The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-12-06


the country and depression In financial analrs
Inevitably and quickly reduces the postal reve-
nuea Therefore larger discrepancy tnan
usual between the post ONCE receipts anu eA
penditures is the expected and unavoidable re-
suit Of the distressing stringency which
has prevailed throughout the country
during much Of tho time coVere9
by the postmaster generals report AZ AZ
q date when better times were antlclpateu
It was estimated by his predecessor that tne
deficiency on the 3Jth day OF June, 1888, would
be but little over million and . hall aollars'
1t amounted, however, TO more than hve MI
lions. At the same time, and under the IN
huence Of like antioipations, estimates were
made for the current fiscal year ending June 3O
1904, which exhibile ed surplus OF revenue over
expenditures OF Ss72,24b7l; but now, IN Wow OF
the actual receipts and expenditures during
that part Of the current fiscal year already ex-
pired the present postmas ler general estimates
that OF Its close instead OF surplus tnere VIII
be deficiency Of nearly eight million dollars
The post office receipts for tho last hscGl year
amounted to so. S96, ,9J3 10 and lis expenditures
70 t8i 074, l0L90. This post orloe deficiency
would disappear or be immensely decreaseu II
less matter was carried free through INC in1hs,
an item OF which Is upward OF three hunurc1
tons OF seeds and grain from the agricultural
department. ~
the total number OF post oflicos in the United
States on the SJIh day OF June, 1870, was OSf,S,
on increase OF 2SI over tue preceding year VI
these $3.50 were presidential an increase III
that class OF 2J4 over the preceding year Forty
two FREQ delivery offices we're adIed during tno
year 10 those already existing, making totai
Of six huud ied and ten cities aud towns pro-
yided with free delivery on Juno ~, loSa
Ninety three other cities aud towns are now
entitled TO this service under the law, out ~ nus
not been accorded them on account OF hsuI'
ncient funds 10 meet the expense OF It's estao.
lshncnt l am decidedly OF the opinion lhat
the provisions OF the present law permit ns
general an Introduction OF this feature OF mai
service as is necessary or lusthaoie, anu tna'
II ought not 10 be extended TO smaller coninu
mites lhIn Ire now designated
Inc expense OF free delivery for the hscal
year ending June 81, 1891, Will be moro than
sll,UOOOJ, and under legislation now exlSnhs
there must be o constant Increase IN tails ltem
or expenditure. ,.t.
There were 6,4Ol additions to the domestic
money order offices during the last hStal year.
beiag the largest increase In any ysar since lhe
ina lguration OF the system Tue total NUMBER
OF tuese OH es at tho close OF the year was 10,
49, There were l3,3j9,73S money orders issued
| from these u.ic, D. being An increase Olef the
preceding year OF LAO and the value oil these
orders amounted to el=7, ,5T6, i3a6 on Increase
| OF 1850 U3SS There were also issued during
the yeur postal notes amounting 10 sl@'vJ5,oIo 90
Daring tue year ly1 international money or
der Offices were added TO those already pro
ylded, making u total OF 2,I0T in operation on
| June %, 1873 Tne n-:nOer OF lhternauohal
money orders issued during the year Was
ID LOS 800, an increase over the preeeding year
OF 72,525, and their value WAS SlO,3il ,oJhfo, ~
| incrense OF La tOLJl The number VI orders
| pIid WIS 3y0ylT. an inoroass over Inc pres.dln2
| year OF lS,oy5 ana their value was '3soA2'J ~
| on increase OF S9I,U9Lo3 From the foregoing
| statements II appears that tho totu lsslo o.
| money orders und postal notes Ior the yoa'
amounted 10 l5u,S5I ,Si6A
The number OF letters ard packages mailed
during the year for special del!yeri was @o'o
Ugl an Increase oysr INC preceGins yssr y. y
used upon trese letters ana packages, ninoun
| cd to s3J7, ,5G93J and the messengers ices pal.
for their delivery amounted 10 i2Jd, -. u leVN
ing proht 10 the government OF bJ.WOS
The railway mail service not only adds 10 lht
promptness OF mail delivery ~ al ol.ces, bu
II Il the especial instrumentality which put
The smaller und way PAGES In the scrN
les on an equality In that rcg1r'
This branch Of the postal service has there
fore received much attention from the post
master general, AMI though IL Is gratifying u
know that II Is In u condition OF high enicienc
aud great usef .lness 1 am led 10 agree witt
the postmaster general that there Ii room 10
Its further Improvement
There are now connected 10 the postoffic
establishment 32i employees who are in tn
classified service The head OF this great de
parlment gives conclusive evidence OF IN
value Of civll service reform when after an o.
perience that renders his judgment on tho sui
iect absolutely reliable he expresses IN
opinion that without the benefit OF this systeI
IL would be imposs bic 10 conduct the vast BUS
ness intrustod 10 him.
/ desire md co:nnend as especially worthy {
prompt attention the suggestions OF ihe pos
master general relating TO more sensibl
and busincssltse Organization and better al
tribution u responsibility In his department
NAVAL AFFAIRS
The report OF he secretary OF the navy col
tains history Of the operations OF his depar
! Incnt during Inc past year and exhibits mos
gratifying condition OF tho personnel OF OF
navy. He presents satisfactory account OF u
progress which has been made In the cons tru
tion OF yussels and makes number OF recon
mendations, 70 which attention Is especially Il
yited
During tho past six months the demands Il
cruising vessels have been many and urgen
There have been revolutions calling for yesse
/. TO protect American interests In Nicaragu
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Argentir
and Brazil while the condition OF anairs
Honolulu required the constant presence OF OF
or more ships With oil these calls upon OF
navy 1t became necessary, in order to make =
a sufficient fleet 10 patrol the Berng sea und'
the modus viyendi agreed upon with Gre.
Britain, TO detail to that service one voSs
from tho fish commission and three from u
revenue marine.
Progress In the construction OF new vosse
has not been as rapid as was anticipated. The
have been delays In the completion OF una
mored vessels, but for the most part they hay
been such as are constantly occurring even
countries having the largest experience In nav
shipbuilding The most serious delays, hoy
ever, have been In tho work upon arnort
|
tractors TO doliver armor Us agreed. The diff
culties seem now, however, 10 have been O
overcome, and nrmor is being delivered wi
satisfactory promptness. As result OF the o
perience acquired by ship builders and desig
ers, and material men, II IL believed that U
dates when vessels will be completed can no
be estimated with reasonable accuracy. Gre
guns rapid.iire guns, torpedoes ana powder a
| being promptly supplied
The following vessels a. the new navy ha'
been completed and are now ready for service
Tho double turreted coast defense mont
Miantonomah; the doublc.turreted coast dcfen
monitor Montery; the armorod cruiser Ne
. York; the protected cruisers Baltimore, Chic
90. Philadelphia, Newark. San FrancisC
Charleston, Atlanta and Boston; tho cruiser
troll; the gunboats Yorktown; Concord, BE
nington, Machias Castine and Patriot q
dispatch vessel Dolphln the practice vess
Bancroft and the dynamite gunboat VesuviJ
OF these the Bancroft, Machias, Detroit o.
Castine have been placed In commission duril
tho current calendar year.
The.foowing vessels are In progress OF co
struction: The second olass battle ships Nal
and Texas; tho cruisers Montgomery and Ma
blehead and the coast defense Monitors, Terrc
Puritan, Amphitrite, and Monadnock all
which will be completed within one yeari q
harbor defense ram Katahadin and tho pI
tected cruisers Columbia, Minneapolis, Olympi
Cincinnati and Raleigh, oil Of which VIII
completed prior TO July !, 1895; the first ella
battle ships Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, Bi
Oregon which win be completed February
1895. and tho armored cruiser Brooklyn, whit
| Will be compet tod by August Of that year.
is also expected that three gunboats authorize
by the last congress will be completed In le
than two years.
Since 1883 congress has OF each session q
thorlzed the building OF one or more vessels, ai
the secretary Of the navy presents an earne
plea for tho continuance OF this plan. He recol
mends the authorization OF at least one battl
ship and six torpedo boats. While am d
unctly In favor of consistently pursuing q
polIcy yo have inaugurntod OF building up
thorough and efficient navy, l cannot refra
from the suggestion that the congress shou
cIrefully take into account the number Of unn
shed vessels on our hands and the doplot
condition OF our treasury In considering the pi
| ,,.Iaty ~ an annronria tim at this time 20 beQ