspapers throughout the country was
granted by the secretary ON Nov. IL. and
on Nov. 10 the advertisements We're sent
out to the different newspapers desig-
mated. The bids for the steel forging
are to be opened on Dec. 90, 1888, and for
the mortars ON Dec. Is, 1883.
A board of ordnance officers was con-
vened at the Watervliet arsenal on Oct.
4, 1883, to prepare the necessary plans
and specifications for the establishment
of an army gun factory at that point.
The preliminary report of the board with
estimates for ship building and officers
quarters, was approved by the board Of
ordnance and Notifications Nov. 6 and 8.
The provisions of the army bill for the
procurement of pneumatic dynamite
guns, the necessary specifications are
now being prepared, and advertisements
for proposals viii be issued early in De-
cember. The guns viii probably be Of
15-inch calibre, and fire projectiie that
will carry charge, each of about 500
pounds of explosive gelatine with full
caibre projectiles.
Army Promotions.
earnestly request that the recon-
mendations contained in the secretary's
report, all of which are, in my opinion,
calculated to increase the usefulness and
discipline of the army, may receive the
consideration of congress. Among these
the proposal that there should be pro-
vided a plan for the examination of
affairs to test their fitness for promotion
is of the utmost Importance.
Tribute to Sheridan.
The death of Gen. Sheridan in August
last was a national affection. The army
then lost the grandest of its chiefs. The
country lost a brave and experienced
soldier, wise and discreet councillor,
and modest and sensible man. Those
who in any manner came within the
range of his personal association will
never fail to pay deserved and willing
homage to his greatness and the glory
of his career, but they will cherish with
more tender sensibility the loving mem
DRY of his simple, generous and con-
siderate nature.
The Indian Question.
The Apache Indians, who engaged in
a bloody and murderous raid during q
part of the years 1885 and 1885, are now
held as prisoners of war at Mount Yer
non barracks, in the state of Alabama
They numbered ON the 31st of October,
the date of the last report, 50 men, I'D
women, 70 boys and SO girls, in all 36S
persons. The commanding officer states
that they are in good health and con-
tented, and that they are kept employed
as fully as is possible under the circum-
stances. The children as they arrive at
a suitable age, are sent to the Indian
schools at Carlisle and Hampton:
The prisoners should be treated kindly
;.A e.
ity of their forE.er reservation; they
should be subjected to efforts calculated
to lead to their improvement and to sofo-
ening of their savage and cruel instincts.
but their return to their old home should
be persistently resisted. The secretary
in his report, gives graphic history Of
these Indians and recites with painful
vividness their bloody deeds and the
unhappy failure Of the government TO
manage them by peaceful means.
Progress Towards Navy.
The report of the secretary of the
navy demonstrates very intelligent man
agement in that important department.
and discloses the most satisfactory
progress in the work of ~reconstructing
the navy made during the past year.
Of the ships in course of construction
five, viz: the Charleston, Baltimore,
Yorktown, Vesuvius and the Petrol, have
in that time been launched and are
rapidly approaching completion, and
in addition to the above the Philadel-
phia, the San Francisco, the Newark,
the Bennington the Concord and the
Haveshoff torpedo boats are all under
contract for delivery to the department
during the next year. The progress
already made. and being made gives
good ground for the expectation that
these eleven vessels win be incorpo-
rated as part of the American navy
within the next twelve months.
The Postal Service.
The report of the postmaster general
shows marked increaseof business in
every branch of the postal service. The
number of postofices ON July /, 1883,
was 81, 376, an increase Of 9, l24 In three
years, and of 2,219 for the last fiscal
year. The aforementioned increase ID
classified as follows: @ s ~
New England states. 8
Middle states. Observation-Disclosures. 1S1
Southern states and Indian Territory (41) 4, 400
The states and territories of the Pacific coast 100
The ten states and territories of the West and
NOThWcSI. ................s... go
Total 2219
Free delivery offices have increased
from 1S9 in the fiscal year ended June
80, 1885, to 1853 in the year ended June
80, 1883. In the railway mail service
there has been an increase in one year of
16S routes, and in the number of miles
travelled per annum an increase of 16O,-
795, 917.48. The estimated increase Of
railroad service for the year was 5000
miles, but the amount OF new railroad
service actually put on was 42,764.50
miles.
The volume of business In the money
order division, including transactions in
postal notes, reached the sum of up-
wards of $143, 200, 900 for the year.