The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-04

IUne ~, 1881. t4E4C AAs%A A'N~N-
under the compulsory silver coinage
act s7<s, ess 80 in silver dollars, 49,
5.ls sla of which were in the hands OF
the reonIe. On the S0sh day OF June.
fssS' there had been coined $eo9, s0S,-
IN ard OF this SIS. SIS, 500 was in cir
cr,lation in coin and 500, 3s7 SO in sill
yer certificates. for the redemption OF
which silver dollars to that amount
we're held BY the government. On the
Soth day OF November, 1855, $Sl2,51O,
go had been coined and 500 $40, $50 OF
the silver dollars were actually in cir
collation. and S2s7, AIS, s46in certificates.
The secretary recommends the sus-
pension of the further coinage OF silver,
and in such Recommendation | earn
estly concur. For further vaiuahle in
formation and timely recommends
congress TO the secretary's report
TIE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The secretary of war reports that
the army, at the date of the last con-
solidated returns. consisted of 2f99
officers and 24.5i5 enlisted men. The
actual expenditures of the war depart
ment for the fiscal year ended June
80. 1883. amounted to $4l les, I07 o., of
which sum S9.l5s, sic 50 was expended
for public works, including river and
harbor Improvements.
The board of or. nance and fortifica-
ton. provided for under the act ap-
proved September - last. was con-
yened October 80, ISIS, and plans and
specifications for procuring forgings
for s, 10 and Pinch guns under the
= Il .fE Gov.
procuring Pinch breech-loading NOR
tars, cast-iron. looped with steel, un-
der the provisions of section of said
act, were submitted TO the secretary of
war for reference to the board by the
ordnance departments on the same date.
These plans and specifications having
been promptly approved by the board
and the secretary of war, the neces-
sary authority TO publish advertise
ments inviting proposals in the news
papers throughout the country was
granted by the secretary on Noyem-
Der IL, and on November Is the adj
vertisements were sent out to the diff
ferent newspapers designated. The
bids for the steel forgings are to be
opened on December 20, 1858, and for
the mortars on December Is, 1883.
A board of ordnance officers was
convened at Watervleit arsenal on
October II, 1883, to prepare the neces-
sary plans and specifications for the
establishment of an army gun factory
at that point. The preliminaries of
this board. with estimates of shop
buildings and officers quarters, was
approved by the board of ordnance
and Notifications. The form of adver-
tisement and instructions 10 bidders
has been prepared and an advertise
ment inviting proposals for excava-
vations for the shop building and for
the erection of two sets of officers
quarters has been published, with
detailed drawings and specifications
For the gun factory the building is
well in hand and will be finished in
three or four months, when bids will
be invited for the erection OF the build
ing. The list of machinery, etc, is
made out and it is expected plans for
large lathes, etc. will be completed
within about four months and
after approval by the board Of ord
nance and fortification bids for furn-
ishing the same will be invited. The
machines and other fixtures will be
completed as soon as the shop is in
readiness to receive them, probably in
1890.
Under the provisions of the army
bill for the procurement of pneumatic
dynamite guns. the necessary specifi-
cations are now being prepared and
advertisements for proposals will be
for guns of Is inches caliber and to
fire projectile that will carry a charge
each of about 500 pounds of explosive
gelatine with full calibre proiectiles.
The guns will probably be delivered in
from six to 10 months from the date of
the contract, so that all the guns of
this class that can be procured under
the provisions of this law will be pur-
chased during the year.
/ earnestly request that the recon-
mendations contained in the secreta--
RVS report, all of which are, in my
opinion, calculated to increase the
usefulness and discipline of the army,
NAV receive the consideration of con-
gress. Among these it rs proposed that
there should be provided plan for ex-
animation of officers to test their fitness
for promotion, which is of the utmost
fore commended in reports of the sec
rotary, and its expediency Is so fully
demonstrated by the arguments pre-
sented in its favor that its adoption
should no longer be neglected.
TRIBUTE TO SHERIDAN.
The death of Gen. Sheridan in Aug
ust last was a national affiiction. The
army then lost the grandest of its
chiefs, the country lost brave. ex-
perienced soldier, wise and discreet
counsellor and modest and sensible
man. Those who in any manner came
within the range OF his personal asso-
citation 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 sensibil-
ity the loving memory of his supple,
generous and considerate nature.
THE APACHE PRISONERS.
The Apache Indians, whose removal
from their reservation in Arizona fol-
lowed the capture of those of their
number who engaged in the bloody and
murderous raid during 1885 and 1888,
are now held as prisoners of war mt
Mount Vernon barracks, in Alabama.
They numbered on the first day of
October, the date of the last report,
SO men, 10 women, 80 boys, % girls;
in all, 1872 persons. The commanding
officers state that they are in good
health and contented. and they are
kept employed as fully as possible I'M
der the circumstances. IL children,
as they arrive at a suitable age, are
sent to the Indian schools at Carlisle
and Hampton, and last summer char
liable and kind people asked permi =
sion 10 send teachers to those Indians
for the purpose of instructing adults
as well as such children as should be
found there. Permission was read
ilvEgiyen, accommodation provided
for teachers, and a certain portion of
the building at the barracks made
available for this purpose. The good
work contemplated has been COM
menced and the teachers engaged are
paid by the ladies with whom the
plan originated. | am not at ali in
sympathy with these benevolent but
inJudicious people, who are constantly
insisting that these Indians should be
returned to the reservation. Their re-
moval was an absolute necessity. If
the lives and property of the citizens
OF the frontier are to be at all regarded
by the government, their continued
restraint at a distance from the
scene OF their reported cruel murders
and outrages is still necessary. 1t is
mistaken philanthropy, in every way
injurious, which prompts the desire to
see those sayages returned TO the old