The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-04

three years and half from the date of con-
tract would be required for their completion.
The secretary states that not more than 10
per cent of the cost of such ships need be in
GUIDED in the appropriations for the coming
year.
l recommend that provision be made for
the construction of additional battle ships
and torpedo boats. The secretary RECON-
mends the manufacture not only of reserve
supply of ordnance and ordnance material for
shlps OF the navy, but also supply for the
auxiliary fleet. Guns and their appurten-
ces should be provided aud kept on hand
Tor both these purposes. We have not To-
day single gun that could be put upon the
ships Paris or New York. of the Interna-
uona Navigation Company or any other snip
OF our reserve navy. The manufacture OF
guns at the Washington nayy-yard Is pro-
ceeding satisfactorily and none OF our new
ships will be required to wait for their guns
or ordnance equipment.
An important order has been issued by the
secretary of the navy, coordinat1ng the duties
of the several bureaus concerned IN the cons
truction of ships. This order it is believed will
secure to greater extent than has heretofore
been possible, the harmonious action of these
several bureaus, and make the attainment of
the best results more certain. During the
past fiscal year there has been an unusual and
pressing demand in many quarters of the
world for the presence of vessels to guard
American interests. In January last. during
the Brazilian insurrection. large feet was
concentrated in the harbor of Rio de Ja-
metro.
The vigorous action of the rear admiral in
protecting the personal and commercial
rights of our citizens during the disturbed
conditions afforded results which will, it is
believed have far reaching and wholesome
influence whenever in like circumstances it
may become necessary for our naval COM
H.. 49, L IL
in foreign ports. The war now in progress
between China and Japan has rendered it
necessary or expedient to dispatch eight yes
sells to those waters. Both the secretary of
the navy and the secretary of the treasury
recommend the transfer of the work of the
coast survey proper to the navy department
l heartily concur in this recommendation,
excluding Alaska and very small area be-
sides. All the work of mapping and charting
our coasts has been completed. The hydro
graphic work, which must be done over and
over again by reason of the shifting and
varying depths of water, consequent upon
the action of streams and tides has heretofore
been done under the direction of naval offic-
ers in subordination to the superintendent of
the coast survey. There seems to be no good
reason why the navy should not have entire
charge hereafter of such work, especially as
the photographic Office of the navy depart
ment is now and has been for many years,
engaged in making efficient maps entirely
similar to those prepared by the coast sur
vey.
/ feel it my imperative duty to call atten-
tion to the recommendation of the secretary
in regard to the personnel of the line of the
navy. The stagnation of promotion in this
the vital branch of the service, is so great as
to seriously impair its efficiency. l consid-
er it of the utmost Importance that the young
and middle aged officers should, before the
81 ts,,Dr h4 rod TO- ,aIa
grade emitting them to active and important
duty. The system adopted few years ago
regulating the employment of labor at the
navy yards is rigidly upheld and has fully de-
menstrated its usefulness and expediency.
1t is within the dominion of civil SER
vice reform in as much as workmen are en-
ployed through a board of labor, selected at
each navy yard and are given work without
reference to politics and in the order OF their
application, preference, however, being CIV
en- to army and navy veterans and those hav-
ing former navy yard experience. Amend
ments suggested by experience have been
made to the rules regulating the SYSTEM
Through its operation the work at navy
yards has been vastly improved in efficiency
and opportunity to work has been honestly
and fairly awarded to willing and competent
applicants.
It is hoped that if this system continues to
be strickly adhered to there will soon be as
natural consequence such an equalization of
party benefit as will remove all temptation to
relax or abandon it.
THE INTERIOR.
The Report of the Secretary of the Interior
exhibits the situation OF the numerous and
interesting branches of the public service
connected with his department. I commends
this report and the valuable recommendation
of the Secretary to the careful attention of
the Congress. The public land disposed of
during the year amounted to 10.406, 100.7
acres including 2S,S76.05 oflIndian lands.
1t is estimated that the public domain still
remaining amounts to a little more than 600,-
100000 acres, excluding, however, about
$50, 000, 900 acres in Alaska as we'll as mill
tary reservations and railroad and other Sc
lections of lands yet unadjudicated. The
total cash receipts from the sale of lands
amounted to $2.674 2S5. 10, including $9l,-
98l.04, received for Indian lands. Thirty
five thousand patents were issued for agri-
cultural lands, and thirty-one hundred pa
tents were issued to Indians on allotments
of their holdings, in several the land SO
allotted being inaienable by the Indian allot-
tees for period of twenty-five years after
payment.
There were certified and patented on ac-
count of railroad and wagon road grants
during the year S65, 556.45 acres of land and
at the close of the year 100000 acres were
NAA@~i e-NN@ S0ASNSAO.S
railroad and wagon road companies and
awaited settlement. The selections of swamp
lands and that taken as indemnity therefore
since the passage of the act providing for theI
same in IS49, amount to nearly or quite So.
100000 acres, of which 5S,000,000 have been
patented to States. About 13S.00O acres
were patented during the last year. Nearly
900 acres of school and education grants
were approved during the year, and at its
close ,250, 363S1 acres remained unadjusted.
1t appears that the appropriation for the
current year on account of special service for
the protection of the public lands and the
timber thereon is much less than those for
previous years and inadequate for an efficient
performance of the work. A larger sum of
money than has been appropriated during
number of years past GU this account has
been returned to the government as result
of the labors of those employed in the par
ticuIar service mentioned and l hope it will
not be crippled by insufficient appropriation.
/ fully indorse the recommendation of the
secretary that adequate protection be pro-
vded for our forest reserves and that COM
prehensive forestry system be inaugurated.
Such keepers and superintendent as are
necessary to protect the forests already re-
"a ILL