The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-04
GLOOMY FAREWELL.

been coined 1928, 708, 100, and OF this $780, |
S29,3O3 was in ejaculation in coin and 500
1897 1915 in silver certificates, for the redemp- |
tion of which silver dollars to that amount |
were held by the government.
On the Both of November, 1888. $3l2619,- |
900 had been coined; $50, $40 of the silver |
dollars were actually in circulation, and |
1921, AIS, BAG in certificates
The Secretary recommends the suspension |
OF the further coinage OF silver, anu In such |
recommendation ! earnestly concur For |
further valuable information ana timely re-
concentrations ask the careful attention OF |
the Congress to the Sscretary's report.
THE ARMY.
The Secretary of War reports that the
army, at the date of the last consolidated re-
turns, consisted of 2189 officers and 24,549
enlisted men. The actual expenditures of
the War Department for the fiscal year end
ed June 80, 1888, amounted to SAL ,165, 107.07,
of which sum $958,51663 was expended for
public works, including river and harbor i'm
proponents.
tions," provided for under the act approved
September % last, was convened Oct. 80, 1888,
and plans and specifications for procuring
forgings for 8, 10 and Pinch guns under
provisions of section 4, and also for procur-
ing 12-inch Sreech-lnading mortars, cast
iron, hoped 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 ON the
same date. These plans and specifications
have been promptly approved BY the board
and the Secretary of War; the necessary
authority to publish advertisements inviting
proposals in the newspapers throughout the
country was granted by the Secretary on
Nov. 18th and on Nov. 18th the advertise
ments were sent out to the different news
papers designated. The bids for the steel
forgings are to be opened on December 20,
1888, and for the mortars on Dec 10, 1888.
A board of ordnance officers was convened
ut the Wateryliet Arsenal on Oct. T. 1888, to
prepare the necessary plans end specifca-
tions for the establishment of an army gun
factory at that point. The preliminary re-
port of this board, with estimates for shop
buildings and officers quarters, was approx
lions Nov. 6 and g. The specifications and
form of advertisement and Instructions to
bidders have been prepared, and advertise
ments inviting proposals for the excavations
for the shop building and for erecting the
two sets Of officers quarters, have been pub
lished The detailed drawings and specifica-
ti0ns for the gun factory building are well
in hand and will be finished within three or
four months, when bids will be invited for
the erection of the building. The list of ma
chimes, ETC.. is made out, and it is expected
that the plans for the large lathes, ETC., will
be completed within about four months, and,
after approval by the board of ordnance and
Notifications, bids for furnishing the same
fixtures will be completed as soon as the
| shop is in readiness to receive them, prob
ably about July, 1890. Under the provisions
of the army bill, for the procurement Of
specifications are now being prepared, and
advertisements for proposals will issue early
in December. The guns will be probably of
Is inches calibre, and fire a projectile that
Will carry charge, each, Of about 800
pounds of explosive gelatine with full caibre
proJectlles. The guns will probably be de-
liyered in from six to ten months from the
date OF the contract, so that all the guns of
this class that can be procured under the
provisions of the law will be purchased 1ur-
ing the year 1889. l earnestly request that
the recommendations contained in the Sec
Ietary's report-all of which are, in my
| opinion, calculated to increase the usefulness
and discipline of the army-may receive the
consideration of the Congress.
Among these. the proposal that there
| should be provided plan for the the exam
ination of officers to test the fitness for pro-
motion is of the utmost Importance. This
report has been before recommended in the
| reform OF the secretary, and its expediency
| is so fully demonstrated by the argument he
presents in its favor, that its adoption should
| be no longer neglected.
THE DEATH OF GEN. 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 brave and gallant soldier, wise and
| discreet counsellor and modest and sensi-
BILE man. Those who came within the range
| of his personal association will never fail to
| pay deserved and willing homage to his
| greatness and to the glory OF his career, but
| they will cherish with more tender SENSIBLE
| ity the loving memory of his simple, gener-
| Gus and considerable nature
THE APACHE INDIANS.
The Apache Indians whose removal from
| their reservation in Arizona fo flowed the
| capture Of those of their number who en-
gagged in bloody and murderous raid dur
| ing part of the years 1885 and 1886, are now
| held as prisoners of war at the Mount Yer
| non barracks in the State of Alabama. They
| numbered ON the 31st day of October the date
| of the last report, SO men, 40 women, 20 boys
| ana IS girls, in all 1872 persons. The COM
| handing officer states that they are in good
health and contented, and that they are kept
| employed as fully as possible In the circun-
| stances. The children as they arrive at a
| suitable age are sent to the Indian schools at
| Carlisle and Hampton. Last summer some
| charitable and kind people asked permission
| to send two teachers to these Indians for the
| purpose of instructing the adults as we'll as
| such children as should be found there. Such
| permission was readily granted, accommoda-
| tions were provided for the teachers, and some
| portions of the buildings at the barracks were
| made available for school purposes. The good
| work contemplated has been commenced, and
| the teachers engaged are paid by the parties
| all in sympathy with those benevolent but
| injudIcious people who are constantly insist
| ing that these Indians should be returned to
| their reservation. Their removal was an alb
| solute necessity. II the lives and property of
| citizens upon the frontier are to be at all re-
| garded by the government, their continued
| restraint at distance from the scene of
repeated and cruel murders and out
| RACES is still necessary. 1t is a mistaken
| philanthropy, every way injurious, which
| prompts the desire to see these savages re-
| turned to their old haunts. They are in
| their present location as the result of the
best judgment of those having official re-
/ sponsibilityi the matter and who are by no
means lacking in kind consideration for the
| Indians. A number of these prisoners have
| forfeited their lives to outraged law and hu-
| manity. Experience has proved that they
| are dangerous and cannot be trusted. This
| is true not only of those who on the war
| path have heretofore actually been guilty of
| atrocious murder, but of their kindred and
friends, who, while they. remained upon
their reservation, furnished aid and comfort
| to those absent with bloody intent. These
| prisoners should be treated kindly and kept
| In restraint far from the locality of their for
| mer reservation. They should be subjected
| to efforts calculated to their Improvement
| and the softening of their savax. and cruel
| instincts, but their return to thelf old home
should be persstently resisted.
| OUR SKELETON NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
demonstrates very intelligent management in
that important department, and discloses the
most satisfactory progress in the work of re-
constructing the navy made during the past
| year. OF the ships in course of construction,
| i've, viz, the Charleston, Baltimore, York
| town, Vesuvius and the Petrel-have in that
| time been launched, and are rapidly APP
| proach { completion; and in addition to the
| above tie Philadelphia, the San Francisco,
| the Newark, the Bennington. the Concord
| and the Herreshoff torpedo boat are all I'M
| der contract for delivery to the department
| during the next year. The progress already
| made and being made gives good ground for
| expectation that these eleven vessels will be
| incorporated as part of the American navy
| within the next twelve months.
| The report shows that, Notwithstanding
| the large expenditures for new construction
| and additional labor they involve, the total
| ordinary or current expenditures of the de-
| partment for the three years ending June 80,
| 1885, are less by more than 20 per cent. than
| such expenditures for the three years ending
| June 80, 1884. The various steps which have
| been taken to improve the business methods
| of the department are reviewed by the Sec
| rotary. The purchasing of supplies has
| been consolidated and placed under a res
| ponsible bureau head. This has resulted in
| the curtailment of open purchases, which in
| the years 1884 and 1885 amounted TO over 80
rAnr ant 81 th.ar hes 81 khA .nwk