The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-12-10

cdgAIul BtJuy DJ bHC btGItbhi Y hlu 10
ceiyed my approval. Sovon com
panies have been completely
organized and seven more arc
in process of organization. The re-.
suite Of SIX months training have more
than realized the highest anNcipa.
tl0ns. The men arc readily brought
under dis ciplinc acquire the drill With
facility ana how treat pr,Go iu jIa
. ii-ctarre 81 their 'Jtlr-.
LAND MATTERS.
The Judges Of the court Of private
land claims, provided for by act Oh
|. March 3. 1891, have been appointed
and the court organized. 1t il now pos.
sible to give early relief to cOmmuni.
ties long repressed in their develop
ment by unsettled land titles and To
establish the possession and right OF
settlers whose lands have been rem.
dered valuless by adverse and un.
friendly claims.
POSTOPFICE DEPARTMENT.
In the report Of the postmaster gen
erul some very gratifying results ara
! exhibited and many bettermente
! Of service suggested. A perusal Of the
]
/ the suTpeTvisiOu and direction of the
postal system have been characterized
| by an intelligent and conscientious
| desire to improve the service. The
revenues Of the department show an
| increase Of over 5000, 900, while the
7 estimate for the year 1893 show sur
/ plus Of receipts over expenditures.
cean mail pOstOffices have been cs.
tabli5hed upon the steamers Of the
NOrth German Floyd and Hamburg
lines, saving by the distribution on
shipbOard from two 10 fourteen hours
time in the delivery Of mail at the
port OF entry, and often much more in
the delivery at inteside places.
20 thoroughly mas this system in
itiated by Germany and the United
states evidenced its usefulness that it
cannot be long before it is installed
upon all the great ocean mail carrying
steamships. Eight thousand miles Of
new postal service has been estab-
lished upon railroads. The car distri-
button to sub-atations in the
great cities has been increased
about two per cent, while
the percentage Of errors in distribu-
ton has during the past year been re-
duced over One-half. An apprOpria-
ton was given by the last congress
for the purpose Of making some ex-
periments in free delivery in the
smaller cities and towns. The results
OF these experiments have been 50
satisfactory that the postmaster gen
eral recommends, and concur in the
recommendation, that free delivery
system be at once extended to towns
OF 800 population. His discussion of
the Inadequate facilities extended
under our present system to rural
communities, and his suggestions
with a view to give these commun
tiles fuller participation in the ben
Gifts Of the postal service are worthy
Of your careful consideration.
OUR NAVY.
Twcnty-four warships Of all classes
are now under construction in the
navy yard and private shipyards, but
upon the whole the work upon them
is going forward satisfactorily. The
completion Of the more important ves- !
sells will yet require years time. .
Some Of the vessels now under
it is believed, will be
triumphs Of naval engineering. When
1T is recollected that the work Of
building a modern navy was only in
itiated in the year 1883,
that our naval constructors
and shipbuiIders were prac-
icalJy without experience in the
Of large iron or steel I
hips, that our engine shops were I'M /
amiIiaT with great marine engines +
nd that the manufacture Of steel .
Jrgings for guns and plates WAS al /
nOst wholly foreign industry, the !
,rOGJ ess that has been made is not /
My satisfactory but furnishes the as
urance the United States will before |
jng attain in the construction Of such |
essels with these engines and arTna-
lents the same prominence which 1t /
Ltaincd when the best Instruments .
ocean commerce we're the clipper /
hip and the most impressive exhibit .
naval power the old wooden three (
ecker man-of-war. The officers Of the 1
avy and the prOprieters and engi-
GERS Of our grea' private ships
ave responded with wonderful in
diligence Of professional zeal to the
,nfdence expressed by congress in
4 labOrious legislation. We have .
Dw at Washington gun shop organ
ed and conducted by naval officers .
rat in its system and encODomy is I'M
,cclled. Experiments with armor
Iates have been conducted during the 4
ear with most important results. 1t 4
now believed plate Of higher re- 4.
sting power than any in use has been .
und and that the tests have demon 4
rated that cheaper methods Of man 4
facture than those heretofore I
fought necessary can be used. 1
commend to your favorable .
Of the recommendations 1
the secretary. There should be no
in promptly completing
avy OF the best modern type large /
nough to enable this country to dis
lay it's flag in all seas for the protec- !
ion of it's citizcns and Of it's extending I
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..
The reports of the secretary Of the
Interior show that very gratifying |
progress has been made in all of the
bureaus which make up that complex