The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-12-07

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sy mpathlzing with the purpose in view,
and expressing the hope that her majesty
government Will lend ready cooperation
to the government # the uiisd state. up-
on the ba~l@ Of the concurrent resolution
above quoted
1t affords me signal pleasure to lay this
parliamentary resolution before the con-
RreFs aud TO express my -iucere gratifca-
tioh mat the sentiment 81 two great and
Kindred nations i thus autuoritativeiy
manifested III favor of TIE rational and
peaceable settlement of international quar-
reLs Dy honorable resort u arbitration.
The Consular Service.
During my former administration | took
occasion To recommend "a reca-t Of the laws
relating to the consular service, il order
that 1t might become more efficient
agency III the promotion If the interests it
was Intended 70 subserye The duties and
powers Of cOnsuls have t,een expanded with
the growing requirements of our foreign
trade. DIsCnarglug important duties at
fectIng our commerce and 4 uerican citi-
Zens abroad, aud IN Certain count ries exer-
clsing Judicial functions, these officers
should De- men Of character, intelligence
and ability
The report Of the secretary If the navy
contains b. SJry Of the op 'ratons of his
department during the past year. and ex-
hibits most graft! ing c3nd ton of the
personnel Of our navy
During the past -ix months the demands
for cruising vessels have b-en many and
urgent. There have been revo! utions call
ing for p els to protect American inter-
i'm 4 ID
Honduras, Argentina and Brazil. while
the condition of affairs in Honolulu Is re-
quired the constant presence of one or
more ships. With all these calls upon our
navy it became necessary. in order to
make mp sufficient fleet to patrol the
Behring SEA under the mCdu- vivendi
agreed! upon with Great Britain, to detail
to that service one vessel from the fish
commission and three from the revenue
marine
Progress III the construction of new YES
sells has not been as rapid a. was antici-
pated. There have been delays in the com
pletion of uuarmorrd vessels, but for the
most part trey have been such as are con-
stantly occurring even i'll countries having
the largest experience i'll naval shipbuild-
ing. The most serious delays, however,
The trouble has been The failure Of con-
tractors To deliver armor rs agreed. The
difficulties seem now, however, to have
been all overcome, and armOr is being de-
Hvered with satisfactory promptness.
The following vessels are in process of
construction: The second class hattleships
Maine and Texas, the cruisers Montgom-
cry and Marblehcad and the coast defense
Monitors Tarrar A h r;+ md
MOnadnOck, all of which will be completed
within one year; the harbor defense ram
katahdin and the protected cruisers Co
lumbia, Minneapolis, Olympia, Cincinnati
and Raleigh, all of which will be complet-
ed prior to July /, 1895; the first class bat
tleships Iowa Indiana, Massachusetts and
Oregon, which will be completed Feb. !.
1896, and the armored cruiser Brooklyn
which will be completed by Aug. l of that
year. 1t is also expected that the three
gunboats authorized by the last congress
will be completed in less than two years.
Since 1886 congress has at each session
authorized the building of one or more
vessels, and the secretary of the navy pre-
sents an earnest plea for the continuance
of this plan. He recommends the author
ization of at least one battleship and six
torpedo boats.
While | am distinctly in favor of con-
sistently pursuing the policy we have in.
augurated Of building up thorough and
efficient navy, L cannot refrain from the
suggestion hat the congress should care
fully take into account the number of un.
finished vessels on our hands and the de.
pleted condition of our treasury in consid
ering the prupriety of an appropriation at
this time to begin new work
The method of employing mechanical la
Dor at navy yards through boards of labor
and making efficiency the sole test 10y
which laborers are employed and contin
ued is producing the best results, and the
secretary is earnestly devoting himself te
it's Development.
National Quarantine.
The admOnitiOns of the last two years
touching our public health and the demon
strated danger of the introduction of con
tagious diseases from foreign ports has in
vested the subject of national quarantine
with increased int' est. A more genera
and harmonious system than now exists
acting promptly and directly everywhere
and constantly operating by preventive
means to shield our country from the in
vasion of disease, and at the same tim
of local agencies, would, | believe, ado
greatly to the safety Of our people.
Army Recommendations.
The secretary of war reports that tn
strength of the army on the 30th day O
Septem Der last was 25,11S enlisted mel
and 2, IA officers The total enrolment O
the militia Of the several states was, on tn
31st of Octol er of the current year. H., SO
officers and enlisted men.
The adoption of battalion formations TO
infantry regiments, the strengthening O
the artillery force, the abandonment @
smaller and unnecessary posts and tn
massing of the troops at important and &C
cessb!e stations AL promise to promot
the usefulness of the army. In the judg
ment of army officers. with but few excep
lions, the operation of the law forbidden!
the re-enlistment of men after 10 years
service has not proved its wisdom, an
while tie arguments that led to its adoI
ton were not without merit, the experienc
of the year constrains me to join in tn
recommendation for its repeal
Seacoast Defense.
1t is gratifying to note that we have be
gun to attain completed results in the com
| prehensive scheme of seaGoast defense ant
y
a large sum has been already expended
but the cost of maintenance will be lncor
siderable as compared with the expense G
construction and ordnance. At the end c
| the current calendar year the war de
partment will have nine u inch guns
| twenty 10 inch and thirty-fo 8 inc
guns, ready to be mounted on GU
| lifts and carriages, and seventy-five
| inch mortars. In addition to the pre-
duct of the army gun factory, now CON
pleted at Watervliet. tha s4verhmenG ha
| CONTRACTED With private parties for the pull
chase of 100 guns of these calibers, the frs
of which should be delivered to the depar
ment for test before July l, 1894,
The Manufacture OF heavy ordnanc
| keeps pace with current needs, but to REL
der these anns available for the purpose
they are design! &c meet, emptaeement
must be prepared for them. Progress ha
been made III this direction, and it is de
sirable that congress by adequate appro
priatinns should provide for the unlnter
rupted prosecution OF this necessary work
Fed raj Courts.