Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-12-15

OF the current calendar year the war
will have nine Pinch
guns, 20 10.inch and "a S-inch guns
ready to be mounted on gun-lifts and
carriages, and Is Pinch mortars. In
addition to the product of the army
gun factory now completed at Water
vliet, the government has contracted
with private parties for the purchase
OF 100 guns of these calibers, the first
of which should be delivered to the
for test before July l,
1894. The manufacture Of heavy
ordnance keeps pace with current
needs, but to render these guns avail
able for the purposes they are designed
to meet, emplacements must be
prepared for them. Progress has been
made in this direction, and it is
desirable that congress by adequate
appropriations should provide for the
uninterrupted prosecution of this nee
essary work.
THE NEW RIFLE SELECTED.
After much preliminary work and
exhaustive examination in accordance
with the requirements of the law, the
board appointed to select magazine
rifle of modern type to replace the
obsolete Springfield rifle of the infantry
service completed its labors during the
last year and the work of manufact-
uring is now in progress at the ma
tional armory at Springfield. 1t is
confidently expected that by the end
of the current year our infantry will
be supplied with weapon equal to
that of the most progressive armies Of
the world.
NATIONAL MILITARY PARKS.
The work on the projected Chicka-
mauga and Chattanooga military park
has been prosecuted with zeal and
judgment, and its opening will be
celebrated during the coming year.
Over nine square miles OF the Chicka-
maugua battlefield have been acquired,
% miles of road have been constructed,
and permanent tablets have been
placed at many historical points,
while the invitation to the states to
mark position Of their troops partici-
pating in the battle has been very
generally accepted.
The work OF locating and preserving
the lines of battle at Gettysburg
battlefield is making satisfactory pro-
gress in the plans directed by the last
progress.
RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE.
The railway mail service not only
adds to the promptness of mail delivery
at all Offices, but it is the special in.
strumentality which puts smaller and
way places in the service on an equality
in that regard with the larger and
terminal offices. This branch of the
postal service has therefore received
more attention from the postmaster
general, and, though it is gratifying tc
know that it is in condition of higt
efficiency and great usefulness, I an
led to agree with the postmaster
general that there is room for it,
further improvement. There are nov
connected with the postoffice establish
ment 2S,324 employees who are in th'
classified service. The head of thi
great department gives conclusive
evidence of the value of civil servic,
reform when, after an experience tina
renders his judgment on the subjec
absolutely reliable, he expresses th'
opinion that without the benefit o
this system it would be impossible t
conduct the vast business intrusted Il
him.
l desire to commend as especial!
worthy of prompt attention the sug
gestions of the postmaster-general il
relation to more sensible and bust
ness-like organization and a bette
distribution of responsibility in thi
department..
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT..
The report of the secretary Of tn
navy contains history OF the opera
tions of his department during tn,
past year and exhibits a most crafty
ing condition of the personnel of ou
navy. He presents satisfactory &C
count of the progress which has beer
made in the construction of vessel
and makes number of recommends
tions, to which attention is especial,
invited. During the past six months
the demands for cruising vessels have
been many and urgent. There hav,
been revolutions calling for vessels t,
protect American interest in Nicar
aqua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Hon
duras, Argentina and Brazil, while th'
condition of affairs in Honolulu ha
required the constant presence of on,
or more ships. With all these call
upon our navy it became necessary, il
order to make up sufficient fleet t.
patrol the Behring sea under tn,
modus vivendi agreed upon with Grea
Britain, to detail to that service on,
vessel from the fish commission anC
three from the revenue marine.
Progress in the construction OF new
vesselvs has not been as rapid as wa
anticipated. There have been delay
in the completion of unarmored YES
sells, but for the most part they hav,
been such as are constantly occurrin,
even in countries having the larges
experience in naval shipbuilding. Th,
most serious delays, however, hav.
been in the work upon armored ships
The trouble has been the failure O
contractors to deliver the armor a.
agreed. The difficulties seem now
however, to have been all overcome